![]() On the other hand, there are the nobles who see Gaveston as a threat to their own position with the king and genuinely as a threat to the country. They are willing to take the risks necessary to purge Edward from the throne and kill him in the bargain. For instance, Edward’s Queen, Isabella, and her lover, Mortimer, are passionate for each other and for the pursuit of Edward’s throne. ![]() What is particularly interesting, however, is how Marlowe goes about exploring the idea of power and the myriad forms that lusting for it takes. Just as Edward gives in to his lust for the flesh, so do others around him become consumed by a lust for power. This turns out to be a major problem for a man surrounded by Machiavellian schemers, plotters, and conspirators. What follows is the story of a monarch so consumed by his passion for another man that he forgets, ignores or simply does not care about the matters of state. Edward even admits that he would rather see his entire kingdom fall to the fates than lose his precious Gaveston. Now that Edward II sits on the throne, both he and Gaveston quickly reconcile themselves to the enjoyment of each other at the expense of everything-and everyone-else. The play opens with the newly installed king recalling his banished favorite from the exile to which his father sent him. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |