Character Overview
Prince Edmund (1461–1498) is the son of King Richard IV of England (Brian Blessed) by his Queen Gertrude of Flanders (Elspet Gray). Gertrude was at the time of his conception having an affair with Donald MacAngus, 3rd Duke of Argyll. Which of the two men was his biological father is uncertain, although it seems that it was probably MacAngus. A slimy, amoral schemer, Edmund is a complete nonentity in the Royal Family to everybody except his mother and his brother. The King is utterly contemptuous of his son, frequently calling him by the wrong name (usually Egbert, Edward, Edwin, Edgar, Edith, Edna or Osmond) and, more frequently, forgetting he even exists at all, in contrast to the affection in which he holds his eldest son, Prince Harry (Robert East). Edmund hatches a "cunning plan" in every episode to elevate himself to the throne over his brother; these plots invariably fail. He is assisted in his every scheme by his henchmen and only friends, Baldrick (Tony Robinson) and Lord Percy Percy (Tim McInnerny).
In contrast to most later versions of the Blackadder character, the original (and first) Blackadder is portrayed as incompetent and slow-witted snake. He does, however, show many traits very similar to his later versions: his "cunning plans" are cunning but rarely work, (presumably due to Percy) he makes Baldrick do his dirty work, he despises Lord Percy, he is a schemer, he is creatively insulting, and, most noticeably, he is foolhardy and cowardly at the same time.
Read more about this topic: Prince Edmund (Blackadder)
Famous quotes containing the word character:
“In the tale proper—where there is no space for development of character or for great profusion and variety of incident—mere construction is, of course, far more imperatively demanded than in the novel.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)