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→Synopsis: Act III synopsis
King Lear and his entourage arrive, having already been to Cornwall's castle and not finding them at home. He sees Kent in the stocks and finds out who put him there. He demands to see Cornwall and Regan for an explanation, and to his consternation, they refuse to see him. He entreats Gloster to bring them to him, and as they arrive, they remove the stocks. Regan tries to reason with Lear, saying that his knights placed too much of a burden on Goneril's castle, and suggesting that he return there to apologize. Believing this beneath his digity, Lear refuses. Goneril enters, and together she and Regan demand that Lear dismiss his army and stay with them peacefully -- their reasoning is that he is too old and no longer in need of an army, though they secretly are hoping to remove the threat that his men represent to their rule. Feeling betrayed, Lear exits in a rage with a vicious storm on the horizon.
King Lear and his entourage arrive, having already been to Cornwall's castle and not finding them at home. He sees Kent in the stocks and finds out who put him there. He demands to see Cornwall and Regan for an explanation, and to his consternation, they refuse to see him. He entreats Gloster to bring them to him, and as they arrive, they remove the stocks. Regan tries to reason with Lear, saying that his knights placed too much of a burden on Goneril's castle, and suggesting that he return there to apologize. Believing this beneath his digity, Lear refuses. Goneril enters, and together she and Regan demand that Lear dismiss his army and stay with them peacefully -- their reasoning is that he is too old and no longer in need of an army, though they secretly are hoping to remove the threat that his men represent to their rule. Feeling betrayed, Lear exits in a rage with a vicious storm on the horizon.
===Act III===
Apparently having gone completely mad, Lear has gone into the open countryside to rage against the storm, accompanied only by his faithful Fool. The Earl of Kent has heard the rumors of division between Albany and Cornwall, and has also heard that the King of France is aware of the intrigues and is planning a massive invasion to capitalize on the disorder. Meanwhile, in Gloster's castle, the Earl tells Edmund of his displeasure at the intrigues against the king. Having also heard the false rumor of division between the dukes, Gloster tells his son about a letter locked in his closet which expresses his intention to side with Lear against his daughters.
Lear continues to shout down the elements, while the Fool tries to convince him to return to shelter. Kent arrives and leads them to a hovel, which turns out to be inhabited by the well-disguised Edgar.
[[Category:Plays of Shakespeare]]
[[Category:Plays of Shakespeare]]