The Battle is Lost Within - Justin Johnson

            Despite the abundance of tragic external circumstances we see characters go through in King Lear, the final blow in most characters’ downfall comes not from without but within. A character’s descent into grief to the point of experiencing death (or at least wishing for it) is often the culmination of a character’s personal tragedy in the story. The only clear exception to this trend in the final act of the play is Edgar, who is also seemingly the only character who managed to come out of the other end of the play’s events with his life and sanity intact. In his act as Poor Tom Edgar goes about as if mad, yet in this aspect he seems the only character who retains his rationality. Tragedies like King Lear tend to not have many heroes in our modern literary sense, but if any such character exists in this story it is Edgar of Gloucester.

            Edgar has lost his station, his family, and his future as the Earl of Gloucester, yet he continues to try to make a life for himself. In his fall, Edgar puts his identity as heir of Gloucester to death so that he may live, however humble and miserable of a life that be. From Act 2 Scene 3: 

“I will preserve myself; and am bethought to take the basest and most poorest shape […] Poor Tom, that’s something yet; Edgar I nothing am.”

Edgar sees what Lear at the play’s beginning unfortunately does not: that a life of little lived in truth is better than a life of luxury built on lies. From Act 4 Scene 1, on his wretched condition: 

“Yet better thus, and known to be condemned, than still condemned and flattered.”

            Not only is Edgar content with his own survival, but he also seeks to assist those who like him have also experienced a tragic fall, even his father whose ignorance cost Edgar his position in life. Unlike his half-brother Edmund, Edgar sees their father not as a political tool to be exploited, but as a loved one who should be protected. Because of this, when he comes back into contact with his father Gloucester (who has experienced a dramatic fall of his own) he shows him mercy through guiding him and seeking to uplift him from his sorry state. In Act 4 scene 1 Edgar finds his father in the same state as most of the characters in the play, in despair for his loss and ready to die. In a similar position himself, Edgar instead shows a sort of wisdom the other characters lack when in line 27 he says: “The worst is not, so long as we can say ‘this is the worst’”. He guides his father even in faking his attempted suicide to prolong his life a bit longer. When is father again expresses his wish to die in Act 5 Scene 2, Edgar responds:

“What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure their going hence, even as their coming hither”

Edgar sees the merits of sticking it out to the end, even when his fortunes turn ill.

            At the end of the play, we see that Edgar is a hero not only in his sympathy for those like him but also in his willingness to act when he has the opportunity to prevent more suffering. When he uncovers his brother’s plot with Goneril to cause her husband’s death and seize more power, he sets off to stop their plans and salvage whatever he can from the chaotic situation the kingdom has found itself in. When with his help Edmund and Goneril’s plans are foiled, they like Gloucester and Lear and many others throughout the story choose the path of death rather than to humble themselves and accept a lower station in life. The contrast between Edgar’s actions and those of everyone around him illustrate why he is the perfect choice to lead the country once so many others are dead at the conflict’s end. Unlike they who have shown their nature, Edgar has demonstrated that he knows how to be brought low and he knows how to abound. He showed himself faithful and honorable with little, and therefore in the end he found himself trusted with much.