爱德蒙 Edmond
李尔王：不列颠国王，他是一位很专制的人物，他对他的女儿们错误的判断导 致了他的失败。 高纳里尔（Goneril或Gonerill）李尔的长女，奥本尼公爵的妻子 里根（Regan）：李尔的次女，康华尔公爵的妻子 寇蒂莉亚（Cordelia）：李尔的三女，也是李尔最疼爱的女儿。 奥本尼公爵（The Duke of Albany）：高纳里尔的丈夫，高纳里尔对他的“牛 奶似的礼貌”不满，得知高纳里尔有意害死他后起来反对高纳里尔。 康华尔公爵（The Duke of Cornwall）：里根的丈夫，在一次风暴中他将肯特 伯爵推上了柴堆，将李尔放在一个火炉上，刺瞎了葛罗斯特伯爵。此后葛罗斯 特伯爵的一个侍者攻击他并使他负致命伤。 葛罗斯特伯爵（The Earl of Gloucester）：爱德伽和爱德蒙的父亲，爱德蒙 欺骗他反对爱德伽，后来爱德伽扮装逃亡。 肯特伯爵（The Earl of Kent）：李尔的忠臣，他反对李尔对寇蒂莉亚的态度 后被李尔驱逐，但他扮装为仆人继续为李尔服务，只是不让李尔知道他是谁。 爱德蒙（Edmund或Edmond）：葛罗斯特伯爵的私生子，他为高纳里尔和里 根服务来使得自己不断上升，三人之间关系暧昧。 爱德伽（Edgar）：葛罗斯特伯爵的儿子，他改装后化名为“汤姆· 白德兰 (Tom Bedlam)”，继续服侍他的瞎眼的父亲，最后他成为国王。 奥斯华德（Oswald）：高纳里尔的侍者，被称为是一个“有效的坏蛋”。他 试图刺杀葛罗斯特伯爵，但被爱德伽所杀。 弄人（The Fool）：一个忠于李尔和寇蒂莉亚的宫廷小丑。
Lear sends Kent, still in disguise, ahead to his daughter Regan's house so she can prepare for his arrival. While he is gone, the Fool who is traveling with them tells the former King that he could easily be the fool. When the king asks why, the fool tells him it is because he gave away his land too soon, and made himself old before he was wise. Act 2, Scene 1: Edmund hears that the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall are coming to his father's house. He decides it is time to put his plan fully into effect. He tells his brother that more evidence has come up against him. When his father comes, he makes him draw his sword. At Edmunds behest, Edgar flees making him look like a traitor. Edmund has a wound in his arm, and his father commends him for his service. Gloucester sentences Edgar to death if he is captured. The Duke and Duchess arrive and hear of the happenings and commend Edmund for his bravery. They tell Gloucester that they have come to seek refuge because of conflicting letters that they have received from Regan's sister and her father. If her father comes to her castle, they do not want to be there. Gloucester swears to give them all the aid they need until they can figure out who's message to believe and what to do about it.
