1,266
edits
Changes
→Act II
===Act II===
===Act II===
In Gloster's castle, Edmund attempts to start rumors of war between the dukes of Albany and Cornwall, the husbands of Goneril and Regan. Edward returns, and Edmund shoos him away with the warning that Gloster knows where he has been hiding. Hearing Gloster coming, Edmund draws his sword and wounds himself in the arm, telling his father that he received the blow from Edward while trying to defend their father's honor. Gloster vies to catch Edward, and to make Edmund his heir.
In Gloster's castle, Edmund attempts to start rumors of war between the dukes of Albany and Cornwall, the husbands of Goneril and Regan. Edward returns, and Edmund shoos him away with the warning that Gloster knows where he has been hiding. Edward flees to the countryside, later to disguise himself as a madman. Hearing Gloster coming, Edmund draws his sword and wounds himself in the arm, telling his father that he received the blow from Edward while trying to defend their father's honor. Gloster vies to catch Edward, and to make Edmund his heir. Regan and Cornwall enter, telling Gloster of Lear's madness, explaining that they left their castle to avoid being home when Lear visits. Gloster explains his predicament to them, and they declare Edmund the next Earl. Regan betrays some attraction to Edmund as she darkly welcomes him into her service.
Outside the castle, Oswald and Kent meet again, each bearing letters. Kent unleashes a tirade of insults against Oswald, and draws his sword. Oswald backs away, and Kent responds by beating him. Edmund enters along with Regan and Cornwall, breaking up the fight and putting Kent in the stocks overnight as punishment. Gloster attempts to dissuade them without success, and leaves disgruntled.
King Lear and his entourage arrive, having already been to Cornwall's castle and not finding them at home. He sees Kent in the stocks and finds out who put him there. He demands to see Cornwall and Regan for an explanation, and to his consternation, they refuse to see him. He entreats Gloster to bring them to him, and as they arrive, they remove the stocks. Regan tries to reason with Lear, saying that his knights placed too much of a burden on Goneril's castle, and suggesting that he return there to apologize. Believing this beneath his digity, Lear refuses. Goneril enters, and together she and Regan demand that Lear dismiss his army and stay with them peacefully -- their reasoning is that he is too old and no longer in need of an army, though they secretly are hoping to remove the threat that his men represent to their rule. Feeling betrayed, Lear exits in a rage with a vicious storm on the horizon.
[[Category:Plays of Shakespeare]]
[[Category:Plays of Shakespeare]]