examination into his character, has understandable motivations outside of the base purposes

with which he might at first be credited. Edmund is a character worthy of study, as he seems

to be the most socially complex character of the play. In a sense, he is both victim and villain.

Edmund is introduced into the play in the opening scene with his father, Gloucester,

stating that he acknowledges him as his son, but publicly mocking him for his bastardy. He is

referred to by Gloucester as a reason for Gloucester to blush and as a “knave” in front of Kent

(1.1.9-25). According to Claude J. Summers, “Illegitimacy is the characteristic which most

pervasively defines Edmund’s life” (225). In essence, this means that personal embarrassment

and public humiliation are a continual torment for him his entire life. Concerning the

illegitimate sons of royalty in England at that time, according to Chris Given-Wilson in The

Royal Bastards of Medieval England, “The bend . . . or baton sinister . . . were used as the

serve in battle, were immediately known to other knights as being bastards because it was

wonder that Edmund did not wish to trust his fate to Lear, Goneril, Reagan, their husbands, or

Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed

even his naive brother Edgar once his father had passed away.

Some topics in this essay:
Jonathan Dollimore, Oswald Goneril, Shakespeare’s Edmund, Medieval England, Poison Tree”, According Given-Wilson, King Lear, King England, Edmund Edmund, John Curran, shakespeare’s edmund, understanding human nature, human nature, move company, poor judgment, illegitimate sons, complex character, goneril reagan, king lear, shakespeare’s edmund king, edmund edmund, land title,