King Lear
A shorter version that you can probably understand a little better than the original
King Lear was very old and tired. He decided to abandon his power and divide his kingdom among his three daughters: Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. He portioned the land according to how much his daughters loved him. The daughter who loved him most got the most land.
Goneril came to the throne and was asked how much she loved her father. She really despised him, but spoke of her "everlasting" love. The next daughter, Regan, who also hated him, told her father that Goneril had not gone far enough. She claimed that she loved Lear even more than Goneril. Cordelia, who loves her father very much, said she loved him no more or less than she should. The old king was so angry that he banished her from the kingdom.
The king's dearest friend, the Earl of Kent, tried to stop him, but the king took no notice. Cordelia's suitor, the King of France, admired her honesty and married her. He and his new wife moved to France, reluctantly leaving Lear in the hands of Regan and Goneril. Kent, however disguised himself as one of Lear's servants, trying to protect Lear from his daughters.
Lear had no castle now, so he took one hundred knights, his friend the court jester, and his servant (Kent) to stay with Goneril and her husband Albany. Goneril treated him badly, and Lear discovered how evil she really is.
He then went to see Regan and her husband Cornwall, who were at the Earl of Gloucester's palace. He sent his servant ahead and the rest of the party followed. When Lear arrived, he was disgusted to find his servant in the stocks. Regan would not come out and see her father either. Then Goneril arrived, and told the king he had to give up his hundred knights. He also had to live as a pauper. With nowhere to go, he went outside into a pitiless storm.
The Earl of Gloucester watched Lear go with empathy. His children too had cheated him. His younger son, Edmund, had said that his best and favorite son, Edgar, had talked of murdering his father. This was a lie, and Gloucester didn't know it, so he banished Edgar from his palace. Edgar disguised himself as a mad beggar in a slum.
It was at this place that Kent, the fool, and King Lear went for protection and shelter. Edgar was hidden by shadows, delirious from the cold.
Back at Gloucester's palace, Gloucester heard Lear's daughters planning to murder him. He set out at once to tell Kent. Upon his return, Cornwall, Regan's husband, tore out both of Gloucester's eyes. A servant trying to intervene accidentally fatally wounded Cornwall. Regan was ecstatic, for she truly loved Edmond, Gloucester's son. Goneril however, was green with envy for she loved him too. She wrote to Edmond suggesting that he kill her husband so they could marry in happiness.
News reached the unhappy family that Cordelia, the other sister, had raised an army at Dover, a town close by. The sisters took Goneril's husband, Albany, and Edmond to Dover with them and their troops.
Kent had heard this too, and set out for Dover with King Lear, wishing to reunite him with Cordelia.
Gloucester was also headed to Kent with Edgar who had found him lost on the heath.
Outside the port of Dover, the two parties met. Lear mad with misery, and Gloucester in pain. Cordelia's servants took Lear to the French Camp.
Lear was so tired that he slept through the whole battle. He awoke to find that Cordelia's army had been defeated. He rejoiced, oblivious of the fact that he and Cordelia had been sentenced to death.
Goneril's husband, Albany, had discovered the plan to kill him, so he sent an armored stranger to fight Edmond. Only after Edmond was fatally wounded he revealed himself as Edmond.
A servant came and explained that Goneril had poisoned Regan, and realizing the fact that Edmond would not live, she had killed herself too.
Cordelia had been hanged. Albany and Edgar watched as Lear came towards then, Cordelia in his arms. He stumbled into a faint, and took his last breath.
The End