King Lear Notes

Act I, Scene II

Back home in his father's castle, Edmund, is holding a letter he has just written supposedly from his brother Edgar to himself. He then decries society for treating illegitimate children as it does, not allowing them any inheritance, and calls on the gods to "stand up for bastards." He has decided that by means of the forged letter he will trick his brother out of his rightful inheritance.

Gloucester enters Edmund's room and Edmund proceeds to put the letter in his pocket in a hurry, yet not so quickly nor so carefully that Gloucester will not see it.

Gloucester is surprised and asks to see the letter. Edmund says that it is nothing. Gloucester responds that if it be nothing he will not need his spectacles to read it, and then demands to see the letter.

Edmund at first pretends not to want Gloucester to see it since he has not finished reading it and says that it appears to be written by his brother, but he hopes that Edgar's heart is not where his words are. He feels he is caught between a rock and a hard place whether he gives it or holds it back from his father.

The letter proposes that the two brothers should kill their father and divide his wealth between themselves.

Gloucester is easily duped into believing the letter is Edgar's. He calls Edgar an abominable villain and enlists Edmund's help in apprehending him.

Gloucester then proceeded to blame recent eclipses of the sun and moon for all of the strange happenings in his and Lear's families. For Gloucester they are divine portents.

Gloucester leaves and Edmund reflects on the stupidty of those who blame their behaviour on the star under which they were born.

When Edgar appears Edmund tells him that Gloucester is enraged and that he is out to get him. Edgar surmises that someone has done him wrong, and when Edmund advises him that if he leaves his house he had better be armed, Edgar perceives danger and readily looks to his brother for protection.

When Edgar leaves, Edmund gloats over how easy it was to trick both his father and his brother.

Next scene

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