pointless Edmund analysis number who knows what, because I’m bored and also haven’t posted about Shakespeare for a while
I know that Edmund is in no way a tragic hero, and therefore doesn’t need a specific fatal flaw.
But too bad because I feel like analyzing this.
Anyway.
Edmund’s fatal flaw is his inability to pass up opportunity.
Let me explain.
Edmund is often compared to villains like Iago (which is a pretty bad comparison, but that’s a topic for a different post) because they both go around plotting against everyone causing chaos through excessive lying.
BUT a major difference in Edmund and Iago’s plans is that Iago had a big master plan, and each lie he told was just a piece of it, helping him get to his final goal.
But Edmund’s plan was very step-by-step. He didn’t have a master plan. He couldn’t have, because he didn’t know about the events of future acts at the time he was putting Plan A into motion in 1.2.
Edmund’s Plan A is to get rid of Edgar by framing him and become Gloucester’s heir and favorite son.
Once he became heir, his plan would have ended there.
But then the kingdom started having a whole ton of internal conflict, and Gloucester joined the wrong side of it. Gloucester not only joined the wrong side, but he told Edmund about it, and told him exactly where he could find the one and only piece of evidence against him.
So now Edmund takes that opportunity as well, and reveals Gloucester’s actions to Cornwall, who accuses Gloucester of treason, thereby making Edmund Earl.
And he would have stopped there. He got more than he originally thought he’s get.
But now the
the highest ranking womantwo of the highest ranking women in England are interested in him. He could become King. KING. He could actually become KING now.He was only trying to become heir to and earl originally. BUT NOW HE COULD BECOME KING!!
But then some ✨mysterious masked dude✨ challenges him to the whole trial by combat thing, and once again, this is an opportunity he can’t pass up. If he wins the fight, some serious charges against him will be dropped. Sure, he can refuse since the guy didn’t identify himself. But what if the guy says “actually hold up, I’ve decided to identify myself now”? Then he’d definitely have to fight him. It’s better for him to fight without demanding the man to reveal himself, because then if he loses in a way that doesn’t involve him dying, he can demand a rematch due to the opponent technically not following the rules. This way he can potentially get another chance.
Not sure how to end this- I left this sitting in drafts for a while but I wanna post it
So that’s that I guess
I somehow missed the word Shakespeare in the title and read half of this thinking it was about Edmund Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia…
Does it work for Edmund P. as well? Is it just an Edmund thing to be unable to pass up opportunity?