I am cut to the brains: King Lear Film

August 24, 2022

King Lear Film - Act 2 Scene 1

Edgar and Edmund are both fighting for their lives. Edmund may be the orchestrator of these fraught circumstances, but he is risking his life in doing so. Even as his plan unfolds accordingly he does not take for granted that it could easily collapse at any moment, causing him to lose everything.

Edmund is excited to be actively pursuing his desires, rather than just scheming in anticipation. He does not let the pleasure of deceit overwhelm and undermine him, instead funneling that energy into his performance: there is always a kind of truth in his deceptions. He uses his frenetic urgency to disorient and engross Edgar, convincing his brother he has no choice but to run, before he even has the chance to process what is happening to him, thus confirming all suspicions of guilt. Even after Edgar has fled, the stakes are no less dire for Edmund; if Edgar is found alive it will become one brother’s word against the other. Each success does not bring relief for Edmund, but further fuels his drive and focus.

Edgar, like his father, is naïve in his credulity and trust in Edmund. Edgar struggles against leaving out of fear and uncertainty, but is ultimately taken in by Edmund’s brotherly concern. Despite his seeming guilelessness, there are traces of Edgar’s strength and cunning in these early scenes. His sword fight with Edmund, however counterfeit, demonstrates his natural talent for fighting. He does not enjoy fighting, the way Edmund does, but he has similar talent that has yet to be honed or tested.

The arrival of Regan and Cornwall helps to sway Gloucester and totally convince him of Edgar’s guilt. Word of Edgar’s supposed treachery has spread, creating false confirmation through common acceptance of Edmund’s lies as fact.

Cornwall and Regan’s certainty of Edgar’s wickedness makes accepting the idea inevitable to the credulous Gloucester. He is furious and humiliated, but does not take pleasure in calling for his son’s capture and execution. His anger is driven by the deep hurt inflicted by his beloved son’s betrayal.

A power vacuum has been created, and in this scene pervaded by deceit and betrayal, there is an ironic concentration on the need to form alliances. In face of the unstable political situation, Cornwall is eager to recruit Edmund, having heard of his loyalty, bravery, and combat skill. In the same vein, Regan and Cornwall arrive as a united front, paradoxically joined by the tension in their relationship. They vie for authority and dominance, yet in doing so; they also show their mutual respect and their similarity in their yet untested viciousness.

Regan has fled her home for Gloucester’s, heeding Goneril’s advice to avoid Lear until her arrival. Regan has yet to fully experience the wrath of Lear’s softening mind and increasingly erratic behavior, but she trusts Goneril’s word. The two are like-minded in their eagerness to join forces against their father. Regan may not be as proactive or independent as her sister, as she does not act prior to Goneril’s urging, but the two share a compulsion that temporarily aligns them. They use each other to guarantee that they will be free of their father’s rule for good and so they may have the autonomy to pursue their own ambitions.