Question

Read the following lines from the first scene of King Lear: "Though this knave came something saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the horeson must be acknowledged." What is the effect of Shakespeare’s use of the word horeson to describe Edmund?

to establish the hierarchy of power within Gloucester’s family

B.
to display an attitude of regret toward Edmund’s family history

C.
to show that Edmund is a character who shouldn’t be taken seriously

D.
to convey a sense of shock that contrasts with Lear’s pride in his family

E.
to suggest that Edmund is secretly the favorite in Gloucester’s family

Answer 1

Answer: A) to establish the hierarchy of power within Gloucester's family

Step-by-step explanation:

In this passage, Gloucester is describing Edmund's relationship to his family, stating that Edmund is a "horeson" or illegitimate child in the family born out of adultery.

The use of the word horeson creates obvious distance between Edmund and Gloucester's family, even if not intentionally; Edmund will never be acknowledged as a full member of the family due to his 'illegitimacy', so the use of the word horseon clearly established this boundary within the hierarchy of familial power.