Who isn’t familiar with the tragedy of King Lear, increasingly unhinged in his old age and beset with vicious and violent daughters and sons-in-law, the dastardly Regan and Goneril and their husbands, the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall.

Having just returned from three days in Cornwall, I can easily understand the violent weather, the sense of separation from the rest of England.  Harder to understand, but the heart of Shakespeare’s play are the human and familial interactions—father and daughters with Lear, sons and father with the Duke of Gloucester.  We see the height of human compassion and caring in Kent and the depth of human greed and violence in Cornwall.  We see the wisdom of the Fool and the ignorance and rapacity of Edmund.  In short, as usual, Shakespeare has managed to portray all of humanity’s virtues and vices in a single, short drama.

Reading this play for the umpeenth time, I found it to be more relevant than ever as I approach my 80th birthday.  Lear who had ruled with wisdom and compassion as the King of England is fading both physically and cognitively.  In a rash moment, he decides to divide his kingdom among his daughters (bad idea!) and with even less counsel from his advisors, he decides to base the division on each daughter’s avowal of her love for him (another really bad idea!).  Goneril and Regan go along falsely praising their father; Cordelia refuses to play this game, and is banished.  The end finds Lear and Cordelia reconciled and Regan and Goneril dismissed.

I guess All’s Well that Ends Well, but there had to be an easier way.  Kent suffers exile; Gloucester is blinded; and further mischief has ensued, but at the end, it works out.  Take home lesson for those of us approaching or beyond Lear’s infirmities is to not make hasty decisions when confused.  Shakespeare has done it again!