ACT III

Knowledge

Home Page

ACT III, Scene 5

The next scene is a brief exchange between Edmund and Cornwall.
Edmund plots against his father, Gloucester; he tells the Duke
about a letter showing Gloucester to be an accomplice to the
invasion of Britain by France. To reward Edmund for the warning,
Cornwall makes him the Earl of Gloucester and issues orders for
Gloucester's arrest. Edmund expresses his deep loyalty to the
Duke. He then goes off to find the hiding place of his father. He
hopes to find Gloucester helping the king so that he can
incriminate him even further.

Notes

In this scene, Edmund begins to openly implement his plot against
his father. In truly hypocritical fashion, he bemoans the fact that
his affection for his father must take second place to his loyalty to
his country; but he has learned (supposedly) that his father is
helping with the French invasion of Britain. In telling this lie, he
shows he has no compunction in achieving his aims at the cost of
destroying another person, even if it is his father. In fact, by lying,
Edmund moves one step forward in achieving his objective.

Cornwall is also exposed as a villain. He uses the words "trust" and
"love" as if he himself were a paragon of virtue; instead, he also is
a deceptive and cunning character who cannot be trusted.
back