Gloucester
Parenting involves a multitude of choices, the decisions of which determine the efficacy of each unique parentage. In his essay "On the affection of fathers for their children," Montainge delineates the harmful decisions of the "common parent" in a thorough description of the actions through which parents frequently channel their instinctual love. In Shakespeare's play King Lear, Gloucester illustrates Montainge's hypothetical common parent in his relationship with his bastard son Edmund. The ramifications of Gloucester's mistakes allow for Edmund's hatred of his own father which he recognizes solely as his simultaneous hatred of the social stigma against bastard children. Edmund speaks vehemently against the laws against bastard children in the soliloquy that begins Act 1 Scene 2. The current law prohibits the bastard child from inheriting their father's wealth. Thus, Gloucester will inevitably leave his entire fortune to his older and legitimate son Edgar. Enraged, Edmund plots to deceive his father and half-brother in order to maliciously inherit the wealth allotted to Edgar.Because of the English tradition of Primogeniture however, Edgar as the oldest child would have received the wealth regardless of Edmund's legiti
Edmund proclaims that Nature necessitates his deceit of his family. His bad parentage results from his acceptance and adherence to a body of laws. A developed and respected friendship would discourage Edmund from such an act, as it is not in one's best interest to hurt any loved and respected friend. Their entrance into the world, unconfined by the restraints of social values, generates perhaps more naturally recognized love than the love necessitated by the conformity of the social family structure. is doing a wrong both to himself and his children if he squats uselessly on a great pile of riches" (144). " The laws arise from and proliferate a culture that demands obedience and unconditional respect from all children, withholds land from children until the death of their father, and discriminates against children unwillingly born to illegitimate homes. He queries, "Wherefore should I/ stand in the plague of custom, and permit/ The curiosity of nations to deprive me" (15 2-4). Edmund argues this very point, "Legitimate Edgar I must have your land/ Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund" (16). Edmund embellishes each name with the terms of society to point to their meaninglessness. Edmund epitomizes this idea that the child selfishly derives utility from the benefits bestowed from the father. In Gloucester and Edmund's relationship the two natural laws cannot coexist, as Edmund's tactics to serve his naturally free willed individualism, result in his father's deception and death. The conflict between natural and social law frustrates Edmund and goads his malicious acts. It is an unrecognized conflict of the natural law of the parent versus that of the child however, that actually allows Edmund to foster and act upon his rage against social laws.
Common topics in this essay:
Edgar Edmund,
According Montainge,
Edmund Edmund,
Wherefore I/,
Lear Gloucester,
Gloucester Montainge,
,
Thou Nature,
Gloucester Edmund's,
Primogeniture Edgar,
common parent,
deceive father,
bastard children,
bastard children edmund,
bad parentage,
montainge's common,
natural rights,
natural law,
father win,
montainge's common parent,
revolting social,
edgar edmund,
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Acceptance Essays
