Who's the knave?

One of the joys of a (good) UK summer is to attend an outdoor event with friends, be it music, opera, the spoken word or even a simple picnic by the sea or in the countryside. A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of attending a superb outdoor production by the Globe Theatre of Shakespeare's King Lear, which some readers will recall did not have a happy ending. This also took me back in time, as I studied King Lear for my English GCSE!

Briefly,1King Lear of Britain decided to retire and divide his kingdom between his three daughters, provided that they showed him how much they love him. One, Cordelia, is unable to do this as she feels that it would be hypocritical: she is unceremoniously banished. Lear's principal advisor, Kent, tries to tell him that this is wrong and he is also banished in similar fashion. However, he later disguises himself, and returns to help the King. There is increasing animosity between many of the principal players, with this erupting into a venomous attack by (the disguised) Kent on the steward of one of the other sisters, Oswald, thus:2