Translation: But I have a son, by order of the law, he’s alittle older by a year, yet he is not any dearer to me. Though this fellow was brought into this world crudely, but his mother was beautiful and it was fun to create him, therefore the son of the whore must be acknowledged as my son. Do you know this gentlemen, Edmund?

Here Shakespeare shows Edmund’s (potential) motive to be the villain in this Tragedy. Gloucester essentially admits that he recognizes Edmund as his son because “the making” of him was fun. He also calls him a “son of a whore”, which can create resentment in Edmund. Here Shakespeare invites the reader to sympathize with Edmund before we even know that he is the villain. Leading the reader to wonder, had Gloucester treated Edmund as a legitimate son and not downgraded him right in front of him, would Edmund still be motivated to be the villain?