Shakespeare’s depiction of Richard III and Edmund from King Lear shows a remarkable similarity between the two. In the former play, Richard is obsessed with the thought of ascending the throne one way or another. He plans everything accordingly and conspires against his family members. Richard becomes infamous for having his nephews murdered as no one knows where they went. His murder spree continues till he finally gets crowned.
However, there is a twist of fate the moment he becomes King of England. His nobleman, Lord Stanley, refuses to carry out his orders, for which he is banished. Later in the play, Lord Stanley turns against Richard and helps Henry Tudor win the battle. On the battlefield of Bosworth, Lord Stanley refuses to assist Richard in the battle against Henry. Stanley’s refusal causes a decrease in the army’s soldiers, leading to Richard losing the battle and ultimately dying in a duel with Henry.
In King Lear, Edmund has the same desires as Richard, as he is an illegitimate child and curses his fate for his circumstances. Also, the weak have been depicted in the most pitiable state while the evil ones have been set apart by their egoism, hatred, and greed. Edmund plots to get his brother, Edgar out of the picture and therefore forges a letter that he sends to his father Gloucester, and lets him know that Edgar plots to kill him. His anger at being called a bastard can be seen in the following lines,
“Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed
And my invention thrive, Edmund the base
Shall top th’ legitimate. I grow, I prosper.
Now, gods, stand up for bastards!” (Shakespeare, 1936)
Edmund is convinced to take what belongs to Edgar because he feels that the bastard label means nothing. Saddened by the news, Gloucester starts a manhunt to find Edgar. However, Edgar disguises himself as a poor old man to hide from his father and his men. Edmund gets what he wants and moves on to his next plan, which is to make Regan and Goneril fall in love with him completely. He readily works for both of them to get on their good side while the two sisters plot to kill one another so that one of them can marry Edmund.
Richard and Edmund are similar in that they both have corrupt natures, making them hunt down anyone who stands between them and their goal. His wickedness can be seen in the following lines,
“Simple, plain Clarence, I do love thee so
That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven,
If heaven will take the present at our hands.” (Shakespeare, 1936)
His cynicism is visible in the way he jokes about killing Clarence. Richard kills without mercy, even if it is his nephew. In the same way, Edmund conspires against his brother to get rid of him and receive all his property. The characteristics that Shakespeare utilized to show Richard and Edmund as villainous are their physical features and mental capabilities. In the play, Richard has been referred to as
“Lump of foul deformity.”
‘elvish-marked, abortive rooting hog’ (Shakespeare, 1936).
These remarks while highlighting Richard’s outward appearance also hint at his wickedness. Similarly, Edmund’s villainous characteristics are exhibited through the way he tries to appear charming to the women in the play to get his hands on their estate. In literature, evil characters are depicted as attractive, they dress well and are good at everything they say. If a comparison is to be made between who is the most significant villain, then Richard wins the title as he does not for one moment think about the people he has killed while Edmund only conspires against his brother to get his estate. The killing streak isn’t as active in Edmund as in Richard.
It becomes evident from the discussion above that Shakespeare used particular attributes to depict evil characters. Their behavior and manner of speaking set them apart from other characters. Both Richard and Edmund are evil. However, the central aspect that sets the two apart is Richard’s psychopathic mindset that makes him kill everyone. He gets everything he sets his eyes on and plans everything strategically. All of this, he does for the sake of a crown which he loses soon enough as he is killed in the War of the Roses.
References
Shakespeare, W. (1936). Richard III (Vol. 3). Macmillan.
