Considered one of Shakespeare's most powerful dramas, King Lear holds as much interest for today's readers as it did to contemporary audiences because of its combined elements of political and domestic tragedy. While Lear's intricate plot and early-modern themes can be challenging for students, studying the play in its historical context sheds a great deal of light on the important dramatic elements and topical references. This casebook helps students understand the literary and historical issues in King Lear as well as its contemporary applications. The work focuses on genre, character archetypes, themes and sources. There are three chapters which cover the themes of insanity in Shakespeare's day, kingship and the controversial reign of James I, and family ties in Shakespeare's day. A chapter on adaptations looks at the re-telling of King Lear's story in Nahum's Tate's rendition and in a modern adaptation, Jane Smiley's Thousand Acres. Reviews of both the novel and the play examine the many parallels between this modern tale of family betrayal and King Lear. The final chapter helps readers appreciate the relation of King Lear to contemporary issues by focusing on the treatment of the elderly in our own society.