# King Lear

**Author:** William Shakespeare
**Grade range:** Grades 11–12
**Age range:** 15–18
**First published:** 1606
**Page count:** 368
**Genre:** Drama
**ISBN-13:** `9780743482769`
**ISBN-10:** `074348276X`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/king-lear
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Shakespeare's tragedy follows an aging king who divides his kingdom by how loudly his daughters profess their love, banishing the one who truly loves him. His error unleashes betrayal, madness, and ruin across two families. A standard grades 11-12 and AP text for studying tragedy, power, family, and the limits of authority.

## Themes

- family
- power
- betrayal
- madness
- aging

## Content notes

- violence

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