The storm, for example, is almost a character in its own right, and demands a convincing representation. However, it tends not to be performed as often as some of his other great tragedies such as Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet, perhaps because it’s difficult to do justice to some of the descriptions in a theatrical production.

Why King Lear? Lear is generally considered to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest masterpieces. The text is mainly based on the 1608 Quarto, and is condensed to about half the original material.Ĭandlewick Press Edition 2009 – 128pp., full color, oversize – ORDER A SIGNED COPYįor more samples see Amazon’s “Look Inside” My adaptation features loose, flowing page layouts, often without panel borders, and the setting is a melange of historical periods and styles. With a raging storm as a backdrop, Shakespeare explores themes of truth, loyalty, anger, madness, ambition, justice, and rebellion in this, one of his greatest tragedies.

When an old king tries to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, he unleashes a power struggle that will tear his family and the kingdom apart. I am so pleased to be able to make Lear, with its incredible imagery and drama, available in this format.Named one of the 10 best graphic novels of 2008 for youth by Booklist! I think the graphic novel form is a perfect bridge between the printed word and theatrical performance. Shakespeare’s plays were meant to be performed, and yet their greatness rests as much on their merits as literature – on the experience they give a reader – as on their theatrical power. There's another important reason I felt this would make a great graphic novel. However, it tends not to be performed as often as some of his other great tragedies such as Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet, perhaps because it's difficult to do justice to some of the descriptions in a theatrical production. Lear is generally considered to be one of Shakespeare's greatest masterpieces. The only differences between the Candlewick and self-published editions are the cover designs, the weight of the paper (Candlewick's is slightly heavier), and the typeface (mine is cursive script, theirs is a more 'normal' font), plus a few very minor copyedits of the text.Īmazon also has extensive samples of the Candlewick edition, including front matter and footnotes. The self-published edition is now officially out of print. Like Beowulf, this book was first self-published and later re-issued by Candlewick Press.

King Lear by Gareth Hinds