How long does it take to read King Lear?
King Lear by William Shakespeare takes about 3 hours 33 minutes to read at 250 words a minute.
About 3 hours 33 minutes
A weekend read
First published 1608. 194 pages, about 53,350 words. Written for young adults.
8 days at 30 minutes a day
Estimate based on 275 words per page.
At other speeds
| Slow, 150 words a minute | 5 hours 56 minutes |
| Average, 250 words a minute | 3 hours 33 minutes |
| Fast, 400 words a minute | 2 hours 13 minutes |
The page count is the median across 1,614 editions, so your copy may differ. How we calculate.
About the book
King Lear divides his kingdom among the two daughters who flatter him and banishes the third one who loves him. His eldest daughters both then reject him at their homes, so Lear goes mad and wanders through a storm. His banished daughter returns with an army, but they lose the battle and Lear, all his daughters and more, die.
Subjects: Drama, King Lear (Legendary character), Fathers and daughters, Kings and rulers, Inheritance and succession, Britons
