The character of Gaveston in Edward II by Christopher Marlowe

International Baccalaureate World Literature

Rains

Gaveston in “Edward II” by Christopher Marlowe

Piers Gaveston first appears in “Edward II” in Act 1 Scene 1 and is a major character throughout the play even after his death in Act II Scene VI. Before the beginning of the play, Gaveston was assigned by Edward I to be a companion to Prince Edward (later King Edward II) in the hope that Prince Edward would lose some of his non-masculine qualities. Once Edward I dies, however, and Edward II is crowned King of England, Gaveston is free to return to England and effectively become co-ruler. However, the nobles will not accept a man born of a lower status than them receiving a position of power above them.

The very first line of the play begins with Gaveston reading a letter from the new King Edward, “My father is deceased, come Gaveston, / And share thy kingdom with thy dearest friend” (1.1.1-2). This letter expresses the relationship between Gaveston and Edward. Now that Edward I is dead, his son has revoked the exile on Gaveston by inviting him back to England. Piers Gaveston is clearly excited at his return when he says “Ah, words that make me surfeit with delight! / What greater bliss can hap to Gaveston / Than live and be the favourite of a king?” (1.1.3-5). This is an example of dramatic irony because it is his return to England that is the cause of his death. Gaveston continues his soliloquy:

Sweet prince I come; these, these thy amorous lines

Might have enforced me to have swum from France,

And, like Leander, gasped upon the sand,

So thou wouldst smile and take me in thy arms. (1.1.6-9)

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Sweet prince I come; these, these thy amorous lines

Might have enforced me to have swum from France,

And, like Leander, gasped upon the sand,

So thou wouldst smile and take me in thy arms. (1.1.6-9)

These lines show the affection and relationship between Edward and Gaveston when Gaveston proclaims that he would swim from France to England to be with his beloved. Gaveston then says, “The sight of London to my exiled eyes / Is as Elysium to a new-come soul” (1.1.10-11). In Greek mythology, Elysium was the resting place reserved for the souls of the heroic and virtuous. Gaveston says that it is not London or the people that he loves; it is the man the city holds. He gives his biggest compliment to Edward when he says, “What need the arctic people love star-light / To whom the sun shines both day and night?” (1.1.16-17). Marlowe uses this metaphor to show that the king, whose traditional symbol is the sun, is being compared to the arctic sun, which shines all the time during summer months.

As Gaveston is thinking about Edward, he is interrupted by three poor men wishing to become servants of him. He believes himself to be above and better than these poor men, “Let me see, though wouldst do well to wait at / my trencher and tell me lies at dinner-time; and, as I like / your discoursing, I’ll have you.” (1.1.30-33). He uses sarcasm when he says “Let me see” because Gaveston has no intention of employing the poor men. He seems to boast that he has power and offers them a low position. Marlowe uses foreshadowing when a poor man says, “Farewell, and perish by a soldier’s hand” (1.1.37). In Act II Scene VI Gaveston is killed by the Earl of Warwick’s soldiers. Gaveston’s has a very brutal response to the poor man. He shows that that poor man has no power over Gaveston at all by comparing himself to a porpentine, and the poor man to a goose. Obviously, a goose’s plume has no power against the powerful quills of a porpentine; therefore, the poor man’s words have no effect on Gaveston. Gaveston has shown his true colors as a manipulative, devious liar.

After the three poor men exit, Gaveston shows how much he wishes to please Edward by saying, “Music and poetry is his delight: / Therefore I’ll have Italian masques by night,” (1.1.53-54). Marlowe continues to develop the character of Gaveston by showing the homosexual side of Edward’s and his relationship when he says, “To hide those parts which men delight to see,” (1.1.64). This part of the play is one of the only situations in which Gaveston is clearly homosexual. Also, Marlowe makes another reference to Greek mythology:

One like Actaeon, peeping through the grove,

Shall by the angry goddess be transformed,

And running in the likeness of an hart,

But yelping hounds pulled down, and seem to die. (1.1.66-69)

This is referring to the story of Actaeon, a hunter who accidentally came across Artemis bathing in the woods. He was turned into a stag and hunted down and killed by his own hounds.

Finally Edward and Gaveston are together and as Gaveston kneels before Edward, Edward says, “What, Gaveston, welcome! Kiss not my hand, / Embraces me, Gaveston, as I do thee: / Why shouldst thou kneel? Knowest thou not who I am?” (1.1.139-141). This shows how Edward views Gaveston as an equal. Gaveston replies, “And since I went from hence, no soul in hell / Hath felt more torment than poor Gaveston.” (1.1.145-146). Gaveston is displaying his love for Edward by saying not even the souls in hell have felt more torment than him. Edward also shows how he thinks of Gaveston as his equal when he more or less offers him England:

Fear’st thou thy person? Thou shalt have a guard.

Wants thou gold? Go to my treasury.

Wouldst thou be loved and feared? Receive my seal;

Save or condemn, and in our name command

Whatso thy mind affects or fancy likes. (1.1.165-169).

Edward offers him protection, money, and power. This forshadows Gavestons fall, because he needed the protection Edward offers. Edward’s adoration eventually leads to both his and Gaveston’s downfall because Gaveston is given privileges outside of his class because of his relationship with Edward. Their entire relationship is summed up in a few lines when Gaveston says, “It shall suffice me to enjoy your love, / Which whiles I have, I think myself as great” (1.1.170-171). Gaveston turns down all these favors from Edward, claiming that his love is enough. However, the love that Gaveston and Edward share is not without major pitfalls. We do not know whether Gaveston actually loves Edward, or is simply using him until the end of the play when we find out it is both. The relationship eventually costs both of them the ultimate price: life.

Word Count: 1,075