'History of King Lear' Summary

Tate's adaptation follows the story of King Lear, an aging monarch who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on their declarations of love. Goneril and Regan, driven by ambition, flatter their father with insincere pronouncements, while Cordelia, the truest of daughters, refuses to engage in such empty flattery. Outraged, Lear disinherits Cordelia and divides the kingdom between his deceitful daughters. However, Goneril and Regan soon reveal their true nature, stripping Lear of his power and authority. He is left to wander the stormy heath, losing his sanity, until he is reunited with Cordelia, who has returned with an army to restore him to his rightful place. In Tate's version, Cordelia and Lear are victorious, a far cry from the tragic demise of both in Shakespeare's original. The play concludes with a celebration of restored order and the triumph of virtue, providing a much more palatable ending for the audiences of the Restoration period.