Shakespeare’s treatment of illegitimacy in the play King Lear can be interpreted in many ways depending on the audience. The situation of illegitimacy is portrayed through the relationships of the characters the Earl Of Gloucester and his two sons Edgar and Edmund. Edmund is the illegitimate son while Edgar was born within the law. We learn of Edmund’s illegitimacy in the opening scene in the first act where The Earl of Gloucester is …showed first 75 words of 903 total…

…showed last 75 words of 903 total…that he would inherit all his father’s wealth. This mischief may have been sparked by past treatment, feelings of inadequacy, the social stigma of the day, and comparison to his brother. All of these issues stem from the multifaceted relationship he holds with his father, which could be debated endlessly. With his pen, Shakespeare has created relationships and characters that pose complex questions, providing his readers with food for thought and discussion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**