Preview

King Lear Research Paper

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1676 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
King Lear Research Paper
KING LEAR CHAOS VS ORDER SCRIPT
Purpose
Person #1: In order to fully understand the play King Lear you must understand the topic of Chaos and Order. Chaos is a condition or place of great disorder or confusion, and order is the opposite and in the play is the established system of social organization.
Now that you know the general definitions and ideas of chaos and order it will be easier for you to understand situations in the play where this topic is presented.

Person #2: For example throughout the play chaos and order are presented through the use of the chain of being. As you know the chain of being is the natural order of people from top to bottom starting at the top would be the King and at the bottom would be peasants. As the …show more content…
In the end of the play, Lear and Cordelia’s relationship has a turning point. Lear is grieving Cordelia’s execution, finally seeing her love for him. Cordelia had respected the “King” as one should. Her feelings towards him are the typical orderly fashion of a king’s daughter. Lear’s realization of his respectful daughter and evil daughters put things back into order. Another example of an attempt to keep things in order is when Edgar goes into disguise to try to prevent Gloucester’s suicide on the cliff. This was done to further prevent Edmund gaining Gloucester’s title, which would put things out of …show more content…
In this quote, Lear`s insanity is taking over because he feels venerable and useless with his lost of authority. Shows the chaos building inside of himself. Here, Gloucester demonstrates how everything in nature and the chain of being is in a state of chaos. Person #1: Lear is taking command over the situation where it's not his place. Prisoner is below the guards commands, chaotic by disturbing the correct order of the chain. Kent states that the wheel of fortune is out of place and is to be turned again. Chaos is occurring.
Literary Critics
Person #1: Literary critics give their own insight to give the reader new perspectives about the play and to help further understand it. These critics relate to our theme of chaos vs. order. G.K. Hunter, a British Shakespeare scholar, wrote:

“[King Lear] is seen as the greatest of tragedies because it not only strips and reduces and assaults human dignity, but because it also shows with the greatest force and detail the process of restoration by which humanity can recover from degradation.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    King Lear Notes
    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages

    King Lear Notes

    These words reflect Lear's central trait throughout the play: he is in denial of reality at every turn. Even now, in his madness and defeat he cannot face the harsh inevitability that neither he nor his daughter is likely to survive.…

    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    nick summers review
    • 8586 Words
    • 20 Pages

    nick summers review

    The Madness of King LearBy Nick Summers - December 08, 2002 It is odd to think that true madness can ever be totally understood. Shakespeare's masterful depiction of the route to insanity, though, is one of the stronger elements of King Lear. The early to middle stages of Lear's deterioration (occurring in Acts I through III) form a highly rational pattern of irrationality: Lear's condition degenerates only when he is injured or when some piece of the bedrock upon which his old, stable world rested is jarred loose. His crazy behavior makes a lot of sense. Despite his age and frailty, Lear is no weak character; it is difficult to imagine how another character could have better resisted such mental and emotional weights as the king suffers under. Lear's worsening madness is understandable only when interpreted with a proper appreciation of the intense forces acting on him and of the gradual disappearance of everything he finds recognizable about his former world.As Lear sets out from his palace toward his daughters' homes, he is still sane, though he begins to regret disowning Cordelia ‹the first sign of mental stress and the first step toward his eventual madness. Lear's Fool needles him about the rash decision, and the king blurts out, "O! let me be not mad, not mad, sweet heaven; / Keep me in temper; I would not be mad!" (I.v.46-47) It is a harbinger of thoughts to come.Lear's impending madness is established in parallel with the growing storm; both threaten to break at any moment. But Lear is strong: he does not give in to insanity all at once; instead he holds on as long as he can, only gradually slipping into lunacy. And Lear is strong‹it is important to note the severity of the stressors acting on him; ignoring them can lead to a misinterpretation of his character as a weak, senile old man instead of a capable leader simply abused by the people he trusted. Perhaps he was foolish to trust them in the first place, but he was not crazy. Above all, Lear's madness…

    • 8586 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Progress In Shakespeare's King Lear
    • 1499 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Progress In Shakespeare's King Lear

    During Edmund’s rise to power, Edgar is forced into hiding, and his father is branded a traitor. Gloucester’s eyes are put out when he is caught by Regan and Cornwall, and dies later in the play, knowing what Edmund has done. It is Edmund who orders the death of Cordelia, Lear’s youngest daughter, and Lear. It is also because of him that Goneril and Regan are both dead, due to his promise of marriage to both of them causes them to fight over him, and ends up with Regan being poisoned, and Goneril committing suicide. Edmund’s power is short-lived, as he is defeated by Edgar shortly after taking the power for himself. Edmund realizes that what he has done is wrong, saying, “I pant for life. Some good I mean to do, / Despite of mine own nature” (5.3.280–81). In saying this, Edmund recognizes that the end results did not justify his actions, and that he wishes to repent for his wrongdoings. This is another example of how Albany’s quote comes into play, as when Edmund is “striving to better,” and become better than his brother, he made what was fine before into a tragedy.…

