So at the beginning we see that Gloucester thinks of them both as his own children, he doesn’t push Edmund out because he is the bastard son he treats him just the same as his own son. Then the next we see of Edmund is in the Earl of Gloucester’s castle He declares: "Thou, Nature, art my goddess" (I.2.1-22) and rejects the customs of the society that has rejected him. He mocks the idea that the stars are in any way responsible for his character (I.2.125-30). Edmund sees himself as virtually an outlaw, and sets himself in opposition to legitimacy and to the established order. He proceeds with speed and cunning to drive his brother Edgar from his father's house.
When we do see the brothers, Edmund is dressed in black, which give the audience the impression that he is the villain and a very angry, gloomy, sinister and wicked person. When we see Edgar he is dressed in white. It’s the opposite of black so when we see Edgar we get the impression that he is angel like, very trust worthy, loving and a thoughtful person.
In I.2.20-58 Edmund does a soliloquy he starts by saying, “if this letter speed (meaning prosper) and my intentions (meaning, lies) thrive, Edmund the base (meaning, bastard) shall top the legitimate. I grow, I prosper. Now gods stand up for bastards”. This is dramatic irony. Edmund wants to show every one that bastards can come out on top and he can achieve more than his brother. He wants to inherit from his father because he doesn’t think its fare that Edgar should have the lot and him to be left with nothing. With out Edgar around although Edmund is the bastard son he will be the only son to claim the inheritance.
He also introduces his plot to over throw the claims of his legitimate brother Edgar by giving a forged letter to Gloucester that implicates Edgar in a scheme of patricide. In the letter it reads: this policy and reverence of age makes the world bitter to the best of our times, keeps our fortunes from us till our oldness can not relish them (meaning we are too old to enjoy them). The letter goes on to read; “if our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother”. (Meaning if our father were put into my power to decide his death or life). So at this point in the play we start to see that Edmund is being very devious and conniving he is going to stitch his brother up because he is jealous of him for being the heir.
We start to see similarities between Edmund and the two daughters of Lear. The audience start to realise that Edmund is just as evilly calculating as Gonerill and Regan (though more self-analytical).
Edmund feigns knowledge of a plot against his brother and urges Edgar to flee. Edmund cuts himself and pretends upon his father’s entrance that Edgar has attacked him because Edmund would not aid him in the patricide (II.1.76-81). In this scene we can see how dishonest, deceitful, greedy and very cunning Edmund is.
Edmunds ambition is to make Gloucester hate Edgar. Edmund knows that Gloucester tries too hard to make it clear that he thinks of Edmund as his own son and not a bastard so Edmund takes advantage of it and plays on it quite a lot.
Edgar runs to the woods and hides out there. (III.4.119-120)
Lear, Kent and the fool meet Edgar disguised as “Poor Tom” a madman and beggar. Edgar is also naked. He has gone back to nature, naked with flowers in his hair, noble, Christ like. Your clothes are an indicator of what you are and how you’re feeling. To be part of Mother Nature.
Edmund convicted his father of treason by betraying him to Cornwall (so as to receive his title and lands). Aiming ultimately at the crown Edmund commits treason and secretly orders the execution of Lear and Cordelia (V.3.26- 34). It is significant that he and Cornwall are attracted to each other at their first meeting, evil attracting evil.
The Duke of Albany, a contrasting character to Cornwall, is not so enamoured with Edmund. He is shocked to learn through a messenger that Edmund did nothing to prevent the blinding of his father, and even connived to be absent whilst the torture took place
The last scene of the play (V.3.167-181). In this scene every thing that is bad/evil comes to an end but particuly Edmund. Edgar challenges him to a duo and Edgar ends up winning. As Edgar comes into the room Edmund has no idea that it is his brother who will fight him. They start to fight then Edmund falls. To save his soul, Edmund confesses all that he has done. Edmund quotes “the wheel is come full circle” (meaning the wheel of fortune). He made Edgar his enemy, he embraced force and deceit as methods; and now the disguised Edgar has conquered him by force. We should remember how he alleged Edgar’s sword had wounded him in II.2. Now he is killed by the method he used to start his career. As they say, “what goes around comes around”. Edmund tries to redeem himself by saying “ I pant for life; some good I mean to do despite of mine own nature”. By this point Edmund is saying that he did mean to do good but it went wrong.
The function of Edmund within the work ‘King Lear’ is an interesting one. The character of Edmund is key to the sub plot that plays out the interaction of the earl of Gloucester with his two sons.
Edmund is the bastard son of the earl of Gloucester. The behaviour of Edmund reflects his status; he is dishonest, deceitful, greedy and very cunning. The motivation for Edmunds behaviour is to get between Gloucester and his legitimate son and heir Edgar. The intention is that he will get rid of Edgar and then stand to inherit all that would have otherwise been Edgar’s.
From the essay I think we can say that Edmund and Edgar are nothing at all like each other in any way possible.
Because Edmund embody avarice, envy, anger, lust and pride; was very cunning, deceitful and selfish. While Edgar embodied faithfulness, unconditional love he was loving, caring, thoughtful, honest and very loyal. I think we can say that Edmund was a "bad" character and Edgar the “good” character in “King Lear”
