King Lear
By William Shakespeare
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Reading level
Level nine:
Advanced adult literature
See more level nine books
Curriculum details
- Medieval and Renaissance Literature
- Core curriculum
- Lifelong learning
- Mar 31, 2025 - Apr 11, 2025
- 4 credit hours
About
Shakespeare can be challenging to read at first, but gets easier with practice and is well worth the effort. Make sure to use an annotated edition which provides explanations of archaic phrases.
For a gentle introduction to Shakespeare, try the No Fear Shakespeare series by Sparknotes, which includes a page-facing modern "translation" alongside the original text. If you use this option, do not allow the modern adaptation to replace your reading of the original language.
This course includes several of Shakespeare's most iconic plays. Try to view a performance of at least one of them, instead or in addition to reading the text. A free performance of King Lear may be accessed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPL2ThP2lvs.