King Lear Chaos Analysis

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Chaos and unnatural order, appear in many Shakespearian plays. Shakespeare's King Lear, portrays various occurrences unleashing disarray. Family bonds represent the natural order of King Lear and due to the disruption of the familial bonds, it leads to chaos throughout the play. The unnatural feelings and actions that prevail in Lear's family; dividing of the father-child bonds, ultimately create an implausible outcome.

The theoretical blindness of Lear caused one of the first unnatural incidents surrounding the play. Notably, it is Cordelia’s immediate banishment following her proclamation of feelings towards Lear. She declares her love for him as a King, along with their familial bond although, nothing more: “Thou hast her France; let her
As a result of the unnatural events, Lear now believes that Goneril and Regan love him. But, instead they are ravenous for control. The sisters begin to deprive him not only of his knights but also his followers. “I’ll go with thee/ Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty/ And thou art twice her love”(II, iv, 289-292). Goneril is unimpressed by Lear’s appeal. She presumes that followers and knights are redundant. Goneril retorts, “Hear me, my lord/ What need you five-and –twenty, ten or five/ To follow in a house where twice so many/ Have a command to tend you?”(II, iv, 293-296). It is evident that both Goneril and Regan contend to strip Lear slowly of all his power until he lacks all possessions. This demonstrates the disruption of the natural order by the two sisters; in obtaining their division of the kingdom in spite, of their unnatural feelings toward their father. The Great Chain of Being is designed to have a designated place for every creature and human being. It is essential for the creatures and human beings to abstain from trying to prosper above its natural function. Chaos will occur if this natural order is disturbed. As it can be seen, the storm in Act III is a result of the characters' unnatural actions and feelings, setting up for the outcome of the

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