After Gloucester leaves the stage, Edmund makes some comments – in yet another soliloquy – about Gloucester’s view of the world. Gloucester had just blamed the betrayal of Edmund on the stars (that is, on fate). Edmund, however, believes that blaming fate or destiny is just nonsense, and he sarcastically criticizes his father and all who blame the stars for their misfortunes. Shakespeare is touching upon a debate that has existed for centuries: destiny versus free will. In accordance with their religious teaching, Christians believe that God foresees all events and has a Divine Plan (Providence – a mapped-out plan for the world). Thus, Christians, like many other religious groups, accept the idea that fate or destiny affects everyone. Yet, Christians are also taught that all people have the ability to choose good or evil. They have free choice: they can determine what they do and where they will end up. The big question, though, is this: how can a person have free will when God already knows what that person’s fate will be even before that person is born? The two views are incompatible, and so philosophers have argued for centuries in an attempt to reach some definite conclusion about this conflict.
Edmund is clearly on the side of free will. Like the Humanists of his day, Edmund believes that every man can determine his own future, that every man is responsible for his own actions and his own path in life. Humanism, which was the prevailing philosophy of Renaissance England, placed emphasis on the human mind and believed that the potential of man was nearly limitless. The Humanists did not believe that God placed limits or prohibitions on man to keep him in his place. So, Edmund declares that regardless of the month and day when he was born, “I should have been that I am” (120). And, thus, Edmund believes that he can affect his future and control his destiny by taking direct action. And that is why he is betraying his brother and father.
Shakespeare, on the other hand, would not so readily agree with Edmund or the Humanists. Shakespeare was well aware that often events occur in a person’s life which that person has absolutely no control over. Although Shakespeare does not directly attribute these momentous events to God, the playwright frequently uses the words fate, destiny, chance, and fortune. All of these words are synonymous for a force that is beyond the scope and power of mankind.
Shakespeare, then, would question Edmund’s declaration of free will. Would Edmund be so base and deceptive had he been born as the legitimate, first son of the Earl of Gloucester? Fate had caused Edmund to be born in position that society deems unfit and disreputable. On the other hand, fate is much kinder to men who are the first-born sons of aristocrats. All people, then, are affected by the circumstances of their births.
Following Edmund’s comments about fate is a conversation with Edgar. Edmund tells his older half-brother that the Earl (their father) is angry with Edgar and adds that Gloucester is so enraged that he may even harm Edgar. Edmund then claims that he will help his brother and try to find out why Gloucester is so intensely angry with him. Edmund thus cleverly and furtively convinces Edgar to stay away from their father until Edmund can clear up the conflict between them. Of course, Edmund will instead only rile and enrage Gloucester even more against the innocent Edgar.
Edgar places his full trust in Edmund, and agrees to do as Edmund suggests.
After Edgar leaves the stage, Edmund has a
third brief soliloquy (lasting for only seven lines). Edmund laughs at the credulous and naive nature of his brother, and he refers to him as an individual too full of “foolish honesty” (165). The word honesty is a semiotic device that connects Edgar to both Cordelia and Kent. Like Cordelia, Edgar will lose his position and inheritance because of his honest nature. Edmund is still in the early stages of his scheme, but he thinks that he will succeed easily because he has the “wit” or intelligence to trick the foolishly honest natures of his father and brother.
Some time has passed since the first scene of the play. Lear is no longer king. He is now staying with his oldest daughter Goneril and her husband Albany. As he had requested, he will live with Goneril for one month, and then spend one month with Regan, and so alternate every month for the rest of his days. As Lear had also requested, staying with him are one hundred knights (his retinue) who serve only the former king (and not the Dukes).
However, Goneril does not enjoy playing hostess to her father and his followers. They act as if every day is a holiday. They hunt and eat and drink, but do not help out in the castle in any way. They expect Goneril’s servants to serve them as well.
Oswald, Goneril’s steward (or chief servant), complains to Goneril that after he had criticized Lear’s fool (who is part of Lear’s retinue), Lear became angry and hit Oswald. Goneril feels that her father is out of place for punishing her servant, and she complains that Lear no longer has authority for such actions:
Idle old man,
That still would manage those authorities
That he hath given away! (16-18)
Goneril is not entirely incorrect. Lear has given up his position as king, and so he no longer has authority to rule over the castle and the people within it. Lear still wants the authority and respect belonging to a king without having any of the responsibility of being king. Lear has made a foolish mistake, and Goneril is soon going to show him just how foolish that mistake really is.
Goneril then gives orders to Oswald that he and all of the other servants of her castle should ignore Lear and his retinue. She is telling Oswald that the servants no longer have to listen to what Lear says or to follow any of his orders. In addition, Goneril plans to tell Regan about her course of action and suggest that Regan behaves the same way when Lear comes to visit her.