Edmund’s Soliloquy
Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines Lag of a brother? Why astard? wherefore base? When my dimensions are as well compact, My mind as generous, and my shape as true, As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us With base? with baseness? astardy? base, base? Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take More composition and fierce quality Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed, Go to th' creating a whole tribe of fops Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well then, Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land. Our father's love is to the astard Edmund As to th' legitimate. Fine word—'legitimate'! Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed, And my invention thrive, Edmund the base Shall top th' legitimate. I grow; I prosper. Now, gods, stand up for astards!
Use the passage to answer the question.
Which quotation from the soliloquy best states Edmund’s motivation?
A. “Thou, Nature, art my goddess.”
B. “Wherefore should I / Stand in the plague of custom?”
C. “Why brand they us / With base?”
D. “Edmund the base / Shall top th’ legitimate.”
E. “Now, gods, stand up for astards!”
3 answers
Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines Lag of a brother? Why astard? wherefore base? When my dimensions are as well compact, My mind as generous, and my shape as true, As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us With base? with baseness? astardy? base, base? Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take More composition and fierce quality Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed, Go to th' creating a whole tribe of fops Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well then, Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land. Our father's love is to the astard Edmund As to th' legitimate. Fine word—'legitimate'! Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed, And my invention thrive, Edmund the base Shall top th' legitimate. I grow; I prosper. Now, gods, stand up for astards!
Use the passage to answer the question.
Which quotation from the soliloquy best states Edmund’s motivation?
A. “Thou, Nature, art my goddess.”
B. “Wherefore should I / Stand in the plague of custom?”
C. “Why brand they us / With base?”
D. “Edmund the base / Shall top th’ legitimate.”
E. “Now, gods, stand up for astards!”
In this soliloquy, Edmund expresses his frustration with the way society treats him as a and questions why he is branded with base qualities. He wants to overcome these social prejudices and prove himself superior to his legitimate brother, Edgar. The quote "Edmund the base / Shall top th’ legitimate" reflects his motivation to rise above his status and surpass his brother.
3 answers