Crucial Letters in King Lear

The first letter in the play appears as Edmund unravels his plot to topple his father, the Earl of Gloucester. The letter is important to the play as it unravels the subplot as well as provides an insight to the audience about the character of Edmund. He pretends as if the letter is “Nothing, my lord”(p.13) which emphasizes the recurring theme of nothingness, or quarrels appearing out of nothing. However, this letter proves to be quite something as it is supposedly written by Edgar, Gloucester’s legitimate son, and it

Throughout the play King Lear, Letters are a very important part of the plot, as they are what, either directly or indirectly, start many of the subplot quarrels, as well as immensely contribute to the main plot, and serve as a means to providing hope and despair for the audience. The letters allow the audience to see into the future and to better understand the past and the present. In many novels letters are used to a wide extent, yet in King Lear, they are as crucial to the plot as some of the main characters.

It is letters that finally bring the play to a satisfactory conclusion and allow the main plot to unravel. A letter sent from Goneril to Edmund, confessing of her love for the young Earl and of her desire to remove her husband from his post, falls into the wrong hands and allows Edgar to challenge his brother as well as to foil their evil scheme. Oswald, as the messenger of the letter is questioned by Regan, who inquires: “Why should she (Goneril) write to Edmund?”(p.95) The letter increases the tension between the two sisters and spurs a gust of jealousy which eventually results in the death of one of them. Oswald “must needs after him, with [his] letter”(p.95) yet he pauses and attempts to kill Gloucester. Failing, in his death, this letter provides the one good trait of Oswald, his decency and commitment to delivering it. However, the letter falls into Edgar’s hands, who with the phrase “To know our enemies’ minds, we rip their hearts; / Their papers is more lawful.”(p.107) opens the letter and finds out about Goneril’s plot. Edgar then decides to give the letter to Albany professing “Before you fight the battle, ope this letter.”(p.114) This gesture shows the morality of Edmund’s character as well as foils the plot of the two sisters, bringing about their demise. Thus one letter is the cause of havoc and destruction, as well as the manifestation of good in the end of the play. It is a letter that satisfactorily concludes the plot.

Not all letters have a malevolent effect on the plot as some actually provide relief to the suffering of the many characters. Whilst Kent

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