King Lear Headcannon/ Theory, for some reason
(I just gotta say, when I was typing “reason” autocorrect changed it to “treason”, and I think that’s very appropriate considering the subject matter)
So. I guess I’ve always subconsciously had this headcannon/ believed this headcannon to be true, but it just occurred to me that it’s very much a headcannon and not textually true. So let’s dive into this.
HEADCANNON STARTS HERE:
So. In the opening scene of King Lear, Gloucester is introducing Edmund to Kent. There’s something that always bothered me about this scene- If Gloucester so obviously likes Edgar more than Edmund, why would he not only not bring Edgar along, but bring Edmund, of all people? It doesn’t make much sense.
UNLESS. And hear me out. [ Ignore that one line that says Edmund was gone for 7 years. Ok. You don’t know how gone he was*. So just for a second forget about this so I can move on with the headcannon.]
OK. So we know. We see very clearly. That between the two, Edgar clearly isn’t the smart one. Edgar clearly isn’t the one who would do best meeting with random nobility, as we see when Regan visits Gloucester and says something like “ew wasn’t that the guy who hung out with my dad’s knights?”. Edmund, on the other hand, can easily hold a conversation with anyone. Edmund is the charismatic one. So if Gloucester would have to choose one to bring with him to represent the Gloucester family, he’d make the decision that would be the most beneficial to him, rather than the decision he’s happiest with. He’d bring Edmund.
That’s part of the reason for why he feels the need to 1- introduce him as “my bastard kid” 2-and mention that he has an older legitimate brother. That way anyone meeting him would get the idea “if the younger illegitimate son is *this* pleasant to talk to, imagine how cool and talented the*older, legitimate* son is!”.
Gloucester introduces Edmund the way that he does not because he just feels like it, or can’t think of anything better to say. He introduces him like that to make his family look better. Because yes, sometimes insulting your kid could indirectly cause people to believe that your family is better and more talented than it is.
And obviously Edmund is no idiot. He knows Gloucester’s intentions. Not very good ones, in his (and my) opinion. Honestly, he’d rather Gloucester act like that out of stupidity, or a lack of understanding for social situations. He’d even except Gloucester treating him like that out of pure hatred. But he doesn’t even get that much. All he is is a way to advance the family’s image to the public. And it seems like it worked perfectly fine, considering everyone’s opinions on the Earl of Gloucester pre-play
(PLEASE read this It would literally mean so much to me I know it’s long)
so in conclusion
fuck gloucester even more, edmund was actually extra super valid?
YES Edmund will always be super valid to me
Also I forgot to mention, but the fact that Edmund doesn’t even react to Gloucester being like “haha yup my bastard son, who’s nothing compared to his older legitimate brother” proves that this is just.. how he’s introduced. This isn’t a surprise to him, this is what happens Every Single Time he goes to a social event. Which, if I had to take a wild guess, would be very often.