Edmund's first soliloquy: ". . . stand up for bastards!"
Discuss among yourselves, on this posting, your thoughts and feelings about the characterization of Edmund, Gloucester, and Edgar, and the relationships Shakespeare develops between and among these characters in Act I, ii.
I like Edmund because hes evil and he hates the word bastard representing him. He feels like instead of having nothing he should have everything. Hes very two faced pretending to be loyal but actually a backstabber.
Shakespeare created another bastard, the Bastard of Faulconbridge, in his play "King John." This other bastard is down to earth, honest, intelligent and funny. He is a prototype for a comic character Shakespeare developed later in his career named Falstaff. I'm so glad you like "King Lear's" Edmund, he definitely adds clever lusty evil to this play.
In scene II, the play shifts and now it is paying attention to Gloucester and Edmund. It shows how their family is parallel to Lear's family problems. Both of their children are loyal but ends up, their parents banish them. Edmund is pretty complicated though
I find Edmund a very interesting character, because he is aware of the fact that he is a bastard. I do think it bothers him, that he is not recognized and appreciated like his non-bastard brother Edgar. In Edmund's soliloquy i find it a little ironic, that he wants people to "stand up for the bastards," when he simply does not like the fact that he is one and he does not even like the use of that word bastard. I think he is trying to praise himself, and not just as bastard but as a person. I also find Edmund evil as Tiffany said, but I find the evil aspect of Edmund leading to jealousy of his brother. What I get from his soliloquy is that he wants to be treated equal from his brother, he does not want people to ovoid or deny him, just because he is a bastard, he wants to look past that. And most importantly he want his father's love.
I feel as if Edmund is going to be that character thats going to make us want to keep reading. I agree with Tiffany and Brittany about his evilness. The fact that he would make it seem as if Edgar,his brother, wants to kill his father that is very evil of his part. Edmund hates that he is known as a bastard.
I love how evil Edmund really is, and I agree with Melida, for now he is the first character who actually is interesting enough to keep us reading. Because this play is so slow, i am happy that out of no where this Bastard child makes his father and Brother Edgar believe that they are both going to kill each other. I wonder what a Bastard child like himself is going to do will all the land he would inherit if Edgar actually does die... if not then he will Inherit nothing.
Being a Bastard child myself I feel pity for Edmund because I know what he is going through. Currently I would say that Edmund is my Favorite character.
Sorry Official_tidus Is me - Raymond Camacho. This computer that im using is in Hebrew or something so its complicated to work on this site.. im trying to change the language right now!
As I read the book, I only continue to sympathize with Edmund. I see him as a complex character with many repressed feelings, especially when it comes down to being known as a bastard. While he may be "evil," I also notice how convincing he is throughout the scene, as he talks to Gloucester and Edgar. I don't think he is necessarily "evil" however. I believe Brittany is right when she says Edmund is jealous of Edgar. I also agree with Raymond, Edmund is by far the most interesting character in this play, due to how multi-layered his character is.
in fact i agree with all of you guys because Edmund, as the play goes along, is becoming sort of the main character by representing the "bastards" (in a way). i also think that he is not and "evil" person but in a way he is greedy and there fore thinking only for him self. which in my opinion makes him look evil. I also think that he has many qualities, one of them is that he in a way can make people think what ever he wants them to think.
I think that Edmund is being a little bit hypocritical, because, like some of you said, he hates being a bastard and being called a bastard yet he is asking for others to stand up for the bastards. He is conniving, ambitious, and evil but I believe that he is just really insecure and self-conscious about his status. He's also a kind of futuristic character because he doesn't believes in all the astrological, excuse my language, crap that everyone else does.
After reading the second scene, I have declaredx Edmund as my favorite character. I agree with Yenifer when saying that he is not only coniving but also very selfish. Also very insecure and self-conscious of his being a known as a bastard. I love how well he works with the rest of the characters and how they don't really know how he truly feels. The best part is that he knows exactly how gullible his father and brother are so it is easy for him to take advantage of them. I disagree with most of my classmates when they said that he is confusing or hypocritical for saying "stand up for bastards!" when he does not like being called one. I think his point was that he is a bastard, always will be one and he knows that will not change. So since he cannot do anything about that he feels he must prove that bastards are not as "low-life" as society perceives them to be.
I agree with Alyssa. Edmund is being very self- conscious of being known as a bastard. He is also very selfish in many ways and thinks about himself most of the time. It makes me think that he is REALLY spoiled>
In Act I,ii,the play focuses now on Gloucester and Edmund. I agree with Brittany he is a very intersting character. Edmund plays the vilian in this play.Edmund is the most complex and sympathetic. He is the ultimate self-made man, and he is such a cold and capable villain that it is entertaining to watch him work.
