Act 1: 1

Edmund is the youngest and illegitimate son of Gloucester. While Gloucester does treat Edmund differently, he does love him. However, there is no reason Gloucester should act differently around and towards Edmund. It is not his fault that Gloucester decided to have an affair outside of wedlock. Being that Edmund is not a legitimate child of Gloucester, Edmund is not treated the same as half brother, Edgar. Gloucester is ashamed of what he has done and the son that has resulted of it. We do not know the complete background on how Edmund has been treated, but any person could imagine that he is treated like a second-class citizen and less than Edgar. Edmund has taken this treatment and turned himself into someone that holds a grudge against Gloucester. He wants to usurp Gloucester and take all possessions for himself. You; however, do need to respect Edmund’s determination to make a better life, even though he is hurting others in the process. Edmund might have possessed a different attitude if had not been regarded as a mistake and not as important as his older brother. Gloucester doesn’t expose his true love for Edmund in fear that people may think he promotes adulterous actions. To the community, Edmund is a disgrace. Today, we can see the exact same type of relationship when dealing with split up families. Yes, adultery does still happen, but step children situations are more common. In several families, the child that comes from the previous marriage is not treated as an equal to one that is produced by both parents. The step child is regarded as a “reject” and does not fit with the family. These relationships are not healthy for the child and they should not be blamed or treated differently. Just like Edmund’s situation it is not the child’s fault and his/her actions can not always be blame on them.