Lear (played by Anthony Hopkins) is a protagonist in King Lear.
Sovereign king who divides his kingdom among his three daughters. After being stripped of power and retinue by Goneril and Regan, he wanders starving and his mind wavers. He reunites with Cordelia after her military defeat but dies of exhaustion after holding her dead body. Goneril (played by Emma Thompson) is a protagonist in King Lear.
Elder daughter who makes public declarations of love to secure a share of the kingdom. She seizes power alongside Regan, dispossesses Lear, and is later dispatched and killed to end the civil war and restore peace. Regan (played by Emily Watson) appears in King Lear.
Elder daughter who pledges allegiance to her father to gain a portion of the kingdom. She joins Goneril in taking power and stripping Lear of his possessions, and is subsequently killed to resolve the conflict. Earl of Gloucester (played by Jim Broadbent) appears in King Lear.
Father of Edmund and Edgar. His trust and confidence are manipulated by his bastard son Edmund, who exploits this relationship to frame Edgar and consolidate his own influence. Cordelia (played by Florence Pugh) appears in King Lear.
Youngest daughter who refuses to make a superficial love declaration and is disinherited. She marries the French King without a dowry, returns with military reinforcements, suffers defeat, and dies after reuniting with her father. Edgar (played by Andrew Scott) appears in King Lear.
Legitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester. Framed by his brother Edmund and effectively banished, he later returns to challenge Edmund to armed combat, mortally wounds him, and survives to help bury the dead and rebuild. Edmund (played by John Macmillan) appears in King Lear.
Bastard son of the Earl of Gloucester. He manipulates his father and frames his brother Edgar to gain trust and power. He is ultimately challenged by Edgar and mortally wounded in combat.
King Lear (2018) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Lear
(played by Anthony Hopkins) — protagonist
Sovereign king who divides his kingdom among his three daughters. After being stripped of power and retinue by Goneril and Regan, he wanders starving and his mind wavers. He reunites with Cordelia aft...
Goneril
(played by Emma Thompson) — protagonist
Elder daughter who makes public declarations of love to secure a share of the kingdom. She seizes power alongside Regan, dispossesses Lear, and is later dispatched and killed to end the civil war and...
Regan
(played by Emily Watson) — supporting
Elder daughter who pledges allegiance to her father to gain a portion of the kingdom. She joins Goneril in taking power and stripping Lear of his possessions, and is subsequently killed to resolve the...
Earl of Gloucester
(played by Jim Broadbent) — supporting
Father of Edmund and Edgar. His trust and confidence are manipulated by his bastard son Edmund, who exploits this relationship to frame Edgar and consolidate his own influence.
Cordelia
(played by Florence Pugh) — supporting
Youngest daughter who refuses to make a superficial love declaration and is disinherited. She marries the French King without a dowry, returns with military reinforcements, suffers defeat, and dies af...
Edgar
(played by Andrew Scott) — supporting
Legitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester. Framed by his brother Edmund and effectively banished, he later returns to challenge Edmund to armed combat, mortally wounds him, and survives to help bury th...
Edmund
(played by John Macmillan) — supporting
Bastard son of the Earl of Gloucester. He manipulates his father and frames his brother Edgar to gain trust and power. He is ultimately challenged by Edgar and mortally wounded in combat.
Canonical Relationships
Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.
Earl of Gloucester → Edgar
(Family Father)
Edgar is identified as the legitimately born son of the Earl of Gloucester.
Goneril → Regan
(Family Sisters)
Goneril and Regan are identified as Lear's two elder daughters and jointly take power after the kingdom is divided.
Lear → Cordelia
(Family Father)
Cordelia is identified as Lear's youngest daughter and is disinherited after refusing to make a public declaration of love.
Lear → Regan
(Family Father)
Regan is identified as Lear's elder daughter and pledges allegiance to him before receiving a portion of the kingdom.
Lear → Goneril
(Family Father)
Goneril is identified as Lear's elder daughter and publicly declares her love for him during the division of the kingdom.
Story Dynamics
Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.
Regan → Goneril
(related)
Regan → Lear
(related)
Lear → Edmund
(related)
Regan → Edmund
(related)
Edmund → Goneril
(related)
Edmund → Lear
(related)
Edmund → Regan
(related)
Edgar → Lear
(Alliance Postwar Supporter)
After the deaths, Edgar remains to help bury the bodies and begin rebuilding the devastated wartime landscape.
Story Analysis
A ruler's disastrous division of power destroys his family and kingdom before survivors begin the work of burial and reconstruction.