It is a snow day for you, so sit down, mindful of the questions you have been given, and enjoy reading KING LEAR.
ReplyDeleteI like Edmund because hes evil and he hates the word bastard representing him. He feels like instead of having nothing he should have everything. Hes very two faced pretending to be loyal but actually a backstabber.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare created another bastard, the Bastard of Faulconbridge, in his play "King John." This other bastard is down to earth, honest, intelligent and funny. He is a prototype for a comic character Shakespeare developed later in his career named Falstaff.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you like "King Lear's" Edmund, he definitely adds clever lusty evil to this play.
In scene II, the play shifts and now it is paying attention to Gloucester and Edmund. It shows how their family is parallel to Lear's family problems. Both of their children are loyal but ends up, their parents banish them. Edmund is pretty complicated though
ReplyDeleteI find Edmund a very interesting character, because he is aware of the fact that he is a bastard. I do think it bothers him, that he is not recognized and appreciated like his non-bastard brother Edgar. In Edmund's soliloquy i find it a little ironic, that he wants people to "stand up for the bastards," when he simply does not like the fact that he is one and he does not even like the use of that word bastard. I think he is trying to praise himself, and not just as bastard but as a person. I also find Edmund evil as Tiffany said, but I find the evil aspect of Edmund leading to jealousy of his brother. What I get from his soliloquy is that he wants to be treated equal from his brother, he does not want people to ovoid or deny him, just because he is a bastard, he wants to look past that. And most importantly he want his father's love.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if Edmund is going to be that character thats going to make us want to keep reading. I agree with Tiffany and Brittany about his evilness. The fact that he would make it seem as if Edgar,his brother, wants to kill his father that is very evil of his part. Edmund hates that he is known as a bastard.
ReplyDeleteI love how evil Edmund really is, and I agree with Melida, for now he is the first character who actually is interesting enough to keep us reading. Because this play is so slow, i am happy that out of no where this Bastard child makes his father and Brother Edgar believe that they are both going to kill each other. I wonder what a Bastard child like himself is going to do will all the land he would inherit if Edgar actually does die... if not then he will Inherit nothing.
ReplyDeleteBeing a Bastard child myself I feel pity for Edmund because I know what he is going through. Currently I would say that Edmund is my Favorite character.
Sorry Official_tidus Is me - Raymond Camacho. This computer that im using is in Hebrew or something so its complicated to work on this site.. im trying to change the language right now!
ReplyDeleteAs I read the book, I only continue to sympathize with Edmund. I see him as a complex character with many repressed feelings, especially when it comes down to being known as a bastard. While he may be "evil," I also notice how convincing he is throughout the scene, as he talks to Gloucester and Edgar. I don't think he is necessarily "evil" however. I believe Brittany is right when she says Edmund is jealous of Edgar. I also agree with Raymond, Edmund is by far the most interesting character in this play, due to how multi-layered his character is.
ReplyDeleteWhere are the rest of you?
ReplyDeletein fact i agree with all of you guys because Edmund, as the play goes along, is becoming sort of the main character by representing the "bastards" (in a way). i also think that he is not and "evil" person but in a way he is greedy and there fore thinking only for him self. which in my opinion makes him look evil. I also think that he has many qualities, one of them is that he in a way can make people think what ever he wants them to think.
ReplyDeleteI think that Edmund is being a little bit hypocritical, because, like some of you said, he hates being a bastard and being called a bastard yet he is asking for others to stand up for the bastards. He is conniving, ambitious, and evil but I believe that he is just really insecure and self-conscious about his status. He's also a kind of futuristic character because he doesn't believes in all the astrological, excuse my language, crap that everyone else does.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the second scene, I have declaredx Edmund as my favorite character. I agree with Yenifer when saying that he is not only coniving but also very selfish. Also very insecure and self-conscious of his being a known as a bastard. I love how well he works with the rest of the characters and how they don't really know how he truly feels. The best part is that he knows exactly how gullible his father and brother are so it is easy for him to take advantage of them. I disagree with most of my classmates when they said that he is confusing or hypocritical for saying "stand up for bastards!" when he does not like being called one. I think his point was that he is a bastard, always will be one and he knows that will not change. So since he cannot do anything about that he feels he must prove that bastards are not as "low-life" as society perceives them to be.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alyssa. Edmund is being very self- conscious of being known as a bastard. He is also very selfish in many ways and thinks about himself most of the time. It makes me think that he is REALLY spoiled>
ReplyDeleteIn Act I,ii,the play focuses now on Gloucester and Edmund. I agree with Brittany he is a very intersting character. Edmund plays the vilian in this play.Edmund is the most complex and sympathetic. He is the ultimate self-made man, and he is such a cold and capable villain that it is entertaining to watch him work.
ReplyDelete