King Lear; Edmund Flashcards
(3 cards)
What is our First Impression of Edmund?
For the first short while we meet Edmund, we feel bad for him due to Gloucesters comments in regards to his birth. However it becomes quickly apparent that Edmund is a cold-hearted and ambitious egoist The central motive that drives him is his bitterness concerning his low status as a bastard son. He refuses to “stand in the plague of custom” and has thus conceived of a plan in order to uproot his brother Edgar.
Edmund views himself as a representative of disenfranchised illegitimate children everywhere: “Now, gods, stand up for bastards!”. His most defining characteristic is his refusal to achknowledge any sort of standard conventions and ties that generate family loyalty and love.
He is a ruthless pragmatist, whos sole aim is complete power. He scorns Gloucester’s belief in astrology: “I should have been… twinkled on my bastardising”. Rather he views men as makers of their own destiny. Like mentioned previously, at first we feel bad for him due to the apparent justice of his complaints and his verbal skill envoke a level of sympathy for him, but by the end of his first appearance those feeling mostly fade.
Describe Edmund’s Manipulative and Treacherous behaviour.
Edmund displays a great deal of intelligence and cunning in his manipulative scheming. He is a clever psychologist, as proven by the fact he warns his father not to be hasty in condeming Edgar after the latter’s plot had been revealed: “If it shall please you to suspend your indignation… you should run a certain course. He is also shown to be an excellent actor when telling Edgar his life is in danger: Brother, I advice you to the best… if there be any good meaning towards you.
He is also very oppostunistic, seizes opportunities multiple times whenever he sees them. When Regan and Cornwall arrive at his father’s castle and Regan insults Edgar, Edmund endorses their claims: “Yes, madam, he was of that consort”. He is rewarded by Conrwall taking him into his service in account of his loyalty. This opportunism is also shown in his dealing with Goneril and Regan. He is indifferent to the both of them. It’s very noticable when Goneril makes her feelings for him explicit, he simply remarks “Yours in the ranks of death”.
When Regan expresses her fear that he slept with Goneril, Edmund enjoys torturing her by delaying a direct answer and using formal language: “No, by mine honour, madam”. He merely views the women as objects of amusement: “Which of them shall I take? Both? One or neither”. Of course his most callous acts are those taken against Edgar and Gloucester as he displays 0 compassion in the fact they may lose their lives.
Describe Edmund’s Overconfident behaviour.
Edmunds downfall comes largely as a result of his overconfidence. The success of his schemes and the lack of opposition made him feel invulnerable. He believes that his the defeat of the French army raised his status. He talks of Albany as an equal in his letter to Goneil: “Your loving husband, Albany…. Your obedient servant, Edmund.”
He is surprised by Albany’s new-found strength of character but Edmund’s still willing to challenge him or his champion which is what got him killed.
Like many rebels in history his real aim is to be part of the order which he protests. He agrees to fight Edgar and upon being mortally wounded states he will only forgive him if he is of noble birth: "”If thou’rt noble, / I do forgive thee”. For all his earlier talk of standing up for the illigetimite, he is eager to take his place in the old nobility.
