Act IV Summary

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King Lear

• Act IV Summary

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Act IV.1 Character list

• Edgar
• Gloucester
• An Old Man

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Scene 1 Details

• Edgar sees his father with an old man and sees
  that he is blinded. The old man is a tenant of
  Gloucesters and tries to help, but Gloucester
  pushes him away.
• Gloucester acknowledges he stumbled when he saw
  (making references to exiling Edgar). Old Man
  sees Poor Tom, and even though warns of his
  madness and nakedness, Gloucester asks if beggar
  can take him to Dover. He is willing to pay him
  for it.
• Poor Tom agrees to lead a blind Gloucester to
  the edge of the cliffs of Dover.

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Act IV.2 Character list

• Goneril
• Edmund
• Oswald
• Albany
• Messenger

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Scene 2 Details

• Goneril and Edmund return from Gloucesters
  together. Oswald says that Albany is mad, and
  she decides to send Edmund back to her
  brother-in-law, Cornwall. She sends him away
  with a kiss. Edmunds swears allegiance until the
  death and then leaves.
• Albany enters piping mad and curses at Goneril
  for treating her father and Gloucester in the
  manner in which she did. Goneril chastises him
  for taking pity on Lear and Gloucester while
  doing nothing as France invades their land.
• Albany calls her a fiend, a womans shape doth
  shield thee. She is a devil disguised as a
  woman, and that form is what is protecting her
  from his wrath.

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Scene 2 Continued

• While the two continue to fight, a messenger
  enters with the news that Cornwall is dead at the
  hands of his own servant while Cornwall blinded
  Gloucester.
• Albany feels bad for Gloucester and that
  Cornwalls death proves there is justice from
  above.
• The messenger gives Goneril a letter from Regan.
  She is glad that Gloucester is dead, but is
  worried about Regan being a widow and what this
  might do about her plans with Edmund. She exits.

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Scene 2 Continued

• Albany asks the messenger about where Edmund was
  when Gloucester was being attacked.
• The messenger says that Edmund was coming here
  with Goneril, and when Albany says he isnt here,
  the messenger says that he passed him going back
  to his place.
• The messenger confirms that not only did Edmund
  know about his dads attack, but it was he that
  betrayed his dad and got out of dodge before
  something happened to him.
• Albany is thankful for Gloucesters service to
  the king and will avenge his blindness.
• End.

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Act VI.3 Character List

• This scene is deleted from film
• See summary on page 184.

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Act IV.4 Character list

• Cordelia
• Soldiers
• Gentlemen

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Scene 4

• Cordelia orders soldiers to find Lear and bring
  him to her.
• She will reward the person who can help her
  father become well.
• The doctor says there is a way to make him better
  and Cordelia fervently hopes so before his
  madness takes his life.
• The messenger returns saying that the British
  forces are advancing. Cordelia is ready for
  them, but is only really there to help her father
  not fight a war.

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Act IV.5 Character list

• Regan
• Oswald
• Steward

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Scene 5

• Oswald has a letter from Goneril to give to
  Edmund. Regan is curious about what it says and
  ask Oswald if she can read it.
• She tries to convince Oswald not to give Edmund
  the letter, but Oswald insists on being loyal to
  Goneril by doing her bidding.
• Regan tells Oswald that though Goneril may not
  love her husband, she (Regan) plans on pursuing
  Edmund for herself since she is now and widow and
  that makes the most sense. She tells Oswald that
  he can tell Goneril this and that she should come
  to her senses.
• Both exit.

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Act IV.6 Character list

• Gloucester
• Edgar
• Lear
• Gentleman
• Oswald

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Scene 6

• Edgar leads a blind Gloucester to the cliffs of
  Dover where Gloucester plans to end his life.
  Edgar tricks Gloucester into thinking he is high
  up on a steep cliff.
• Before he jumps, Gloucester gives Edgar jewels as
  payment for his help. As he prepares to die, he
  asks that Edgar be blessed (acknowledging that he
  did nothing wrong). He jumps.
• Thinking he has fallen to his death, Gloucester
  wakes to the voice of a peasant (Edgar in
  another clever disguise) and tells him to leave
  him to die.

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Scene 6

• The peasant says that Gloucesters landing is a
  miracle since he landed so softly like feathers
  in the wind.
• The peasant takes Gloucesters hand and convinces
  him that the beggar he was with looked like the
  devil and that the gods have preserved thee.
  He is lucky to be alive.
• Lear enters, crazy as ever and speaking all kinds
  of nonsense. Edgar recognizes him, shocked at
  his appearance and Gloucester recognizes his
  voice, wanting to pay allegiance and hoping Lear
  remembers him.
• Lear continues to rage on while Edgar and
  Gloucester listen in disbelief and sadness that
  the once great king has been reduced to this
  figure.

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Scene 6

• Cordelias men enter and trie to help Lear, but
  Lear, misunderstanding the situation, runs away
  from them while the attendants chase after him.
• Edgar asks the remaining gentleman about a battle
  that is about to happen. The Gentlmen confirms
  Cordelias army is advancing and will attack
  soon.
• Gloucester asks for strength from above and asks
  Edgar again about his identity. Edgar says that
  he is a poor beggar that will show kindness to
  him.

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Scene 6yes, there is more

• Oswald enters, discovers Gloucester and tries to
  kill him. Edgar protects his father, tries to
  talk sense into Oswald, Oswald tries to stab
  Edgar, but Edgar kills him instead.
• As Oswald dies, he asks that letters he is
  carrying get to Edmund.
• Edgar discovers that the letter is from Goneril
  to Edmund asking that he kill Albany so they can
  be together. Edgar realizes his brother is liar
  and will show the letter to Albany when the time
  is right.
• Gloucester laments some more about his situation
  while Edgar leads him off to safety. They exit.

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Act IV.7 Character list

• Cordelia
• Kent
• Doctor
• Gentlemen
• Lear

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Scene 7

• Cordelia is grateful for Kents loyalty to her
  dad, and wants to let people know of his
  kindness, but Kent asks to out of the lime light
  until the time is right to be recognized. She
  agrees.
• The doctor updates Cordelia on her fathers
  condition. He advises Cordelia to be near when
  her father wakes and warns that he cannot be sure
  of his behavior. She awakes him with a kiss and
  laments over his situation.
• When Lear awakes, he thinks he is dead and that
  Cordelia is a spirit.

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Scene 7 continued

• Lear thinks he has lost his mind because he is
  not sure if Cordelia is real, but Cordelia
  continues to convince him of who she is. After
  asking not to be mocked, he thinks he finally
  recognizes Cordelia.
• He believes she is there to harm him like her
  sisters did and is prepared to pay for the hurt
  he has done to Cordelia. She has reason to want
  to get back at him.
• Lear asks for her forgiveness because he is old.
  She forgives him. They exit.
• Kent and the Gentleman discuss the death of
  Cornwall and the status of Edmund, Gloucester and
  Edgar.
• Kent ends by saying that his life will be
  determined by the days events.