To both these sisters have I sworn my love,
Each jealous of the other as the stung
Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?
Both? One? Or neither? Neither can be enjoyed
If both remain alive.
– William Shakespeare
King Lear, Act 5, Scene 1. Edmund is put on the spot by Regan and Goneril who demand that he choose which one of them he loves. Edmund makes it clear that he has promised his love to both. Torn between two loves, he almost wishes that one of them dies so the choice will be made for him. A very apt simile is used to describe the sisters’ jealousy, each being suspicious of the other as if they both were poisonous snakes. This passage shows the callousness of Edmund who is only ever interested in pursuing his own self-interests. It also shows the foolishness of the sisters, who are competing for the love of someone who has sworn love to them but really cares nothing about them.