Act II, Scene I

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• Act 2 opens at Gloucester's castle with our brief and only encounter with Curan, who informs Edmund of the imminent arrival of Cornwall and Regan, and mentions the rumours of war between Albany and Cornwall. Have you ever wondered why a character as insignificant as Curan should have a name when the Fool and Gentleman have none? I have always found this a bit puzzling.

• Curan's purpose is, of course, to inform us of the movement of Cornwall and Regan, and then we see Edmund's opportunistic reaction to the news. But it seems to me that the news of Cornwall's arrival could have been conveyed simply by making Edmund's soliloquy slightly longer, like Edgar's in Act 2 Scene 3, and doing away with Curan altogether! I wonder if Shakespeare gave him a name simply to provoke us to ask ourselves the name of the Fool and Gentleman.

• While the opening words of the scene, "Save thee, Curan" might be dismissed as simply a common form of greeting, yet it seems to me that in the context of Last Judgement imagery so prevalent in the play and, following immediately the Fool's couplet at the end of the previous scene, together with talk here of rumours of wars here, we might have a further attempt by Shakespeare to generate an atmosphere where people in the Lear's world are seen to appear to feel they are living in the days just prior to the end of the world and the Last Judgement. (compare Matthew 24)

• We then see Edmund's scheming full-blown, as he tells Edgar to flee because Gloucester knows where he is. He appears to Edgar to be working in his favour and for his safety. He then wounds his own arm in order to impress his father with the disloyalty of Edgar and with his own faithfulness. Gloucester, who already suspects Edgar of evil, is easily convinced and a price is put on Edgar's head.

• Edmund has worked himself into his inheritance.

• Cornwall and Regan arrive and promise Gloucester assistance to bring Edgar to trial.

• Cornwall and Regan say they have come for advice on how to deal with the King regarding his argument with Goneril. They want to avoid an encounter with Lear's complaining.

Next scene


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