King Lear Act II - #3

In his soliloquy in scene 3, Edgar says, “As Edgar, I’m nothing at all.” He’s been disowned by his father and he feels useless. He takes on the persona of Tom O’Bedlam, which is extreme compared to who he really is, because he’s loyal to his father, wants to protect him, and doesn’t want Edmund to carry out his plan. His loyalty is comparable to Kent, who also has to disguise himself, and Cordelia’s. When Edgar is talking about who he will disguise himself as he says, “I’ve decided to disguise myself as the lowliest and rattiest beggar that mankind has ever seen. I’ll smear my face with filth, put on a loincloth, make my hair matted and tangled, and face the bad weather wearing almost nothing. I’ve seen beggars out of insane asylums who stick pins and nails into their numb arms. They pray or roar lunatic curses, horrifying farmers and villagers into giving them alms.” Using works such as “lowliest and rattiest” and “filth” is foreshadowing Lear’s descent into madness. Also, he says the beggars numb to pain (sticking pins and nails to their arms and because they pray or roar lunatic curses), but Edgar himself is not numb.