The play begins with King Lear, the aging ruler of Britain, deciding to retire and divide his kingdom among his three daughters: Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. He proposes a test—each daughter must declare how much she loves him in order to receive her portion of the kingdom. Goneril and Regan, his eldest daughters, offer extravagant and insincere flattery, winning his favor. Cordelia, the youngest and most honest, refuses to indulge in false praise, simply stating that she loves him as a daughter should. Lear, enraged by what he sees as a lack of affection, disowns Cordelia and banishes her. The King of France, impressed by Cordelia’s honesty, takes her as his wife despite her lack of inheritance.

With his kingdom divided between Goneril and Regan, Lear expects to retain his authority while enjoying the comforts of retirement. However, his daughters quickly reveal their true nature, stripping him of his power and dignity. Goneril and Regan grow increasingly cruel, dismissing his knights and treating him with contempt. Lear, unable to accept their betrayal, descends into madness and wanders the wilderness during a raging storm, accompanied by his loyal Fool and the disguised nobleman Kent, whom Lear had previously exiled.

Meanwhile, another subplot unfolds with the Earl of Gloucester and his sons, Edgar and Edmund. Edmund, the illegitimate and ambitious son, schemes against his father and brother, falsely convincing Gloucester that Edgar intends to betray him. Gloucester, deceived by Edmund, disowns Edgar, who flees and disguises himself as “Poor Tom,” a mad beggar. As Gloucester grows suspicious of Lear’s treatment, he secretly aids the fallen king, an act that results in his capture by Regan and her husband Cornwall. In a brutal act of cruelty, Gloucester is blinded and cast out.

As the chaos unfolds, Cordelia, now leading the French army, returns to Britain to save her father. She finds Lear in a state of madness, but their reunion is bittersweet. Despite Cordelia’s compassion, the forces of Goneril, Regan, and Edmund triumph, and she is captured along with Lear. Edmund orders her execution. However, before he can carry out further schemes, he is challenged to a duel by Edgar, who has returned in disguise. Edgar defeats and mortally wounds Edmund, who, in his dying moments, admits his crimes and attempts to save Cordelia. But it is too late—Cordelia has already been executed.

Lear, heartbroken over Cordelia’s death, succumbs to grief and dies. Albany, one of the remaining noble figures, attempts to restore order, but the kingdom has suffered irreversible devastation. The play ends in darkness and despair, highlighting the tragic consequences of pride, deception, and unchecked ambition.

Shakespeare’s King Lear is a harrowing tale of human frailty, power struggles, and the fragility of love and loyalty. Its exploration of madness, betrayal, and the brutal nature of existence continues to make it one of the most powerful tragedies in literary history.