Thou, nature, art my goddess.”
-King Lear, I.2
Today’s quote comes from King Lear.
Nature as a goddess, what a beautiful image!
But, this is Shakespeare…nothing is ever as simple as it seems.
Edmund (the illegitimate son of Gloucester) is the one speaking this soliloquy. He goes on to tell us that the reason he follows the laws of nature instead of the actual law is because he wants to steal his older (legitimate) brother’s inheritance. Not cool, Edmund!
So rather than a sentimental musing about Nature, Edmund is using the laws of Nature to justify his evil plotting. It’s almost Darwinian. You know, before Darwin was a thing.
ShakesBEARS 