King Lear disliked its dark and depressing tone, but since the 19th century Shakespeare's original version has been regarded as one of his supreme achievements. The tragedy is particularly noted for its probing observations on the nature of human suffering and kinship. George Bernard Shaw wrote, "No man will ever write a better tragedy than Lear." King Lear of Britain, elderly and wanting to retire from the duties of the monarchy, decides to divide his realm among his three daughters, and declares he will offer the largest share to the one who loves him most. The eldest, Goneril, speaks first, declaring her
H. S. Shivaprakash and Girish Karnad's "Taledanda". Shivaprakash won the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi award for this play. His other plays include "Sultan Tipu", "Shakespeare Swapnanauke", "Manteswamy Kathaprasanga", "Madari Madayya", "Madurekanda", "Madhavi", "Matrika", "Makarachandra", "Sati", "Cassandra" and "Maduvehennu". He has also translated Shakespeare's "King Lear" and adapted Federico García Lorca's "The Shoemaker's Prodigious Wife" into Kannada under the title "Mallammana Mane Hotlu" and Shakespeare's "Macbeth" under the name "Maranayakana Drishtanta". "Manteswamy Kathaprasanga", a play about a 16th-century Dalit saint was made into a successful stage adaptation by director Suresh Anagalli and produced over 300 shows. It kindled interest in this obscure saint and the