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KING LEAR - Act 2 Scene 1
- In the Great Hall of Gloucester's castle. Curan
(Gloucester's assisstant) informs Edmund that Cornwall
and Regan are expected soon and plans to use it to his
advantage. Curan also tells him of gossip concerning
'likely wars' between Cornwall and Albany, suggesting
further strife between brothers
- Edmund's scheming is going well; he knows Regan and
her husband are planning to visit Gloucester and uses it
in his plan
- Edmund calls Edgar from his hiding place and tells him
to escape immediately. He asks him whether he's spoken
against Cornwall, implying Cornwall and Regan are as
enraged against him as Gloucester.
- Edgar is bewildered and denies abusing Cornwall.
Edmund draws him into a mock fight with so no one
suspects him. He also tells Edgar to flee because he was
told by Edmund that he going to be arrested for plotting
against his father (part of the his plan)
- Edmund deliberately wounds himself and blames Edgar
and says that he tried to involve him in a plan to murder
Gloucester. He cries out for help and Gloucester rushes in
and sends his servants to pursue Edgar
- Gloucester is fooled and horrified by Edgar and claims
he will be caught, no matter how far he goes and will
then be executed and so will anyone who helps him
- Edmund reports a conversation he alleges to have had
with his brother. He says that Edgar mocked his
bastardy; who would take the word of the illegitimate
child against the legitimate one?
- Meanwhile Regan and Cornwall arrive at Gloucester's
castle and because they are more powerful than
Gloucester, he had no choice but to welcome them. Also,
they had already been told the 'strange news' of Edgar's
treachery. Gloucester praises Edmund as a 'loyal and
natural boy' and says he will disinherit Edgar.
- Regan wonders whether Edgar was egged on to thoughts
of patricide (killing ones father) by Lear's riotous knights
- Regan received Goneril's letter, which gives details of
the knight's unruly behaviour. Like Goneril, Regan has
no intention of giving them room in the house (this is the
real reason why she and Cornwall have come to visit
Gloucester)
- Cornwall praises Edmund for showing his father 'a
child-like office'
- Regan wants Gloucester's power and therefore appeals to
him for advice about how to answer the letters she has
received in order to settle the dispute between her father
and sister
- Themes
- Motifs
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