Themes and Character Actions in King Lear

In Act 3, Scene 3 of King Lear, Gloucester confides in his son Edmund about the turmoil in the kingdom. Unbeknownst to Gloucester, Edmund is treacherous and plans to betray his father to gain his inheritance. Edmund intends to inform Cornwall of Gloucester's forbidden visit to Lear, hoping to be rewarded with Gloucester's lands. The scene highlights Edmund's growing villainy and Gloucester's figurative blindness. Shakespeare uses letters as a dramatic tool, illustrating the kingdom's fragmentation and the characters' self-serving agendas.

What does Gloucester complain about to Edmund?

• His health

• The state of affairs and his expulsion

• The food in the castle

• The weather

What significant news does Gloucester share with Edmund?

• A new law in the kingdom

• A festival in the castle

• Armed forces have landed in England

• A marriage proposal

What does Gloucester warn Edmund about?

• Being generous

• Being punctual

• Being careful

• Being honest

What does Edmund plan to do with the information about his father?

• Write a letter to his mother

• Keep it a secret

• Tell King Lear

• Inform Cornwall to betray Gloucester

What does Edmund hope to gain by betraying his father?

• A new house

• A position in the army

• A new title

• All of Gloucester's lands

How does the audience perceive Edmund's actions?

• With joy

• With indifference

• With horror

• With admiration

What does Gloucester's figurative blindness foreshadow?

• A peaceful resolution

• A new beginning

• Horrific events to come

• A happy ending

What is the significance of the phrase 'the younger rises when the old doth fall'?

• It signifies a change in leadership

• It is a weather prediction

• It is a warning about health

• It is a comment on fashion

Why might the audience have had sympathy for Edmund earlier?

• He was poor

• He was born out of wedlock

• He was a kind person

• He was a hero

How does Edmund view his own actions?

• As shaping his destiny

• As a duty

• As a joke

• As a mistake