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Summary Explore the significance of act 2, scene 1 of King Lear in comparison to the rest of the play
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Summary of 5 pages for the course Tragedy at AQA (a 24/25marker essay)
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By: hannahalam • 6 months ago
Hi, I paid for it thinking there was more but instead there was an essay on political instability?
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Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the tragedy of the play as a whole.Remember to include in your answer relevant analysis of Shakespeare's dramatic methods.
Act 1, scene 2 signifies the rising tension of the sub-plot in King Lear as the manipulative Edmund
insights the audience through his solique his intention to deceive his father and criminalise his brother
in an attempt to satisfy his hubris which demands materialistic inheritance to which the older
‘legitimate’ brother is entitled to. Shakespeare uses this scene to characterise Edmund as being the foil
to that of Goneril and Regan, who also use false actions and appearances to conceal their actual
villainous intentions - the manipulation of which ultimately establishes the flaw which will result in
the downfall of both Lear and Gloucester. The scene fundamentally allows natural order to be further
disruptive as the good son is punished whilst the bad son triumphs.
In this extract, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony as an instrument of Edmund’s manipulation through
the use of astrology to which Edmund suggests in the quotation “o, these eclipses do portend these
divisions” are omens of which foretold the conflicts to which are occuring. In this quotation, Edmund
uses the stars to certify the destruction of natural order which Shakespeare is establishing, however as
the audience is aware, such distinction of natural order is not an act of fate predicted by the stars but
juxtaposingly the manipulation of Edmund. Edgar’s oblivion to astrology is characterised here by
Shakespeare as being a flaw because it is this unawareness which heightens the suspense and
believability of Edmund’s deception. Edmund also uses the stars to foreshadow the tragic narrative of
the play as he speaks of how they tell of the “unnaturalness of child and the parent, death, dearth” and
the “malediction against Kings and nobles.” Shakespeare uses this foreshadowing ironically as
although Edmund falsely believes that he has manipulated fate, in actuality, he has not as his death
serves as the play’s catastrophe in the final act demonstrating that although he has some control, he is
not in complete control. Edmund’s prediction of the play’s narrative is tragic because it demonstrates
how inevidentable “death” is, which Shakespeare uses to create the idea that it is this scene and the
last which determines the fate of all the play’s characters. Edmund’s mistreatment of astrology
characterises the villainy of his character as not only does he manipulate humanity but also the higher
force of nature which demonstrates the power for which he possesses which is ironic when
considering that he is simply considered as being nothing but a bastard to society.
This extract fundamentally develops the already established theme of blindness as a flaw through the
characterisation of Edgar who, upon discovering his father’s supposed fury, comments to Edmund that
“some villain hath done me wrong.” This quotation serves as dramatic irony as unknown to him, the
villain who “hath done” him wrong is the brother who he loves and the one who he naively believes is
attempting to protect him; this is particularly tragic when considering how the only sense of security
which Edgar is provided with is false. The isolation of Edgar is established by Shakespeare as foiling
the rejection which Cordelia is subjected to in scene 1, as both characters who personify the identity
of the ‘good’ sibling are falsely rejected by their fathers following the manipulation of the evil
sibling(s.) This further establishes how the main and sub plot are continuing to mirror one another as
the same destruction of order is being committed repeatedly with the same blind response.
In scene 1, the audience is exposed to ideas of sympathy towards Edmund whose bastard title is
characterised by Shakespeare as dehumanising him as he endures suffering from a father who
although loves him, defines him as a “whoreson”; however, upon the conclusion of the given extract,
such sympathy from the audience is removed as Edmund cruelly mocks his “credulous father” and his
“brother noble” for their gullibility towards his deception. The quotation “that he suspects none: on
whose foolish honesty my practises ride easy” further establishes Edmund’s characterisation as a
, Machiavellian as he disregards morality and devaluises the factor of honesty, abusing the notion to
benefit himself - an idea which demonstrates his inhumanity as he abuses human nature in order to
achieve self advancement. Edmund concludes his monologue stating “let me, if not by birth, have
lands by wit: all with me's meet that I can fashion fit.” This quotation is tragic because contextually,
illegitimate children were both neglected and mistreated by their noble fathers however despite
Edmund receiving true love from his father despite his bastardry, he is still consumed by what his
father could offer him materistically rather than emotionally. He claims his victory is attributed to his
“wits” however tragically, his success as a villain is influenced by how his family obeyed natural
order by loving Edmund as a brother and a father should, and therefore it was not Edmund’s wits
which benefited him but instead his abuse and betrayal of a family who loved him. Gloucester’s
punishment of obeying natrual order by loving Edmund is characterised by Shakespeare as tragic
because it is due to this love that Gloucester endures blindness, suicidal thoughts and eventually a
death encouraged by his broken heart. This suggests that Gloucester’s hamartia was not only his
blindness, but also his ability to love a child who contextually was alienated by society.
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