“I know when one is dead, and when one lives; she's dead as earth.”
This compare-and-contrast resource presents seven versions of the 'Oh, you are men of stones' speech from Act V Scene III of King Lear. In this pivotal moment, Lear emerges from prison carrying the body of his favourite daughter, Cordelia, howling in despair as the image of a once powerful King violently collides with the animalistic madman Lear has become.
Performances date from 1974 to 2016 and include Jonathan Pryce performing the iconic role at the Almeida, Don Warrington leading a predominantly black cast for Talawa Theatre Company, and Colm Feore in a critically acclaimed performance at the Stratford Festival in Canada.
Read our Compare and Contrast Guide for a list of questions and tasks to support your students as they watch multiple versions of key scenes and speeches available on DT+.