al servants attacks Cornwall and injures him badly. Act IVScenes i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi & vii: The blinded Gloucester is reunited with Edgar, still disguised as Mad Tom, and the son agrees to lead the father to the cliffs of Dover where Gloucester plans to commit suicide. Goneril and Edmund are informed by Oswald that Cordelia and an army from France are about to invade England. Goneril instructs Edmund to raise an army in response; they then exchange tender farewells and reveal their plan to murder Goneril's husband, the Duke of Albany. But when Albany arrives he rails against the brutality of his wife and Edmund and then vows to exact revenge for Gloucester's blinding. In another plot twist, Goneril expresses her fears that Regan (whose own husband Cornwall has died) also harbors sexual intentions toward Edmund. Lear learns that Cordelia has landed in England, but he refuses to see her because he is ashamed of himself and his treatment of her. A battle between Cordelia's French army and the forces of Goneril, Regan, Edmund, and a reluctant Albany begins to take form. Meanwhile, on the Cliffs of Dover, Edgar (as Tom) tricks his father into thinking that he has jumped off the steep precipice and been rescued from death by the gods. Oswald appears on the scene and attempts to kill Gloucester, but is himself slain by Edgar. Cordelia and a distraught Lear are finally reunited. But Lear is so mad that he cannot recognize her at first, mistaking his daughter for a spirit. At the end of this act, Lear nevertheless seems to be making some recovery under the care of Cordelia and a kindly doctor. Act VScenes i, ii, & iii: A jealous Regan argues with Edmund about his relationship with Goneril. Edgar appears in disguise and tells Albany about his wife's plans to kill him and marry Edmund. Through Edmund, we learn that Albany (as the commander of the English army) intends to be merciful toward Lear and Cordelia after the battle against their French...
