Final answer:
The portrayal of Edmund in 'King Lear' as both a victim and perpetrator of injustice reflects the complexities of character facades and societal mistreatment. Characters often present themselves differently to the world, masking their true identities, leading to a cycle where victims may also become victimizers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The portrayal of unjust characters as victims of injustice is a complex theme, particularly evident in the character of Edmund from the play ‘King Lear’ by William Shakespeare. Edmund is introduced as a character who has been wronged by society's attitudes towards illegitimacy.
Despite his cunning and ruthless tactics later in the play, his initial mistreatment invites a degree of sympathy from the audience. This dual role as both victim and villain demonstrates how people may not be what they seem, with characters wearing “masks” or veiling their identities to navigate the social hierarchy of Shakespeare’s world.
In literature, the personification of abstract concepts, such as when Evans describes poverty as “a formidable enemy,” serves to animate and intensify the societal issues characters like Edmund face.
The mistreatment of outcast and marginalized individuals often leads to them committing acts of injustice themselves, as a form of survival or retaliation, which is exemplified in Edmund’s storyline.
Furthermore, the enactment of the tempest scene in ‘King Lear’ universalizes the idea of suffering. The hostile set, with its dimmed lights and skulls, underlines the theme that the oppressed may eventually come to mirror their oppressors, both as a result of their circumstances and their desire to overcome them.