Minion Dominion

The first lines of Edward II launch the reader headfirst into the complicated relations plaguing English nobility. As we discussed during the introduction to A Spanish Tragedy, similar overarching themes of social standing and power resume their importance in establishing the central conflict of this second play. Particularly significant is the concept of loyalty, and Marlowe spends much of the first act depicting the struggle between King Edward's favoritism toward Gaveston and his duties toward the royal noblemen. He uses the word "minion" several times during these scenes, which proves an interesting word choice to illustrate the relationship between Gaveston and King Edward. In today's vernacular, the term "minion" has evolved to describe a servile follower or pawn of a higher authority. Yet The Norton Anthology includes the following contextual explanation: "male lover; favorite." Should the disparaging connotation be taken into account when reading the text? It is important to note that characters other than Edward and Gaveston use this word seven out of the eight times it is mentioned in Act One. The Queen and Lancaster themselves utter it twice each, all four times in a derogatory fashion that portray their disdain for the king's favoritism and love of the lowly Gaveston:"I will endure a melancholy life,/ And let him frolic with his minion." (I.ii.67). Other usages however, notably by King Edward and Mortimer Sr., hearken toward a more general definition of receiver of favoritism. In either case, it is important to note that Marlowe's employment of the word "minion" clearly denotes the separational hierarchy between King Edward and Gaveston. The dominance of the King, with Gaveston as the pawn beneath him, is a simple yet crucial relationship for the reader to understand as it sets up the conflict for the rest of the play. Additionally, the themes of loyalty and power also begin to take shape as Marlowe explores the role of a minion in breaking up existing relationships and the rigid power structure of the English noble class.