King Lear - Edmund thou a villain is nonetheless a very intelligent man.

Like many villains in Jacobean drama, Edmund seethes with frustration about the 'plague of custom' (Act 1 Scene 2) that keeps him on the fringes of society. His Machiavellian qualities include his political ambition and willingness to use unscrupulous methods to achieve his aims. The theme of appearance and reality prevails through Edmunds character. We see him as courteous to his father, even loyal, but through his soliloquy's we discover the real Edmund and his ulterior motives …

…do good also seems to cancel out his earlier delight in his own villainy. He seems reconciled in death but is it still Edmund being deceitful? "Thou'st spoken right, tis true; the wheel has come full circle, I am here." Edmunds last strange line "yet Edmund was beloved" might be read as confirming the virtuous characters' insistence throughout the play that caring and loyalty are important. However, few will regret the defiant bastards son's demise!