Downfall Of Edmund example essay topic

450 words
Good vs. Evil In William Shakespeare's King Lear, both good and evil meet with ironic demises. The very brother whom Edmund betrayed is the one who destroys him. Regan vanity and pretense bring about her downfall. His own good and trusting nature shatter the life of King Lear. These three characters faults and virtues lead to their utter annihilation.

First of all, the downfall of Edmund is ironic in that its instigator is Edgar, the brother Edmund sought to betray. Edmund believed that those around him were a tribe of fops (I, ii, 14), while he a brilliant mastermind. Edmund blackened Edgar name to their father, Gloucester; Edgar fled into the woods, a hunted man. Edmund planned out his course of action in a series of eloquent soliloquies.

Meanwhile, Edgar passed himself off as a mad beggar in order to survive. Edmund was successful in exiling Edgar; forcing Edgar to disguise himself. There is great irony in the fact that Edgar, the nobler brother, must disguise himself in the basest and most poorest shape (II, , 7) while everyone thinks of Edmund as good and trustworthy. Another factor in Edmunds downfall is his relationships with Goneril and Regan. These love affairs did not fit into Edmunds master plan. Cornwall's request that Edmund keep/...

[Goneril]... company ( , vii, 7-8) was the beginning of the end for Edmund. Had it not been for this deviation from the plan, Edgar would never have killed Oswald and read Goneril letter; thus uncovering Edmunds treachery. The irony of Edmunds brilliant schemes being destroyed by a serviceable villain (IV, vi, 256) like Oswald is virtually insurmountable. Albany's revelation of Edmunds heinous manifest, and many treasons (V, , 93) comes too late to save Cordelia, Lear, Gloucester, Regan, and Goneril. Despite the fact that Edmunds death helps no one, it proves that evil loses in the end. The destruction of Regan serves a similar purpose.

Rega is a vain, greedy and deceitful woman; she uses whatever means necessary to get what she wants. The irony of her downfall is that Goneril beat her at her own game. Regan practices the glib and oily art (I, i, 226) of flattery in order to gain her fathers lands. She then turns on her father; not seeing it fit to be grateful for his generosity. She treats Kent, whom she must respect as a representative of the King, worse than she would treat her fathers dog (II, ii, 137).

She acts this way because she believes herself more important than all other people.