Stefan Laculeanu
Ms. MacInnis
ENG 3U7-BB
February 20, 2012
A Comparison of Private versus Public Self in King Lear:
The Relationship Between Gloucester and His Two Sons Edgar and Edmund
The story of King Lear is one of Shakespeare's many tragic works; its unique drama and internal conflicts between characters bring it together and differentiate it from the rest. King Lear consists of a double-plot: primarily, that of the king, and his three daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. The tragedy begins when Lear decides to split his kingdom between his eldest daughters Regan and Goneril, believing they love him the most, in contrast to his youngest daughter Cordelia, whom he banishes from his riches. Parallel to King Lear and his situation, the Earl of Gloucester and his two sons, Edmund and Edgar are introduced in the subplot of the play; the subplot revolves around the familial bond betwixt Edmund, Gloucester's illegitimate son, Edgar and Gloucester himself. These familial tides, especially that of Edgar and his father weaken significantly throughout the play's progression; as a result of Edmund's treacherous plot against his brother, he is able to manipulate them through his clever stories. As a result, Gloucester gains a false notion of betrayal and selfishness for his legitimate son, and favouritism for Edmund, ultimately outlining one of the tragedies of the play. "What must be stressed is that on this vast and sombre canvas Shakespeare constructs his most mighty parable upon the theme of public and private man." (J.M. Gregson) It is through this relationship that the notion of public and private man is enforced, where a character's thoughts and feelings, referred to as private man characteristics, are different than the way that other characters see and perceive them publicly. Nonetheless, this tragedy of the play sets foundation to Shakespeare's theme of public versus private man regarding the Earl of Gloucester and his two son's relationships.
To understand the differences between public and private man, on must look at, as J.M. Gregson states, "the macrocosm of the state in which he operates, and the relation of both to the wider moral world which envelops them" (Gregson). Thus, Edgar and Edmund are shaped differently by society's views upon them and their own beliefs.
Edgar is introduced to the play as the rich and legitimate son of Gloucester. He is seen as one of the kingdom's most powerful men, trusted by the king himself. His illegitimate brother, Edmund, easily manipulates him and gets him accused of plotting their father's death. One of his schemes is a letter in which Edgar seeks Gloucester's life in order to attain wealth and power, whereby he purposely reveals it to his father.
This policy and reverence of age
makes the world bitter to the best of our times, keeps
. . . . . . . . . . . .
him, you should enjoy half his revenue forever, and
live the beloved of your brother. (I. ii. 49-57).
As a result, Edgar is forced to flee, in order to escape his father's men and survive, thus he decides his only hope is to disguise himself as "Poor Tom" or "Tom O'Bedlam", a mad beggar who wonders around pleading for food.
The country gives me proof and precedent
Of Bedlam beggars who with roaring voices
Strike in their numbs and mortified arms
. . . . . . . . . . .
Enforce their charity. "Poor Turlygod. Poor Tom!"
That's something yet. "Edgar" I nothing am. (II. iv. 13-21).
Edgar is forced to publicly become a beggar known by the name of Tom in order to survive, thus publicly, he is viewed as a beggar for both the reader and the other characters of the work. Unfairly "convicted" and robbed of his own identity, the revenge-seeking Edgar nonetheless remains loyal and sincere in his private life towards his beloved father. This creates a distinction between the public self, where Edgar is seen as an uneducated, poor beggar, and his private self, where he acknowledges that he is the true son of Gloucester, a respected figure by the king himself. Furthermore, these past experiences stripped away from him are those that become his private self, whereas his new identity as Tom the beggar is forced onto him publicly.
William Shakespeare inferiorly portrays Edmund in the beginning of the play; he is Gloucester's younger, illegitimate son and is victimized in his early life by his own father. Though this knave came something
saucily to the world before he was sent for, yet was
his mother fair, there was good sport at his making,
and the whoreson must be acknowledged. (I. i. 21- 24).
