Two Themes in the Story of King Lear: Injustice and Order and Chaos (Essay Sample)

Two Themes in the Story of King Lear
Name
Institution
There are various themes being depicted in the story of King Lear. The essay will specifically focus on two themes: Injustice and Order and Chaos. In the play, there are numerous forms of justice which include legal, moral, poetic, and divine. All through the play, we discover a vivid description of how justice has been violated, although afterward, it is considered justice. Some detractors or critics claim that Lear begins an era of injustice that is going to be passed on. Lear disregards Cordelia dowerless and dismisses Kent mainly because he takes her side. The play’s first scene depicts Lear as extremely emotional, rash, impatient, and hasty. He could not discern the hypocrisy depicted in the extravagant speeches by Regan and Goneril. The play depicts a vital idea of human justice, the assurance that it would be fair is almost nil. It shows that power possession is more vital than fairness.
Goneril assumes or undertakes the ultimate power which is past her limitation as a human. Goneril views herself as a queen with the power to control the law and make decisions regarding people’s fate. Injustice has also been demonstrated clearly by Lear. He made a decision to relinquish his power which he later on divided amongst his daughters. Lear opted for uncommon criteria for giving each daughter her share whereby, he asked each of them to express their affection towards him. Focusing on this particular expression, it is vivid that the daughter who proved to accord him the greatest affection would receive the greatest division. Lear becomes shocked after Cordelia failed to say what Lear expected. Her expression exposes the hypocrisy and exaggeration her sisters displayed. Lear is too rash and emotional to understand Cordelia’s point. Lear misunderstood her and considered her cruel and ungrateful and went ahead to punish her. Lear’s action indicated injustice. Lear contemplated the humiliating state he had been exposed to in the scene of the storm. Lear’s words depicted his exposure to unjust treatment.
Lear also reflects on the state of misery by Edgar (impersonated as Tom). Edgar’s nakedness and poverty represented the unjust and cruel nature of the gods towards them. Lear once again asked the heavens to just to them. A controversial question on divine justice is also raised in the play. Gloucester expressed the idea that the gods were cruel and unjust. Throughout the play, much poetic justice is discovered whereby the doers of evil receive their deserved punishment. Cornwall is murdered by the servant following the act of Gloucester’s blinding. Regan becomes poisoned by the sister; Regan, later on, died due to the poisoning. Regan’s sister, Goneril commits suicide after poisoning her. Oswald and Edmund finally meet their respective ends in Edgar’s hands. Lear become too fragile to discip...