Edmund

Play

King Lear

Summary

Edmund is the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester — witty, magnetic, ruthlessly rational, and furious at the social stigma of bastardy. He forges a letter to convince his father that Edgar plots parricide, engineers Edgar's banishment, then betrays Gloucester himself to Cornwall and Regan. He seduces both Goneril and Regan simultaneously, schemes for the crown, and orders Cordelia's execution. Mortally wounded by Edgar in trial by combat, he attempts a last-minute reversal — too late. He is Shakespeare's most charismatic pure villain outside of Richard III.

Notable Quotations

"Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law / My services are bound." *(I.2)*

"Why bastard? wherefore base? / When my dimensions are as well compact, / My mind as generous, and my shape as true, / As honest madam's issue?" *(I.2)*

"The wheel is come full circle; I am here." *(V.3)*

"Some good I mean to do, / Despite of mine own nature." *(V.3)*

Cross-references

• King Lear — the play
• Tragedies
• character_gloucester — his father whom he betrays
• character_edgar — his legitimate brother and killer
• character_goneril — one of his lovers
• character_regan — one of his lovers