King Lear: Complete Notes

These 5 PowerPoints provide complete notes to support scene-by-scene analysis of Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’.

Each PowerPoint explains the setting and synopsis of an act, detailing an almost line-by-line reading of each of the play’s scenes. Shakespeare’s language is made accessible, with clear explanations of how characters are interacting, and ideas for analysing Shakespeare’s intentions in each key moment. They are akin to having a study guide to take you through the play, page by page. Notes are high-level and scholarly, but accessible for students aged 16+.

At the end of each scene, comprehension questions are included for students to assess for learning, along with some larger ‘big picture’ questions about how the play is progressing. Students are encouraged to think critically about the characters, structure, imagery and themes of the play.

The Act 1 PowerPoint is 70 slides.
The Act 2 PowerPoint is 50 slides.
The Act 3 PowerPoint is 55 slides.
The Act 4 PowerPoint is 54 slides.
The Act 5 PowerPoint is 42 slides.

These PowerPoints could be used by teachers to support scene-by-scene analysis, or could be used by students hoping to understand and revise the play independently. They are not ‘lessons’ in the traditional sense, but are a detailed companion to studying the play, and students always find them extremely useful.