The History of King Lear the complete Shakespeare text in 1845. In Shakespeare's version, Lear, King of Britain, is growing old, and decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters – Goneril, wife of the Duke of Albany, Regan, wife of the Duke of Cornwall, and the youngest daughter, Cordelia, sought in marriage by the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France. The King decides that he will give the best part of the kingdom to the daughter who loves him most, and asks his three daughters to state how much they love him. Goneril and Regan make hypocritical, flattering speeches, and are
King Lear in "King Lear". Other possible sources are the anonymous play "King Leir" (published in 1605); "The Mirror for Magistrates" (1574), by John Higgins; "The Malcontent" (1604), by John Marston; "The London Prodigal" (1605); Montaigne's "Essays", which were translated into English by John Florio in 1603; "An Historical Description of Iland of Britaine" (1577), by William Harrison; "Remaines Concerning Britaine" (1606), by William Camden; "Albion's England" (1589), by William Warner; and "A Declaration of egregious Popish Impostures" (1603), by Samuel Harsnett, which provided some of the language used by Edgar while he feigns madness. "King Lear" is also a literary variant