Well, I am an expert about this. #1.

Oh, the feeling. I would love to say I don’t know what it feels like. I think everyone is subject to this kind of rejection at some point in time. It is, indeed, the deepest hurt one can experience next to the death of a loved one. It strips one of any honor they have, takes away all self-confidence… it throws you to the ground and pins you there. You cannot think straight, and everything is more difficult than it was before the rejection or betrayal. It literally takes the life out of a person. Perhaps the worst part is trying to figure out how to deal with these emotions. To contain them drains the rest of the emotional energy one has, so that almost any negative stimulus or question will cause a person to break down. Been there, done that.

If let go far enough, these emotions can drive a person to insanity. Unfortunately, Lear falls victim to this trap. To be betrayed by one’s own family members, much less one’s children, is so painful that it forces a person into another reality because they must escape their own. Through all of this, Lear begins to show his compassionate side, trying to do for others what he has been denied by Regan and Goneril. Gloucester somehow maintains his sanity (at least up to this point) through Edmund’s betrayal. I don’t know how he will do now that Cornwall has taken out his eyes… this may very well result in insanity. Edgar is in the same position as his father, and can do nothing to stop the process. He is trapped by Edmund’s cunning, but still tries to find a way around the problem. Cordelia parallels Edgar, in the fact that neither has done anything heinous and yet, both have been disowned by their fathers. I know how betrayal and rejection feel from those that I love, but I cannot imagine the incredible pain that comes from betrayal of a family member.

Act 2 (#3)

Edgar probably assumed this disguise because Tom O’Bedlam is an actual human being who Edgar can relate to. I’m not saying Edgar is crazy, because I don’t believe that to be the case. He can relate to Tom because they are both running away from something. This disguise also allows him to sneak around efficiently and without detection, because he has tried to blend himself in with the woods. If anyone finds him, they’ll probably assume he is the crazed Tom O’Bedlam himself, and leave well enough alone. I feel for Edgar- mostly because he has done nothing wrong and is forced to flee his home. We have now established that he is certainly an intelligent character, and has discovered Edmund’s plot. How he will circumvent it, I am not sure… but by assuming this disguise he also remains loyal to his father’s wishes. He is no longer inside the castle, but will do his best to right Edmund’s wrongs.

Edgar is a compelling character, and clearly he will become important in the second half of the play. He is one of the more honorable characters, and parallels Cordelia. He cannot be disloyal to his father, even when his own life is in danger. Assuming the disguise of a madman is a risky venture, because he runs the risk of being thrown into an asylum. While most people would probably be too afraid to act on seeing Tom O’Bedlam, but if Edgar were to be caught by the authorities, it would not end peacefully. I am interested to see where Shakespeare takes Edgar through the remainder of the play. It may end up that he and Cordelia suffer similar fates.

Cinderella (#2)

Regan and Goneril’s only motivation lies in assuming Lear’s kingdom when he grows old. Clearly this is their motivation now, but it must have been when they were younger. One does not change from loyal, loving daughter, to cruel and selfish even in a lifetime. They have most likely always been the way they are, and were suppressing it in order to win Lear’s favor. They are clearly very skilled at lying, as they convince Lear, without a doubt, of their love during the first act. Cordelia is at a disadvantage here, because she cannot lie to please her father…and she turns out to be the only loyal member of the family.

I cannot say that I entirely understand where resentment for a parent comes from. It is possible that Regan and Goneril had some sort of terrible upbringing that led them to spite their father, but it is unlikely, as Cordelia did not turn out the same way. Selfish motivation drives people further than one may think. Another factor may be natural resentment, because there is a time in everyone’s life where they want to be their own person (especially the teenage years) and parents restrict that natural impulse. The move for independence is one that comes to everyone differently, and obviously Goneril and Regan’s obsession with power had a little more than something to do with their extreme cruelty towards their father.

This relationship is powerful because, while it may be a natural impulse, it goes against any decent person’s moral code. Sure, we all feel some degree of resentment toward our parents in our lifetimes, but it should not escalate to the level that Regan and Goneril take it to. They are utterly disrespectful despite the fact that Lear has given his entire kingdom to them.