forces has been won; Edmund, for his part, plans to kill them both along with Albany. But with virtually no fanfare, we learn that Cordelia's forces have been defeated, and that both she and her father have been taken captive. When we see him next, a deranged Lear is not disturbed by this turn of events. He envisions spending his remaining days in prison talking with Cordelia. This outcome is foreclosed by Edmund when he sends his henchman to strangle Cordelia. Edgar removes his beggar's clothes, dons fighting armor and attacks Edmund, mortally wounding his bastard brother. We learn that the jealous Goneril has poisoned Regan and then committed suicide herself. An effort is made to stop Edmund's men from killing Cordelia, but it is already too late. Albany says to Lear that he will return the kingdom to him. But Lear, carrying the dead Cordelia's corpse, lapses into utter madness and dies broken-hearted. In the parallel sub-plot, after realizing Edgar's true identity and worth, a saddened Gloucester also dies. ...
