King Lear is a tragic play about power, loyalty, madness, and family. King Lear, aging and desirous of retirement, decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters—Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia—based on how much they profess their love for him. While Goneril and Regan flatter him with grand declarations, Cordelia refuses to exaggerate, resulting in her disinheritance. Lear soon realizes his mistake as his elder daughters betray him and strip him of authority. Stripped of dignity and descending into madness, Lear wanders in a storm, accompanied by his Fool. Parallel to his fall is a subplot involving the noble Gloucester and his two sons, Edgar and Edmund, which similarly explores betrayal and redemption. Eventually, Lear’s fortunes reverse, but the tragic consequences are profound and devastating.