    • 1499 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Research Paper
    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages

    King Lear Research Paper

    One of the most notable instances of unfairness in the play is shown through Lear's banishment of Cordelia. In order to determine how much of his kingdom he should leave to each of his daughters, Lear asks each of them to tell him in words how much they love him. Goneril flatters her father, and Regan praises the king like never before, but when it comes time for Cordelia to confess her love for Lear, she cannot bring herself to do it. In these well-known lines, she states, "Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love our majesty according to my bond, no more nor less." In reaction to Cordelia's refusal to act as a sycophant towards her father, Lear is caught up in a rage.…

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    King Lear Research Paper
    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages

    King Lear Research Paper

    In the play King Lear by William Shakespeare, King Lear is an old foolish man who suffers several flaws in the same way, he is blind to the truth, and his inability to see the truth impacts his decisions making and his poor judgment. Throughout act one and two, King Lear decisions lead to several consequences, which alter his life and the lives of those around him. A few of King Lear’s flaws which demonstrates the great deed of one man’s consequences are, his actions due to his blindness, rash decision making and exhibits a great deed of pride and arrogance.…

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    King Lear: The Parallel Journeys Of Families
    • 2231 Words
    • 9 Pages

    King Lear: The Parallel Journeys Of Families

    Both characters suffered from a psychological blindness. Lear were unable to see his two daughters deceiving him, along with being unable to see Cordelia’s true love. He also portrayed this inability to see when he banished his loyal follower, Kent. When he was unable to realize that it was Kent in disguise as his servant, it only reinforces the theme. The consequences of his condition were that “tragedy id inevitable”, his blindness did not allow for him “to recognize the errors of his decisions” this is the direct cause for the kingdom being “torn apart” (Pappril 3). Gloucester also was seriously affected by this blindness. This caused him to not be able to see the true and honorable man that Edgar was, and not see the truly evil person that Edmund was. A part of these two heroes’ journeys was Lear and Gloucester’s ability to overcome this blindness, and regain a true sense for the moral flaws of themselves. Luckily, they began to see the true qualities of the people that they once trusted, or the people that they once rejected. Lear’s “eyesight” began to recover as the play progressed. He began to see the true colors of Goneril and Regan after they refused to let him live with them and locked them out of his castle during the perilous storm. He was faced with the fact that their eulogies that were given at the beginning of the play were nothing but lies to benefit their own selfish causes. Most importantly, Lear was gaining the aptitude to get passed Cordelia’s inability to adulate her father and see that her love truly was so vast that it was indefinable. Lear is able to overcome his haughtiness and results in him begging for forgiveness from Cordelia. Gloucester’s sight begins to make a reappearance in Act IV when he realizes that Edgar was Poor Tom and it was his son who saved his life. He then comprehends that Edmund was completely dishonest and that it…

    • 2231 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    King Lear's Dementia
    • 1443 Words
    • 6 Pages

    King Lear's Dementia

    Cited: Shakespeare, William, and Russell A. Fraser. The Tragedy of King Lear. New York: New American Library, 1986. Print.…

    • 1443 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    King Lear Research Paper
    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages

    King Lear Research Paper

    King Lear is a story full of greed, betrayal and the want for power. These three qualities is what leads to the disasters. King Lear is reaching the time when he is getting to old and needs to give his power and land to someone else. Lear has three daughters Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Lear’s method on choosing one of his daughters to inherit his power and land is to recite their love for him but in a way that would be suitable for a husband/lover and not a father. Out of all sisters Cordelia is the only sincere one and expresses her love in an honest and father/daughter suitable way. The other two daughters tragedy happens due to their jealousy towards eahcother for the…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Essay
    • 1494 Words
    • 6 Pages

    King Lear Essay

    Shakespeare’s plays were written in the Elizabethan era, which profoundly influenced his writing. During the Elizabethan time, there was the idea that God had set a place for everything in the universe, in hierarchical order. The Elizabethan’s called this, The Great Chain of Being. During this time if someone were to step out of his or her place in this divine line, it would not only be extremely uncommon but it would be sinful, inhuman. That power thirsty human would be succumbing to their inner animal, and therefore step down a rank on The Great Chain of Being. The Great Chain of Being influenced all beliefs throughout the Elizabethan era, and that is evident through Shakespeare’s writing. The symbols and motifs he used in his play King Lear, are undoubtedly connected to Elizabethan beliefs and views.…

    • 1494 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ageism in king Lear
    • 641 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ageism in king Lear

