Gloucester's younger, illegitimate son. Edmund resents the fact that the accident of his birth has deprived him of legal status (and, therefore, an inheritance). He schemes to turn Gloucester against his legitimate son, Edgar, and eventually usurp his title. Eloquent and seductively wicked, Edmund almost succeeds in carrying out his malign plots to fruition.
Edmund Quotes in King Lear
The King Lear quotes below are all either spoken by Edmund or refer to Edmund. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, scene 2
Quotes
"Thou, Nature, art my goddess."
Related Characters:
Edmund (speaker)
Related Symbols:
The Stars, Heavens, and the Gods
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
"As if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion."
Related Characters:
Edmund (speaker)
Related Symbols:
The Stars, Heavens, and the Gods
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire King Lear LitChart as a printable PDF.
Edmund Character Timeline in King Lear
The timeline below shows where the character Edmund appears in King Lear. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, scene 1
...his power and divide it among his daughters. Gloucester introduces Kent to his illegitimate son, Edmund, who is standing nearby. Gloucester says that, although Edmund is a "knave" (1.1.21) born out...
(full context)
Act 1, scene 2
Edmund stands alone on stage, criticizing the injustice of the laws and customs that deprive him...
(full context)
Act 2, scene 1
At Gloucester's court, Curran mentions to Edmund that there are rumors of imminent war between Cornwall and Albany. Curran also mentions that...
(full context)
Act 2, scene 2
Hearing the ruckus, Edmund, Cornwall, Regan, Gloucester, and his servants, enter, and demand to know what is going on....
(full context)
Act 3, scene 3
Back inside, Gloucester confides in Edmund that he does not like the "unnatural dealing" (3.3.2) that Goneril and Regan have shown...
(full context)
Act 3, scene 5
Cornwall enters with Edmund, carrying the letter reporting news of the invasion from France (which Gloucester mentioned to Edmund...
(full context)
Act 3, scene 7
Cornwall enters with Regan, Goneril, Edmund and servants. Handing Goneril the letter with news that the army of France has landed,...
(full context)
Act 4, scene 2
Having traveled from Gloucester's—now Edmund's—castle, Goneril and Edmund arrive at Goneril's palace. Oswald emerges, reporting that Albany is "changed" (2.1.4)...
(full context)
Act 4, scene 5
Back at Gloucester's former palace, widowed Regan questions Oswald about Goneril and Edmund. She pauses to explain that Edmund himself has gone to kill Gloucester—whose pitiful appearance, blinded...
(full context)
Act 4, scene 6
...the Gentleman for an update. He reports that the battle between the British forces of Edmund, Goneril, and Regan and the French force led by Cordelia is imminent.
(full context)
Act 4, scene 7
Kent remains on stage with a Gentleman. They discuss the state of the battle: Edmund is leading the British force. The Gentleman states that there is a rumor that Kent...
(full context)
Act 5, scene 1
Edmund, leading the British forces with Regan, sends a messenger to Albany to confirm that Albany...
(full context)
Act 5, scene 3
Edmund orders that the captured Lear and Cordelia be taken away to prison. Cordelia, speaking with...
(full context)
