What do you think Edmund was doing pre-play? It isn't really specified.
other than the 9 years abroad?
jk I have so many thoughts. SO many.
so the only canonical thing we know about his life pre-play is that “he hath been out nine years (and away he shall again).” Of course we gotta keep in mind that this is said by gloucester, and he’s not exactly the most reliable narrator when it comes to his sons.
so we’ve got some options
1- it’s exactly gloucester says– Edmund moved out and was abroad, and returned for whatever Lear’s got going on here. (the most boring option)
2- depending on Edmund’s age, it could just be. school. like you could totally dorm for nine years. you go dorm at the start of high school, take a gap year, and then continue with four years of college.
(I’m sure none of this is historically accurate to how education worked back then we can overlook that :))
3- gloucester could just. straight up not know what he’s talking about. I picture Edmund mainly keeping to himself in the gloucester household, and it would be hilarious if gloucester was just like “hmmm I haven’t seen him around in a while… I guess he’s been abroad or something 🤷♂️” (funniest option but unlikely)
4- a combination of the previous ones– Edmund was away, but not for nine years straight. I have so many headcanons. that he does assorted work for the gloucester household. so at some point he was like “I’m moving out, surely you’ll all be fine without the work I do here?”
and gloucester was like “of course.” but quickly realizes how much edmund does to hold his household together. so he calls him back every six months like “hey edmund just one little favor. just come back for two weeks. then you could go back to whatever you do.”
5- edmund was never gone, gloucester just doesn’t want to have to account for an illegitimate child on a constant basis, so when he actually does introduce edmund to someone, he tells them that edmund isn’t usually around– as a sort of precaution against them asking where he is in front of people who don’t know he exists.
basically. choose how sad and/or funny you want those mysterious 9 years to be