    Gloucester observes disastrous events occurring in the play, most notably the ones occurring in the kingdom. He notes that love can never last, friendships eventually break up, and brothers become enemies which eventually leads to chaotic behavior. Ultimately, these malicious acts break out into devastating events such as civil wars, the bond breaking between father and son, and lastly the betrayal of King Lear and his noble power. In addition to all of these spiteful acts, it is evident that ageism is also portrayed in the play about the King himself, especially at the end of scene one. The first sign of how ageism begins in the first act is King Lear’s debatable decision to divide up the kingdom between his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Eventually, Lear’s unwise decision causes chaos and havoc throughout the family, leading to multiple conflicts such as the banishment of Cordelia and the insulting comments about Lear’s old age and judgement.…

    • 641 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    King Lear
    • 1159 Words
    • 5 Pages

    King Lear

    William Shakespeare’s tragic works are notably characterized by the hamartia of their protagonists. This tragic flaw is a defect in character that brings about an error in action, eventually leading to the characters imminent downfall. In Shakespeare’s King Lear, written in 1606, the King’s hamartia proves to be his extreme rashness, which results in the loss of most everything that he holds dear, including his authority, his affluence and his family. The reasons for his downfall lie within the flaws of his own character, made evident by his insatiable need for flattery and his egotistical fixations.…

    • 1159 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Order and Disorder in Macbeth (Welles and Pollanski's Projections) Essay Example
    • 3872 Words
    • 16 Pages

    Order and Disorder in Macbeth (Welles and Pollanski's Projections) Essay Example

    There are many instances of order and disorder in Macbeth and the play as a whole can be regarded as one that centers upon the subject of cosmic order and forces wrecking it, so this essay will deal with this issue. I aim to explore the different instances of order a…

    • 3872 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Concept Of Order In Shakespeare's Henry V
    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Concept Of Order In Shakespeare's Henry V

    The concept of order in William Shakespeare’s “Henry V” is central to the play as a whole and this is demonstrated through the events, principal characters and themes of the play. Though Henry V is one of the Bard’s history plays, it is more especially a play that brings insight into the question of what part order and disorder play in a society.…

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    King Lear Madness Analysis
    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages

    King Lear Madness Analysis

    Lear is in the French army quarters with his daughter Cordelia, he has been sleeping for awhile. Cordelia wakes the king, and at first it seems as if Lear is still mad and thinks Cordelia is a ghost. However, the doctor claims that it is only due to the fact that he is still half asleep. Lear proves his sanity, calling himself a, “foolish fond old man”, that he might not be, “in my perfect mind”, but he thinks he should remember Cordelia and Kent. Lear proves his sanity by accepting his circumstances and actually does see clearly now. Shakespeare gives closure in this subject with the doctor, “Be comforted, good madam. The great rage, you see, is killed in him…”(4.7.91). Shakespeare doesn’t just leave it here though, in the final scene of the play he presents Lear in his full sanity. Edmund sentences Lear and Cordelia to jail and Cordelia tells Lear that she is worried about him. Lear proclaims that he is fine and goes on to describe how jail won’t be that bad, because they will be together, “So we’ll live, // And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh…”(5.3.12). Lear has finally completed his journey, he has finally reached sanity once again, but Shakespeare will test him once more. Shakespeare didn’t intend for this to be the end for Lear. As Lear clutches the dead body of his beloved daughter, it seems as if he briefly falls back into madness. This is Lear’s final test, the final tragedy. However, he is only sad, mournful beyond extreme, and in his despair he cannot see clearly. As he holds the deceased body of Cordelia, he dies of sorrow. Kent, watching Lear die, tells everyone to leave him alone, “Vex not his ghost. O, let him pass! He hates him // That would upon the rack of this tough world // stretch him out longer.”(5.3.380) Shakespeare leaves the ending open, he does not give Lear a happy ending, but he did complete Lear’s journey, as Lear died with a sane, but sorrowful…

    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Comparing King Lear And The Great Chain Of Being
    • 6497 Words
    • 26 Pages

    Comparing King Lear And The Great Chain Of Being

    Then the disorder come to the monarchy for being the leading family of the monarchy, then gradually disorder speared like a rapid transit disease in the relations, nature and faith of other family and realms. In dividing his kingdom, he isdescended fromthe level of human being in the chain of being to the level of beast.By breaking the chain,?All bonds, all laws, whether divine, natural or human, are broken. Social order, from the kingdom to the family, will crumble into the dust. There are no longer kings and subjects, father and children, husband and wives. There are only huge Renaissance monsters, devouring one another like beasts of prey? (Kott153). Children start to follow their desire and emotion away from morality and reason.Theylose their spirituality andbeginto follow their instinct and worldly desire.?Lear attempts to escape his responsibilities as a ruler and father, while maintaining his privileges, with horrifying results. No matter how much the outcome disturbs us, Shakespeare implies that a king?s sins and errors may damage or destroy all around him?…

    • 6497 Words
    • 26 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics