King Lear Flashcards
Learn character descriptions and roles within the play
Role: Kent (disguised as Caius)
Kent is one of Lear’s most loyal followers. After being banished by Lear for striking Oswald, he disguises himself as the common man “Caius” to continue serving Lear. Kent is outspoken and brave, always loyal to Lear even in the face of hardship.
Significance: Kent (disguised as Caius)
Kent’s loyalty to Lear is crucial in the play, as he acts as a foil to the deceit and treachery around him. His disguise as Caius represents the theme of appearance versus reality, and his devotion to Lear highlights themes of duty, loyalty, and justice. Kent is one of the few characters who truly understands Lear’s character and tries to protect him throughout the play.
Role: Gloucester
Gloucester is a loyal nobleman to King Lear, but his story mirrors Lear’s in many ways. He is deceived by his illegitimate son, Edmund, into disowning his legitimate son, Edgar. Gloucester’s eyes are eventually gouged out by Regan and her husband, Cornwall, as punishment for his loyalty to Lear.
Significance: Gloucester
Gloucester represents a parallel to Lear in terms of paternal blindness—both physically (when he loses his eyes) and metaphorically (as he fails to see Edmund’s true nature). His tragic fate emphasizes themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of poor judgment. Gloucester’s suffering and ultimate reconciliation with Edgar contribute to the play’s exploration of familial relationships and the harsh consequences of power struggles.
Role: Edgar
Edgar is Gloucester’s legitimate son, who is wrongly disinherited by his father in favor of the manipulative Edmund. In the play, Edgar adopts the disguise of “Poor Tom,” a mad beggar, to evade capture after being falsely accused by Edmund.
Significance: Edgar
Edgar represents themes of innocence and resilience. His transformation into “Poor Tom” and his eventual triumph over Edmund highlight the play’s motifs of disguise, survival, and identity. He serves as a contrast to Edmund’s villainy, and his eventual reconciliation with his father before Gloucester’s death brings a sense of closure to the narrative.
Role: Edmund
Edmund is a manipulative and ambitious character who schemes to usurp his legitimate half-brother Edgar and gain power for himself. He deceives both Lear and Gloucester, and after betraying his father, he rises to a position of power.
Significance: Edmund
Edmund is the embodiment of treachery and self-interest in the play. He manipulates both his father and his brother to advance his own position. His actions drive much of the conflict in King Lear, particularly in relation to Gloucester and the inheritance of power. Edmund’s ultimate downfall, caused by his inability to feel genuine remorse, underscores the play’s themes of justice, loyalty, and the consequences of villainy.
Role: Regan
Regan is one of Lear’s two treacherous daughters. She feigns affection for her father to gain power, and once she does, she joins with her sister Goneril in plotting against Lear. She becomes increasingly cruel, particularly after the death of her husband, Cornwall, and is later poisoned by Goneril.
Significance: Regan
Regan represents the destructive power of greed, manipulation, and filial ingratitude. Her cruelty toward Lear and her competition with Goneril for Edmund’s affection illustrate the destructive impact of familial rivalry and ambition. Her death, alongside Goneril’s, completes the tragic arc of Lear’s family and reflects the ultimate futility of their attempts to gain power at any cost.
Role: Goneril
Goneril is the elder of Lear’s two treacherous daughters. She deceives Lear into thinking she loves him most, only to later betray him, rob him of his power, and abandon him in his old age. Goneril’s ambition to rule leads her to further cruelty, including her manipulation of her husband, Albany, and her eventual affair with Edmund.
Significance: Goneril
Goneril, like Regan, embodies the themes of ambition, power, and the corrupting influence of authority. Her competition with her sister and her pursuit of Edmund deepen the divisions within the family. Goneril’s eventual suicide, caused by her guilt and despair over her own actions, adds to the tragic unraveling of the Lear family.
Role: Oswald
Oswald is Goneril’s loyal steward, who serves her without question and assists in her plot against Lear. He is dismissive of the elderly King and remains loyal to Goneril throughout much of the play. He is eventually killed by Kent during the battle between Lear’s and Albany’s forces.
Significance: Oswald
Oswald is a symbol of blind obedience and servitude. His role as a sycophant contrasts sharply with Kent’s genuine loyalty to Lear. His death at the hands of Kent represents the breakdown of order and the chaos that has engulfed the court, as well as Kent’s own violent loyalty to Lear.
Role: Albany
Albany is the husband of Goneril, who initially appears weak and indecisive, particularly in relation to his wife’s actions. Over the course of the play, Albany becomes more morally aware and eventually opposes Goneril’s cruelty toward Lear and the other characters. He survives the play and is left to restore order.
