Goran Maleš answers “Did anyone else like Edmund?”

Salma asked this question about King Lear (Shakespeare Made Easy):

Did anyone else like Edmund?

Goran Maleš I like him, but I do not see him as a bad guy. He is kind of opposite of Cordelia, as Cordelia thought that justice and truth are natural things and t…moreI like him, but I do not see him as a bad guy. He is kind of opposite of Cordelia, as Cordelia thought that justice and truth are natural things and they will win on the end, Edmund declares nature as his goddess and think it is cruel as he needs to be.
But why did he repent himself on the end, when he didnt need to? On my mind is falling the same reason why did Roy Batty in Bladerunner repented himself, because he knew he would die. Or maybe he saw the nature as too cruel of a goddess ?
I like the fact that he didnt saved niether Cordelia niether Lear, as a fact that nature has no laws and its cruel and nihilistic even when you repent.

Ive read in some analysis that Cordelia was not so good character as people think, refusing to say white lie and knowing what will it do to chain of events. It was like everything will be ok if she only tells the truth, which is seen as pure virtue.

But even when both Edmund and Cordelia said the right thing, it weren't like Chekhov's gun. No gods heard them and decided punish or redeem characters because of their virtues or flaws.

But why did Edmund wanted to redeem himself on the end? Did he thought he would change things? Or he wanted to die of clear conscience? Maybe as both Lear and Gloucester did realized their true nature through the play, as did the Edmund, that he is not so evil as he thought.(less)

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