Edmund sets out to change the image that society holds of him due to his status as a bastard. In order to do this he needs to bring down those who debased him and reformat a whole society with its “plague of custom.” (I II 3). He attempts the impossible task of proving that his “dimensions areas well compact, [his] mind as generous, and [his] shape as true as honest madam’s issue.” (I II 79)
With nature as his sole philosophy, Edmund is placed outside the harmonious social order and represents what is natural as compared to what is unnatural, the social customs. In addition to having to prove his equality as compared to his brother, he needs to change the view that an entire society holds against a certain subset of the population; he has to prove the natural against the unnatural. From the start of the play we are able to see how humiliating and dehumanizing it can be to a bastard. Gloucester, talking about Edmund, states that he has “so often blushed to acknowledge him that now [he] is brazen to ‘t.” (I I 1011)
While standing directly in front of him, Edmund’s own father shames his bastard son and only reluctantly acknowledges his existence, a task that he has had to grow accustomed to. Gloucester proceeds to state that
“there was good sport at [Edmund’s] making”(I I 24), an insult to Edmund’s conception. This whole conversation shows a complete lack of respect by Gloucester for his bastard son.
While he probably understand the futileness of his task to reinvent society’s image of himself, Edmund feels so dejected and lost that the only thing he can do is prove that his
“father’s love is to [himself] as to th’ legitimate.” (I II 1819)
Edmund doesn’t understand that simply because he is “some twelve or fourteen moonshines lag of his brother” (I II 45) he needs to be treated completely differently. He even tries defending his conception which took place in an act of “composition and fierce quality” (I II 13) as compared to the conception of his legitimate brother, “dull, stale.” (I II 14) It is clear that society has valued
Edmund’s worth as less than that of his legitimate brother. Edmund has the most sympathetic motive of all the villains in the play. While Regan and Goneril are propelled by their greed and thirst for power, Edmund has a valid reason to achieve what is rightfully his but denied him by his arbitrary birth status.
Edmund uses his cunning and deceit to get revenge on those who deprived him of a treatment that he would have received were he a legitimate child. He seeks to obtain what should be his “if not by birth” then by “wit.” (I II 193) The most brilliant aspect in his scheme against his father, Gloucester, is that the whole plan relies on a defect in the victim's character. For example, after Edmund “puts a paper in his pocket” (I II 29) he immediately sparks Gloucester’s interest. The fact that this simple action springs the trap shows
Gloucester’s mistrust of Edmund. This is just another instance of how bastard’s are not accepted into society, even Edmund’s blood father is suspicious of such a simple action.
The rest of the plan is ingenious in itself. Edmund manages to put on an entire performance that truly convinces Gloucester of Edgar’s guilt. He tells his father that the letter is from his
“brother that [he has] not all o'erread.
And for so much as [he] has perused, I find it not fit for your o'erlooking.” (I II 3640)
He feigns innocence that seems to exclude any possibility of his participation in the scheme. The letter, proposing the death of Gloucester with
Edmund to “receive half of his revenue forever,” (I II 57) frames Edgar for treason. With one letter and some good acting, Edmund manages to pit father against son. Later in the play,
Edmund expresses his tenacity and his ability to adapt. With the announcement that the
Duke of Cornwall shall be arriving soon, Edmund manages to “weave itself perforce into his business.” (II I 15) What some would view as a hinderance to his plan, Edmund manages to exploit to his benefit. From his schemes, Edmund is able to prove that a bastard is able to exhibit intelligence and cunning equivalent to that of any legitimate child.
While Edmund’s tenacity allows him to succeed in rising in the social ranks, it does so at the expense of others. Edmund doesn’t seem to care about what consequences his actions have on others. He is willing to go to any extent to achieve his goal, even destroying his family to do so. Edmund is do determined that he “must have [Edgar’s] land” (I II 17) that he causes the destruction of his brother’s life even through Edgar is at no fault for
Edmund’s baseborn status. In addition to destroying Edgar’s identity, Edmund tricks
Gloucester into proclaiming his son’s treason and calling for someone to bring “the murderous coward to the stake.” (II I 72) Unfairly convicted, Edgars is merely discarded as a pawn in Edmund’s game to win recognition and status. Edmund performs the same sort of trickery on Gloucester. Edmund states that “this courtesy, forbid thee, shall the duke instantly know, and of that letter too. This seems a fair deserving, and must draw me that which my father loses.” (III IV 22) He sells out his father to Cornwall in order to gain everything that Gloucester will lose. This total disregard for his family members show how ruthless Edmund is and how far he will go to achieve his goals.
Through his desire to break the chains of his bastard birth status, Edmund uses his cunning and deceit to become a selfmade man and break the traditional social structure.
Through Edmund, Shakespeare shows that bastards, albeit illegitimate, are equally as, if not more so, intelligent and capable as their legitimate peers. He shows that because
Edgar was casted off he found resilience but bitterness which is why he sought revenge.