Veteran actor Christopher Plummer delves into one of the greatest tragedies - King Lear. Exploring the power and ethics of authority, King Lear is considered to be one of the most penetrating plays of the human psyche ever written. Plummer considers the original source material - the 8th Century King Leir - and asks why Shakespeare reworked it to give a much bleaker ending, going against dramatic conventions of the day.

Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on October 01, 2015.

Behind the Crown --(3:31) -- Dividing the Kingdom -- (3:59) -- Shakespeare Ignites Controversy -- (2:21) -- King and Fool -- (2:26) -- To Be Lear -- (2:58) -- No Compromise -- (2:00) -- No Going Back -- (2:09) -- Blowing Winds -- (4:00) -- Change in Consciousness -- (2:15) -- Seeking Redemption -- (2:04) -- Parallel Plot -- (2:18) -- Blinding Notoriety -- (2:20) -- Turning Point -- (3:28) -- Civil War -- (3:46) -- Happily Ever After -- (2:50) -- Good Ol' Romp -- (2:12) -- Final Moments -- (2:14) -- Something Like Hope -- (2:58) -- Credits: King Lear with Christopher Plummer: Shakespeare Uncovered -- (Series 2) (1:58).