This early hatred and disrespect by his parents is what triggers Edmund's malicious plots. As a result, his private self greatly differs from his public self. Edmund begrudges his status as a bastard and wishes to seize Gloucester's title and Edgar's ownership, making it seem like his intentions are ideal for the kingdom. His ability to manipulate those around him is astounding; he manipulates Goneril and Regan in order to get rid of others, thus ultimately becoming one of the most powerful figures in the play. His self-confidence and private ego are two of his private-self strengths; the audience acknowledges this as a result of his soliloquies. In addition, a second important characteristic that distinguishes his private self from his public appearance is that of secrecy and caution. Edmund is a character that reveals very little about his plans and intentions, both to the audience and other characters in the book; he mostly speaks privately. His excellent skills of manipulation and devotion to secrecy ultimately allow him to gain control of people and use them for his own purpose, as they know no more than what he has told them about his nature, while solely plotting his next move.
Edmund's actions are deemed to be cruel by the reader, although somewhat justified. Shakespeare portrays Edmund at the skirts of evilness, although his calamities are plausible to the audience because of his embarrassing enduring as a child.
Is this not your son, my lord?
His breeding, sir, hath been at my
charge. I have so often blushed to acknowledge
him that now I am brazed to 't. (I. i. 8-11)
This slight aspect of sympathy invoked by the embarrassment Edmund had to endure makes it reasonable for the readers to imagine themselves in his role, thus supporting his rise in power and admiring his accomplishments later on in the novel. Without any previous background of his father, Gloucester, Edmund's private self is plausible by the reader. His public image, later becoming to that of a powerful, noble figure, and ruling throughout most of the play degrades at the end, when Edmund is defeated by Edgar himself.
An important observation to be made is that in the end, "the forces of good, Gloucester and Edgar are stripped of power before their virtue is revealed at its most radiant and compelling" (J.M. Gregson). Most significantly, the bastard, Edmund, manipulated his father and Edgar of their power, through his devious private self; in return he is publicly regarded as a figure of divinity and grandeur. The work of Shakespeare, the tragedy of King Lear, portrays the thematic aspects of private versus public man in the relationship of Gloucester and his two sons; additionally, one is able to comprehend both the private and public selves of Edgar and Edmund as their status interchanges in the beginning of the play, thus they are regarded differently by the rest of the characters.
*Note: All Works Cited are on the website!
Ms. MacInnis
ENG 3U7-BB
February 20, 2012
A Comparison of Private versus Public Self in King Lear:
The Relationship Between Gloucester and His Two Sons Edgar and Edmund
The story of King Lear is one of Shakespeare's many tragic works; its unique drama and internal conflicts between characters bring it together and differentiate it from the rest. King Lear consists of a double-plot: primarily, that of the king, and his three daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. The tragedy begins when Lear decides to split his kingdom between his eldest daughters Regan and Goneril, believing they love him the most, in contrast to his youngest daughter Cordelia, whom he banishes from his riches. Parallel to King Lear and his situation, the Earl of Gloucester and his two sons, Edmund and Edgar are introduced in the subplot of the play; the subplot revolves around the familial bond betwixt Edmund, Gloucester's illegitimate son, Edgar and Gloucester himself. These familial tides, especially that of Edgar and his father weaken significantly throughout the play's progression; as a result of Edmund's treacherous plot against his brother, he is able to manipulate them through his clever stories. As a result, Gloucester gains a false notion of betrayal and selfishness for his legitimate son, and favouritism for Edmund, ultimately outlining one of the tragedies of the play. "What must be stressed is that on this vast and sombre canvas Shakespeare constructs his most mighty parable upon the theme of public and private man." (J.M. Gregson) It is through this relationship that the notion of public and private man is enforced, where a character's thoughts and feelings, referred to as private man characteristics, are different than the way that other characters see and perceive them publicly. Nonetheless, this tragedy of the play sets foundation to Shakespeare's theme of public versus private man regarding the Earl of Gloucester and his two son's relationships.
To understand the differences between public and private man, on must look at, as J.M. Gregson states, "the macrocosm of the state in which he operates, and the relation of both to the wider moral world which envelops them" (Gregson). Thus, Edgar and Edmund are shaped differently by society's views upon them and their own beliefs.
