Based partially on a Celtic legend, 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. Harold Bloom calls King Lear the unique eminence in the world's literary world. This new edition is perfect for high school and college students doing in-depth study on this work of the Bard. Further resources such as a chronology of Shakespeare's life, a useful bibliography, and a handy index round out the title.