Common Lit.

Gaveston

   Do. These are not men for me;
   I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits,
   Musicians, that with touching of a string
   May draw the pliant king which way I please:
   Music and poetry is his delight;
   Therefore I’ll have Italian masks by night,
   Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows;
   And in the day, when he shall walk abroad,
   Like sylvan nymphs my pages shall be clad;

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 1, Lines 49-57

This shows the early stages of Gaveston’s want for power and how he will seduce the King into giving him what he wants. Gaveston believes that if he uses the Kings lust for men to his advantage he will remain in the King’s good graces. It becomes kind of confusing if he really want to be the King’s lover and make him love him more or just wants power. Before he can even put this plan into action he is foiled by the nobles and their dislike for him.

Mortimer Junior 

  Madam, return unto the court again.           
  That sly inveigling Frenchman we’ll exile,    
  Or lose our lives; and yet, ere that day come,    
  The king shall lose his crown; for we have power,    
  And courage too, to be reveng’d at full.

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 2 Lines 56-60

Mortimer tells Queen Isabella of their plans to get rid of Gaveston and talks of how they have the power to do so. This lets us know as reader that they already have power over the King and will use it against him. He wants to also let the Queen know they are on her side and want Edward back to his old self. It seems like a noble act on their part to help the King get back to his senses, but later we find out this may not be the whole truth.

Edward

  Nay, then, lay violent hands upon your king.   
  Here, Mortimer, sit thou in Edward’s throne;         
  Warwick and Lancaster, wear you my crown.   
  Was ever king thus over-rul’d as I?

Christoper Marlow, Edward II, Scene 4 Lines 35-38

Edward sarcastically gives the nobles what they want which is to rule over England because they believe they can do a better job than Edward. He understands that they are ready to rebel against him and is hoping they will realize how crazy they sound by even thinking about overthrowing him. This also shows how Edward his losing his power as King and feels he is losing control of the situation. It is sad to see him fall from grace mainly because of his sexuality which is subtly talked about throughout the play.

Isabella
  O miserable and distressed queen!   
  Would, when I left sweet France and was embark’d,           
  That charming Circe, walking on the waves,   
  Had chang’d my shape, or at the marriage-day   
  The cup of Hymen had been full of poison,   
  Or with those arms that twin’d about my neck           
  I had been stifled, and not liv’d to see   
  The king my lord thus to abandon me!   
  Like frantic Juno will I fill the earth   
  With ghastly murmur of my sighs and cries;           
  For never doated Jove on Ganymede   
  So much as he on cursed Gaveston.   
  But that will more exasperate his wrath;   
  I must entreat him, I must speak him fair,           
  And be a means to call home Gaveston.   
  And yet he’ll ever doat on Gaveston;   
  And so am I for ever miserable.

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 4 Lines 170-185

Queen Isabella comes to terms that if she wants Edward to  love her and to regain her power she must help him to get Gaveston back. She knows that in reality she won’t really be getting Edward back, but she will settle for a false sense of love to keep her together. This continues to be an ongoing struggle between her and Edward before she realizes it can no longer hol don to the Edward she use to love.

Spencer Junior
  Then, Baldock, you must cast the scholar off,   
  And learn to court it like a gentleman.           
  ’Tis not a black coat and a little band,   
  A velvet-cap’d coat, fac’d before with serge,   
  And smelling to a nosegay all the day,   
  Or holding of a napkin in your hand,           
  Or saying a long grace at a table’s end,   
  Or making low legs to a nobleman,   
  Or looking downward with your eyelids close,   
  And saying, “Truly, an’t may please your honour,”           
  Can get you any favour with great men;   
  You must be proud, bold, pleasant, resolute,   
  And now and then stab, as occasion serves.

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 5 Lines 31-43

Here we encounter yet another character that is ready to fall into power by any means necessary which includes faking who they really are. It seems that in order to gain power you must be a great flatter and know exactly who you need to be in good terms with. Spencer understands that if he wants to be the Kings next right hand man he must be everything Edward wants in a man. He can be called an opportunist and later rises in power which lasts a short period of time before he is killed.

Kent
  My lord, I see your love to Gaveston   
  Will be the ruin of the realm and you,   
  For now the wrathful nobles threaten wars,           
  And therefore, brother, banish him for ever.

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 6 Lines 205-208

Edward’s brother, Kent, comes to terms with the fact that he may have let Edward and Gaveston’s love affair interfere too much with the running of England. He finally see that Edward as become much too involved in Gaveston and can’t see he is running his country into the ground. His love for his brother makes it very hard for to realize what is going on and doesn’t want to hurt his brother. You can tell that he is one of the few people who cares for Edward and would only do things that were in his best interest. He even realizes that he may have been wrong about siding with the nobles for they would be the ultimate downfall of Edward. 

Isabella
  Heavens can witness I love none but you:   
  From my embracements thus he breaks away.         
  O that mine arms could close this isle about,   
  That I might pull him to me where I would!   
  Or that these tears that drizzle from mine eyes   
  Had power to mollify his stony heart,          
  That when I had him we might never part.


Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 8 Lines 15-21

Isabella displays her love for Edward that seems to be unrequited after Gaveston comes into the picture. She too feels that Edward is under the spell of Gaveston and  is no good for him or the country. She only wishes that she could make him see that and he would come to his senses. Later we find out that she too is hungry for power and wonder if her love for Edward was true or just to regain her power among the kingdom.

Mortimer Junior
  Thou proud disturber of thy country’s peace,   
  Corrupter of thy king, cause of these broils,   
  Base flatterer, yield! and were it not for shame,   
  Shame and dishonour to a soldier’s name,           
  Upon my weapon’s point here should’st thou fall,   
  And welter in thy gore.

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 9 Lines 9-14

Mortimer becomes more open out his hate for Gaveston and plots his death among the other nobles. Here it seems as though Mortimer actually cares for the well being of England and the King, but we later find out he is just as power hungry as everyone else around Edward. Mortimer shows just how cunning he is by hiding his true desire which to be King of England and take over one way or another.

Gaveston
  I thank you all, my lords: then I perceive,   
  That heading is one, and hanging is the other,   
  And death is all.

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 9 Lines 29-31

Gaveston is being sentenced to death  by the nobles and realizes that it doesn’t matter how he dies because death doesn’t know the difference. Although heading was deemed  a noble death, death is death in the end. This also shows  that the nobles did have some consideration when it came to the King. Since he is the King’s favorite they turn for a more noble death which is later left by the wayside.

Spencer Junior
  My lord, refer your vengeance to the sword    
  Upon these barons; hearten up your men;    
  Let them not unreveng’d murder your friends!           
  Advance your standard, Edward, in the field,    
  And march to fire them from their starting holes.

Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 11 Lines 123-127

Spencer is telling Edward to finally take his rightful place as king and seek vengeance for the death of hos favorite. By saying this you can tell that Spencer is trying to get on Edwards good side so that he can be his new favorite and reap the same benefits that Gaveston received. Spencer has become just another person who is trying to use Edward as a stepping stone instead of someone who truly cares about his well being and kingship.