Edgar

Question 1

‘nothing relates to two pivotal moments in King Lear - Cordelia’s banishment and Edgar’s persecution - both parents listen to machiavellian children
Cordelia marries France Edgar loses everything
Cordelia dies Edgar because King
Relates to wheel of fortune

Answer 1

‘nothing’

Question 2

Edgar conforming to new order but to save himself - not for his own benefit
Disjointed syntax - disguising voice and breaking his image - returning to his roots = nihilistic

Answer 2

‘Edgar I nothing am’

Question 3

Edgar preaches in a Christian like fashion, pretending to be lower class and having served his mistress’ lust = presents how aristocracy corrupts lower classes - criticism of JI’s court? Insulting bc JI is not mad

Answer 3

‘keep thy foot out of brothels, thy hand out of plackets…’

Question 4

Edgar is pretending to be mad so him imploring devils to have mercy presents belief in witchcraft as madness - criticism of JI and his belief in wc - demonology
Also references to alchemy when Lear calls Edgar a ‘philosopher’ - further criticism of JI and patronage of wc persecutions and magic

Answer 4

‘foul fiend Flibbertigibbet’

Question 5

Edgar leading Gloucester through the heath

Moment of Pathos
Reference to Gloucester being diseased - his despair is a disease - presents emotion as a disease specifically type of love Lear seeks and emotion Edmund puts on to trick Glouc

Answer 5

‘why do I trifle thus with his despair is done to cure it’

Question 6

Edgar leading Gloucester through the heath

Illogicality of phrase suggests chaos in society and the hopeless nihilistic opinion that society is slipping back into paganism - barbaric nature of new order = seems pagan
Illogicality suggests new order should be Christianity but it’s a human devolution instead

Answer 6

‘why then, your other senses grow imperfect by your eyes’ anguish’

Question 7

Edgar ‘finding’ Gloucester on the beach as a Fisherman

If Edgar can be seen to bring Christianity to a pagan society then he parallels Jesus - spreading the word/influence of God and doing miracles - he carries out Glouc’s ‘miracle’ by letting him fall a short way = prevents him from committing mortal sin of suicide - self congratulatory

Answer 7

‘thy life’s a miracle’

Question 8

Edgar ‘finding’ Gloucester on the beach as a Fisherman

Moon is symbolic of cycle of time and full moon is at the pinnacle of the old order - demon having full moon eyes presents him as trying to maintain the old order (pushed him not to die) against God’s wishes for it to return to nothing to start a new Christian order
Moon presents fiend as female - brutality of G+R as trying to annihilate old order
Egyptian God of the moon Thoth (also connections w magic) assc w Hermes who, like Hecate (ref by Lear) is symbolic of the crossroads - need for change to Christianity

Answer 8

‘methought his eyes were two full moons’

Question 9

Last time Edgar and Gloucester are together

Glouc. calls Edgar ‘sir’ = reversal of power as Glouc. dies - Edgar calls him ‘old man’
Perhaps Glouc. gave up his power when he subverted natural order of succession

Answer 9

‘sir’

‘old man’

Question 10

Last time Edgar and Gloucester are together

Timing is everything and Gloucester is ripe to die now that he has endured until now - Edgar seen as a Christian prophet of sorts - advocates Christian doctrine of suffering for redemption

Answer 10

‘ripeness is all’

Question 11

Edgar coming back to claim his title

Edgar is disguised again after having climbed up social order from ‘Poor Tom’ to a knight - he is meritocratic - shows how Edgar as part of old order adopts part of new order to ensure survival of old

Answer 11

‘know my name is lost’