기록에 의하면 『리어왕』은 1605년 겨울에 당시 영국의 왕이었던 제임스 1세의 왕궁에서 공연되었다. 따라서 많은 학자들은 이 작품이 처음 집필되어 공연된 시기를 1604년에서 1605년 사이로 보고 있다. 엘리자베스 1세의 뒤를 이어 영국의 국왕으로 즉위한 제임스 1세는 이미 스코틀랜드의 국왕이었다. 따라서 제임스는 즉위 초부터 스코틀랜드와 영국을 하나의 국가로 통합하려는 일련의 노력을 했는데, 이러한 정책이 불러온 우려와 긴장감은 리어의 왕국분할 계획을 통해 이 작품에 잘 반영되어 있다. 리어의 노후 계획은 본래 의도와는 상관없이 왕국의 혼란만을 가져왔으며, 리어 자신과 가족 모두의 몰락으로 이어졌기 때문이다. 과연 왕국의 영토를 분할하는 것이 옳은 것인가, 아니면 이제까지 서로 다른 길을 걸어 온 두 왕국을 하나로 합치는 것이 옳은 길인가에 대한 문제는 셰익스피어를 포함한 당시 사람들에게 주어진 커다란 논제였다. 그 어느 때보다 급변하고 있는 한국사회의 모습, 특히 세대 간 갈등과 가치관의 변화가 사회 전반에 걸쳐 끼치는 영향과 효과를 목격하고 있는 지금의 우리 사회 상황에 견주어 볼 때, 400여 년 전 머나먼 땅 영국에서 공연되었던 『리어왕』은 인간의 존재란 무엇인가에 대한 진지한 성찰과 비극적 주인공의 삶을 통한 감정의 정화라는 극적 효과에 더하여 우리에게 또 다른 차원의 생각할 거리를 제시하고 있다. 그렇기에 『리어왕』은 시대와 장소를 초월한 생명력을 지니고 있으며, 오늘 우리가 다시 읽어야할 고전인 것이다.

역자 : 고현동 창원대학교 영어영문학과 조교수 털사대학교 (University of Tulsa) 영문학 박사 충북대학교 영어영문학과 졸업 주요논문 「The Spiritual and Homosocial: Supernatural Impacts on Dynastic Transition in Macbeth」 「Dramatic Rendering of Whiggism in Lucius Junius Brutus」 「Sovereign Homosociality in the Henriad」

옮긴이의 말 ····································································································5 등장인물들 ····································································································12 1막 1장 ········································································································15 2장 ········································································································33 3장 ········································································································42 4장 ········································································································44 5장 ········································································································63 2막 1장 ········································································································66 2장 ········································································································74 3장 ········································································································84 4장 ········································································································86 3막 1장 ·······································································································105 2장 ·······································································································109 3장 ·······································································································115 4장 ·······································································································117 5장 ·······································································································127 6장 ·······································································································129 7장 ·······································································································136 4막 1장 ·······································································································144 2장 ·······································································································150 3장 ·······································································································157 4장 ·······································································································161 5장 ·······································································································164 6장 ·······································································································167 7장 ·······································································································184 5막 1장 ·······································································································190 2장 ·······································································································195 3장 ·······································································································197 작품해설 ·····································································································219 셰익스피어 연보 ···························································································225 참고문헌 ·····································································································229

(오스왈드 다시 등장)
오 그래, 너, 바로 너 말이다. 이리 오너라. 내가 누구냐?
오스왈드 제 마님의 부친이시죠.
리어 “제 마님의 부친입니다?” 못된 놈, 천한 개 후레자식, 노예 자식,
똥개 같은 놈아!
오스왈드 죄송합니다만, 폐하, 저는 그런 자가 아닙니다.
리어 이놈이 지금 감히 나를 노려보는 것이냐?
(오스왈드를 때린다)
오스왈드 폐하, 더 이상 맞지는 않겠습니다.
켄트 (오스왈드의 발을 걸어 넘어뜨린다) 아니면 넘어지겠지, 공이나
차는 이 비천한 놈아.
리어 자네, 고맙군. 나를 섬기니 자네를 잘 대해줘야겠어.
켄트 자, 일어나 꺼져 버려! 상전을 어떻게 모셔야 하는지 가르쳐주겠
다. 어서 꺼져버리라니까! 다시 한 번 내 발에 걸려 바닥에 누워
있고 싶다면, 여기 있던지. 아니면 꺼져버리라고, 어서. 이제 알
아들었나? 그래, 그래야지!
(오스왈드를 밀쳐낸다)
리어 자, 이제 내 친절한 하인이 되었군. 고맙네. 이건 선금이야. (켄트
에게 돈을 준다)