King Lear is not limited to a single ethical dilemma but is a play about the suffering of mankind. This paper investigates how elements of Shakespeare’s play might enrich our understanding of the challenges and opportunities of modern end-of-life care. The paper addresses the following key questions:
• How can King Lear inform our understanding of suffering and pain in a clinical context?
• What can King Lear teach the professional in terms of communication with a terminally ill patient and their family?
• How does Shakespeare illuminate sensitive areas of the discourse on suicide in the elderly?
Keywords Assisted suicide, end-of-life care, ethics, King Lear, palliative, suffering
Declaration of Interests No conflict of interests declared.
