Irony In Edmund's Soliloquy In King Lear

The poisoned chalice: metaphor and self-fashioning in Edmund’s soliloquy
The enduring appeal of William Shakespeare’s King Lear is partly due to its exploration of the themes of power, family betrayal and personal transformation. A powerful example of this transformation can be seen in the case of the character Edmund. As a bastard, Edmund is subjected to regular humiliation, as evidenced in Gloucester’s introduction of him to Kent “…there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged” (1.1.21-22). This sets the scene for his bitter soliloquy in 1.2 and marks a bold departure towards a new mode of being in the world. Edmund employs vivid metaphor to rationalise a ruthless course of action, intended to achieve prosperity and, ironically, status.
By far the most powerful literary device deployed in Edmund’s soliloquy is the use of metaphor. Edmund immediately …show more content…
I grow, I prosper” (2.1.19-22), delivering the capstone of his argument and completing his transformation from inferior bastard, to thriving agent of nature.
The final irony is that, in placing himself in the sphere of the natural, Edmund is attempting to attain a place in the social hierarchy he has taken such pains to discredit: “He

Flanigan 3 sees through one level of ideological legitimation only to remain the more thoroughly enmeshed with it at a deeper level” (Dollimore p201).
Far from detracting from the play, Edmund’s use of a flawed process of self actualisation displays his humanity. The use of varied literary devices in his soliloquy displays his transformation from societal victim to potent natural agent, while being unable to escape society’s preoccupation with prosperity and status. It is this fallibility that makes Edmund a complex and textured character, contributing to the enduring appeal of King Lear, and his part in

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