King Lear is king of Britain. He divides his kingdom between his daughters and their husbands.
Cordelia is Lear’s youngest daughter. He disowns her and she marries the King of France.
Goneril is Lear’s eldest daughter. She is married to the Duke of Albany.
Regan is Lear’s middle daughter. She is married to the Duke of Cornwall.
The Earl of Gloucester is loyal to the king. He has two sons, Edgar and Edmund.
Edmund is Gloucester’s youngest son. He is also illegitimate and Edgar's half-brother.
Edgar is Gloucester’s oldest son. He will inherit his father’s lands and title.
The Fool is Lear’s court jester and often tells the king when he makes mistakes.
The Earl of Kent is a loyal friend and advisor to King Lear. He is banished by Lear but comes back in disguise to serve him.
Albany is married to Goneril. He is loyal to the king.
The following activity is a good way to introduce the characters of Edgar and Edmund for the first time, looking at family dynamics in King Lear.
Edmund and Edgar (2016)
The activity can be found on page 8 and takes approximately 20 minutes.
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