Helps readers navigate "King Lear's" history and includes nine primary sources from which Shakespeare borrowed in creating his play, along with two additional likely sources. This title discusses the best-known and most-often discussed passages from Quarto I. It provides thirteen critical interpretations, and three adaptations and responses.

"Sources" helps readers navigate King Lear's rich history and includes the nine essential primary sources from which Shakespeare borrowed significantly in creating his play, along with two additional likely sources.

"Criticism"provides thirteen major critical interpretations and three provocative adaptations and responses to King Lear. Critical interpretation is provided by Samuel Johnson, Charles Lamb, Peter Brook, Michael Warren, Lynda E. Boose, Janet Adelman, and R. A. Foakes, among others. The adaptations and responses are by Nahum Tate, John Keats, and Edward Bond.

A Selected Bibliography is also included.