Act 2 Scene 3

Question 1

Quotes showing Edgar and his transformation in act 2 scene 3

Answer 1

“I am bethought to take the basest and most poorest shape”
“Brought near to beast”
“Edgar I nothing am”

Question 2

Significance of “Edgar I nothing am”

Answer 2

Loses everything tragically to Gloucester’s decision and unlike Lear strips his own identity

Question 3

Significance of Edgar’s transformation

Answer 3

1.Identity and disguise-Edgar unlike his brother uses disguise for self preservation and ultimately for good
2.Suffering and Human Resilience-As Poor Tom Edgar experiences real suffering and allows him to understand true human suffering,contrasting Lear and Gloucester who struggle to cope with their own downfalls
3.Fragility of human identity-Edgar’s descent into an animal-like state demonstrates how easily human identity can be lost,his condition is no different to an animal’s and shows the thin line between beast and man