Edgar is introduced to the play as the rich and legitimate son of Gloucester. He is seen as one of the kingdom's most powerful men, trusted by the king himself. His illegitimate brother, Edmund, easily manipulates him and gets him accused of plotting their father's death. One of his schemes is a letter in which Edgar seeks Gloucester's life in order to attain wealth and power, whereby he purposely reveals it to his father.
This policy and reverence of age
makes the world bitter to the best of our times, keeps
. . . . . . . . . . . .
him, you should enjoy half his revenue forever, and
live the beloved of your brother. (I. ii. 49-57).
As a result, Edgar is forced to flee, in order to escape his father's men and survive, thus he decides his only hope is to disguise himself as "Poor Tom" or "Tom O'Bedlam", a mad beggar who wonders around pleading for food.
The country gives me proof and precedent
Of Bedlam beggars who with roaring voices
Strike in their numbs and mortified arms
. . . . . . . . . . .
Enforce their charity. "Poor Turlygod. Poor Tom!"
That's something yet. "Edgar" I nothing am. (II. iv. 13-21).
Edgar is forced to publicly become a beggar known by the name of Tom in order to survive, thus publicly, he is viewed as a beggar for both the reader and the other characters of the work. Unfairly "convicted" and robbed of his own identity, the revenge-seeking Edgar nonetheless remains loyal and sincere in his private life towards his beloved father. This creates a distinction between the public self, where Edgar is seen as an uneducated, poor beggar, and his private self, where he acknowledges that he is the true son of Gloucester, a respected figure by the king himself. Furthermore, these past experiences stripped away from him are those that become his private self, whereas his new identity as Tom the beggar is forced onto him publicly.
William Shakespeare inferiorly portrays Edmund in the beginning of the play; he is Gloucester's younger, illegitimate son and is victimized in his early life by his own father. Though this knave came something
saucily to the world before he was sent for, yet was
his mother fair, there was good sport at his making,
and the whoreson must be acknowledged. (I. i. 21- 24).
This early hatred and disrespect by his parents is what triggers Edmund's malicious plots. As a result, his private self greatly differs from his public self. Edmund begrudges his status as a bastard and wishes to seize Gloucester's title and Edgar's ownership, making it seem like his intentions are ideal for the kingdom. His ability to manipulate those around him is astounding; he manipulates Goneril and Regan in order to get rid of others, thus ultimately becoming one of the most powerful figures in the play. His self-confidence and private ego are two of his private-self strengths; the audience acknowledges this as a result of his soliloquies. In addition, a second important characteristic that distinguishes his private self from his public appearance is that of secrecy and caution. Edmund is a character that reveals very little about his plans and intentions, both to the audience and other characters in the book; he mostly speaks privately. His excellent skills of manipulation and devotion to secrecy ultimately allow him to gain control of people and use them for his own purpose, as they know no more than what he has told them about his nature, while solely plotting his next move.
Edmund's actions are deemed to be cruel by the reader, although somewhat justified. Shakespeare portrays Edmund at the skirts of evilness, although his calamities are plausible to the audience because of his embarrassing enduring as a child.
Is this not your son, my lord?
His breeding, sir, hath been at my
charge. I have so often blushed to acknowledge
him that now I am brazed to 't. (I. i. 8-11)
This slight aspect of sympathy invoked by the embarrassment Edmund had to endure makes it reasonable for the readers to imagine themselves in his role, thus supporting his rise in power and admiring his accomplishments later on in the novel. Without any previous background of his father, Gloucester, Edmund's private self is plausible by the reader. His public image, later becoming to that of a powerful, noble figure, and ruling throughout most of the play degrades at the end, when Edmund is defeated by Edgar himself.
An important observation to be made is that in the end, "the forces of good, Gloucester and Edgar are stripped of power before their virtue is revealed at its most radiant and compelling" (J.M. Gregson). Most significantly, the bastard, Edmund, manipulated his father and Edgar of their power, through his devious private self; in return he is publicly regarded as a figure of divinity and grandeur. The work of Shakespeare, the tragedy of King Lear, portrays the thematic aspects of private versus public man in the relationship of Gloucester and his two sons; additionally, one is able to comprehend both the private and public selves of Edgar and Edmund as their status interchanges in the beginning of the play, thus they are regarded differently by the rest of the characters.
*Note: All Works Cited are on the website!