Edward II - Christopher Marlow
[alert-success] Edward II [/alert-success]
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After his father's death, Edward II summons his exiled friend, Piers Gaveston to court.The nobles of the court are not happy about this because they think Gaveston is from a low family and that their own power is being threatened because of him. Mortimer (Junior) and the Earl of Lancaster complain to the king. Edward welcomes Gaveston home without care. The nobles threaten Edward that he can't bring his minion, and he's amazed. He keeps Gaveston by his side and strips the Bishop of Coventry of his property and office tokens.
Archbishop and nobles plot against Edward. The opposition to Edward multiplies. The Queen is also sad that her husband likes Gaveston more than her, and she begs the nobles to do something, but not to hurt the king. The nobles write and make Edward sign a document to exile Gaveston. He does this reluctantly because he has little choice, but he promises Gaveston he'll bring him back.
Archbishop and nobles plot against Edward. The opposition to Edward multiplies. The Queen is also sad that her husband likes Gaveston more than her, and she begs the nobles to do something, but not to hurt the king. The nobles write and make Edward sign a document to exile Gaveston. He does this reluctantly because he has little choice, but he promises Gaveston he'll bring him back.
Archbishop and nobles plot against Edward. The opposition to Edward multiplies. The Queen is also sad that her husband likes Gaveston more than her, and she begs the nobles to do something, but not to hurt the king. The nobles write and make Edward sign a document to exile Gaveston. He does this reluctantly because he has little choice, but he promises Gaveston he'll bring him back.
The Queen is glad Gaveston is gone, but she knows Edward is treating her horribly now because he is angry. So, She seeks help from Mortimer to bring Gaveston back. Mortimer, who's romantically interested in the Queen, agrees to bring back Gaveston to calm Edward. Mortimer tells the others they can control Gaveston. The Queen now tells Edward Gaveston will return. He's so happy that he's about to cry, and he hugs her. He then gives the nobles important jobs, and they are sure that things will get better.
In Act 2, plans are made for Gaveston to come back. Edward shows signs of being distracted right away by telling his advisors that he doesn't need to worry about the King of France landing in Normandy right now. When Gaveston comes, the two men hug, but suddenly Lancaster and Mortimer pull out their swords and call Gaveston a traitor. He gets hurt by Mortimer. Edward yells that they'll have to pay.
Mortimer is happy that he did the right thing, and he hopes that the king will do the same. He asks Edward to help him get his father back from the Scots, who have taken him prisoner. He says that since Edward sent him there, it is Edward's job to do this. Edward says no, and Mortimer is very angry with him and his fake rule.
Edward is very angry about how the nobles, especially Mortimer, are acting. He is also upset with his brother Edmund, the Earl of Kent, who doesn't seem to support him as much as he should. Spencer Junior and Baldock, who work for his niece's father, are his two new allies, though. He decides to get Gaveston married to his niece and to give Spencer and Baldock more power.
The nobles work on their plan to get Gaveston, and even the Queen realises that it might be best to kill him since her marriage is so troubled. She tells the nobles where the king and Gaveston are. Gaveston is found and taken in by the nobles. The king sends a message asking to see Gaveston one last time before he is killed. The nobles laugh and say that this can't be true. Pembroke, on the other hand, says he will take on this duty.
In Act 3, Spencer tells Edward that he should fight the nobles. Edward agrees. He sends his wife and their son, Prince Edward, to France to try to get along with the king. Not long after that, he finds out that Gaveston is dead and breaks down in grief. He vows revenge. The nobles send a messenger to Edward to ask him to get rid of Spencer and Baldock. If he does, he can keep ruling and the conflict will not happen. Edward says no.
There is a big battle, and most of the nobles are taken prisoner. Some people are put to death, and Mortimer is put in the Tower. Edward wins, and he makes sure to get even with the Queen by sending money to France so that all the lords there will turn against her.
In Act 4, Kent is sad that he left Edward, and Mortimer gets out of jail. In France, it's hard for the Queen to make friends, and she no longer supports her husband. She's happy to see that Mortimer is gone and that Sir John of Hainault has promised to bring her and the Prince friends and allies.
Edward thinks he has won because the Queen hasn't gotten any help and Mortimer is in jail, but he soon finds out that Mortimer is free. There is a huge battle, and the side Edward is on loses. Edward, Spencer Junior, and Baldock run away to an abbey where the Abbot and the monks can help them feel better. The bad news is that a Mower sees them and turns them over. The other two are killed, and Edward is put in a cell.
In Act 5, Edward is told that he has to give up the crown. He doesn't want to, but he gives in when he finds out that Prince Edward's claim to the throne won't be recognised if he doesn't step down. Mortimer and the Queen, who are now both sexually and politically involved, put Matrevis and Gurney in charge of Edward and told them to take him to Killingworth and treat him horribly. After his father quits as king, Prince Edward becomes King Edward III, and Kent is made his Protector.
Kent hates Mortimer and realizes he should have been loyal to Edward. He tries to save his brother but is caught and brought before Mortimer, the Queen, and Edward III. Mortimer gives the order to kill him, but Edward III argues that he should stay alive. Mortimer is now the Protector, and Kent has to go to jail. Mortimer knows that he needs to get rid of Edward or else his situation will get worse and worse. He hires the services of the killer Lightborn.
Edward moans and groans in his dungeon, where he is kept in terrible conditions. He doesn't stay on the world for long, though, because Lightborn comes soon and tells the former king that he is here to help him and not hurt him. No matter what he says, he kills Edward by stabbing him with a red-hot poker. Gurney kills Lightborn, then runs away.
Matrevis goes to the court and tells Mortimer and the other kings that Queen Edward has died. Their happiness doesn't last long, though, because Edward III also finds out about this and is getting ready to get revenge for his father. He and his lords go up to Mortimer and the Queen, and Edward III accuses Mortimer of treason and murder. He shows Mortimer his own words for Gurney, which he had been told. Mortimer knows Gurney betrayed him, and he doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for him.
Edward III says that Mortimer will be killed and that his head will be placed on top of his father's hearse. He sends his mother to the Tower to wait for her trial there. At the end of the play, Edward III cries over the hearse carrying his father's body.
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