William Shakespeare: King Lear

ExeuntACT IISCENE I. GLOUCESTER's castle.Enter EDMUND Learning that the Duke of Cornwall (the effective king of the area) is coming, hemoves to get rid of Edgar, telling him that his life is in danger. Then he cuts his own arm and saysthat Edgar tried to kill him, and wants to kill Gloucester. Gloucester believes his lies.All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape;The duke must grant me that: besides, his pictureI will send far and near, that all the kingdomMay have the due note of him; and of my land,Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the meansTo make thee capable.Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants They have already heard about Edgar. Regan twiststhe affair to link it with Lear and his knights, as though her life is in danger from them:REGANWhat, did my father's godson seek your life?He whom my father named? your Edgar?GLOUCESTERO, lady, lady, shame would have it hid!REGANWas he not companion with the riotous knightsThat tend upon my father?GLOUCESTERI know not, madam: 'tis too bad, too bad.EDMUNDYes, madam, he was of that consort.REGANNo marvel, then, though he were ill affected:'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,To have the expense and waste of his revenues.Regan and Cornwall have come to Gloucester’s house to avoid admitting Lear to their own home.SCENE II. Before Gloucester's castle.Enter KENT and OSWALD, separately. Kent recognizes Oswald and attakcs him (symbolic conflictbetween servants from the two sides of the moral equation)Enter EDMUND, with his rapier drawn, CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOUCESTER, and Servants.After a lengthy exchange, in which Kent is identified as Lear’s servant, Cornwall decides to put himin the stocks, a shaming punishment. Gloucester is unhappy at this but can do nothing. Kent, leftalone, produces a letter he has received from Cordelia.SCENE III. A wood.7