King Lear occupies a special place in the Shakespearean canon. Lear's descent into madness, the central event of this play, illustrates the extent to which humanity can be degraded by its errors. This invaluable new study guide to one of Shakespeare's most exceptional works contains a selection of the finest criticism through the centuries on ""King Lear"". Students will also benefit from the additional features included in this volume, such as an introduction by Harold Bloom, an accessible summary, analysis of key passages, a comprehensive character list, a biography of Shakespeare, and more.