KING LEAR, Act One Scene Two
...h how his plan is going, gives the piece of paper to his father, pretending that he does not want to do so, but agrees to give it out of respect. He says that its a letter from Edgar, his stepbrother. He highlights that the content is not really appropriate for him to read. Gloucester is an older man who tries to help people when in need. He is very kind and trusting or even gullible. He likes both his sons the same but when he gets and reads the letter, he is upset and feels in danger, of course. I think that he is confused, he doesnt know what to think and whom to believe. He is hesitating (My son Edgar!Had he a hand to write this? a heart and brain to breed it in?) He knows Edgar and he knows that he is not so bad but on the otherhand he finds letter authentic enough and as the time goes on, he is more and more convinced about it. Moreover he is very dashed and this disappointment causes he is angry. (O villain, villain! His very opinion in the letter! Abhorred villain! Unnatural, detested, brutish villain! worse than brutish! Go, sirrah, seek him; I'll apprehend him: abominable villain! Where is he?) Edmund feels his chance and so he acts as the one who is nice and who completely condemns such things. He suggests his thoughts to Gloucester and so he secures himself from being betrayed. ( If it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my brother till you can derive from him better testimony of his intent, you shall run a certain course; where, if you violently proceed against him, mistaking his purpose, it would make a great gap in your own honour, and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience. I dare pawn down my life for him, that he hath wrote this to feel my affection to your honour, and to no other pretence of danger.) Finally Gloucester sends Edmund to seek Edgar and tells him to try to solve the problems with him. Gloucester is confused and afraid and Edmund is happy, because he succeeded in a part of his plan- he manage to manipulate both Edgar and Gloucester. When Edgar meets his brother, he is friendly and completely unsuspicious. He recognizes nothing on his brother Edmund and thus believes, that he was pondering upon some astrological matters – the trick that Bastard is playing on him [PAT:,, he comes like a catastrophe of the old comedy: my cue is villanous melancholy, with a sigh like Tom o’Bedlam .- O these eclipses do portend these divisions. Fa, so, la, mi.” EDGARr: How now brother Edmund, what serious contemplation are you in? BASTARD: I’m thinking brother of a prediction I read this other day, what should follow these eclipses.EDGAR: Do you busy yourself with that?…] After a while Edmund changes the theme of conversation and tells him, that his father is very angry with him and whether Edgar didn’t offend him. In this dialogue, bastard is prompting Edgar to go out of Gloucester sight for some time to let him to calm down, since he is furious about Edgar at the moment. Than Edgar says, that some villain hath done him wrong, as a justification ahead of his brother[ an explanation, that he did not offend him] or just his idea, simple deduction from what his brother was saying. After that Edmund continues to prompt him to avoid his father’s presence and offers Edgar to stay in his residence not just to get into contact with Gloucester. He even frightens Edgar by advising him to go armed, if he happens to be somewhere out. Finally Edmund convinces his legitimate brother, who leaves with the keys of Edmund’s residence. Edmund is happy and satisfied, because he succeeded in a part of his plan – he managed to manipulate both Edgar and Gloucester. Edgar is very honest, friendly and unsuspicious character. He is almost antithetical to his bas...