The classic tragedy. According to Wikipedia: "King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1603 and 1606, and is considered one of his greatest works. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological pre-Roman king. It has been widely adapted for stage and screen, with the part of Lear being played by many of the world's most accomplished actors. There are two distinct versions of the play: The True Chronicle of the History of the Life and Death of King Lear and His Three Daughters, which appeared in quarto in 1608, and The Tragedy of King Lear, which appeared in the First Folio in 1623, a more theatrical version. The two texts are commonly printed in a conflated version, although many modern editors have argued that each version has its individual integrity. After the Restoration the play was often modified by theatre practitioners who disliked its dark and depressing tone. But since the 19th century, it has been regarded as one of Shakespeare's supreme achievements. The tragedy is particularly noted for its probing observations on the nature of human suffering and kinship.
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) föddes i Stratford-upon-Avon och trots att lite är känt om honom räknas han som litteraturhistoriens viktigaste dramatiker. Känd och spelad redan under sin livstid fick hans trettiosju pjäser ett ännu större erkännande efter den första samlade utgåvan 1623. I Sverige vaknade intresset för Shakespeare relativt sent, men han har alltsedan mitten av 1800-talet spelats på alla stora teatrar i olika odödliga tolkningar och uppsättningar."Shakespeare tillhörde inte bara en tidsålder, utan evigheten." Ben Jonson
