Chaos in the King Lear Family

In Shakespeares time, it was the standard to pass land and

possession to sons in the family line to inherit. It would have
an act of going against God if something else was done so,
which was the case in King Lear. King Lear, the king of Britain
had three daughters, Goneril, Regan and
Cordelia. Lear had no sons therefore he
had to divide his land to his daughters.
This was the first chaotic movement in the
play
Furthermore, Lear requested that his
daughters announce their love for their
father in words in order to receive their
portion of land. This begins in, Give me
the
map there. Know that we have divided
Tell me, my daughters,--Since now we will
divest us both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state,--Which of you shall we
say doth love us most? Lear blatantly believes that his daughters love for him is
as unconditional as his love for them, apart from Cordelia who he specifically
favours. Goneril and Regan speak first and exaggerate their love for their father,
followed by Cordelia who sent Lear into a rage when she claims that shell only
love him as much as a daughter should, as expected, by the Elizabethan society.
Lear, outraged instantly disowns her, Here I disclaim all my paternal care.
Lear made the fatal mistake (and as a result made an act of going against
nature) of abandoning something as dear as family for just a few mere words.
This concept is mirrored in the subplot involving Gloucester and his two sons,
Edmond and Edgar. Edmond is mentioned to be an illegitimate son, His
breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge
him, that now I am brazed to it. Due to Edgars and Edmunds difference in
mothers, it would have caused a strain between Gloucester and his two sons.
During the Shakespearean times illegitimate children were considered to be
unnatural, hence why, in terms of inheritance Edmond was shown to be treated
unfairly.

Family and Nature

The play King Lear written by Shakespeare fosters the idea of family and its
relation to nature. It is the idea that nature can be stirred as a consequence of
actions or events which do not follow their natural order but instead go against
it. During the 1600s, England had been surviving years of civil war and political
and religious upheaval which arose after King Henry VIII passed away. It was a
time of religious chaos between Catholicism and the Church of England. During
the Elizabethan Era there were many values that are embedded within the play.
King Lear goes against the natural order of the fatherly figure who is supposed to
be loving and trusting towards his family to an ignorant man who disowns his

daughter. Gloucester also goes against the values of the legitimate and
illegitimate children. In a sense nature in this play is an extended metaphor for
Gods feelings toward the filial bonds and values from both Lears and the
parallel plot of Gloucesters family have for each other.
This theme of filial values and natures reaction s explored prevalently
throughout the play. This theme is present in both the main plot and the subplot
of the play. In the main plot, Lear and his family demonstrate the conflict
between family values and the natural destruction that follows. In the play King
Lear does not trust his daughter, Cordelias actions but more so makes an
irrational judgement based on the words she speaks as she is Unhappy, [she]
cannot heave [her] heart into [her] mouth. [she] loves [her] majesty according
to [her] bond, no more nor less. In a way Cordelia is the perfect representative
of how a daughter should love her father, as much as she needs to and with not
word to describe as such. King Lear however, does not return this act of love that
she offers him and instead of trusting her actions that she has established to him
during the years he has lived with her, He disowns her and cuts ties with her.
Lears ignorant and prideful nature terminates the family bond that he has with
his daughter Cordelia and in return he suffers from hard consequences. Act 3
Scene 2 Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy to represent Gods anger at Lears
decisions by not trusting his daughter and the storm in itself is a metaphor for
his disapproval. To further express the anger of God Kent states that even the
night animals have not come out of their caves: Things that love night, Love not
such nights as these. The wrathful skies allow the very wanderers of the dark
and make them keep their caves. Since I was man, such sheets of fire, such
bursts of horrid thunder, such groans of roaring wind and rain I never remember
to have heard. Lear further more becomes so distressed that he goes insane
and dies of a broken heart after the death of his daughter Cordelia.
The parallel subplot continues to enforce the idea that family bonds are affected
by nature. In the first scene of act one of the play, Gloucester introduces that he
has an illegitimate son that he loves just as much as his legitimate son, he says:
But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year older than this, which yet is no
dearer in my account. This familial bond that Gloucester shares with his
illegitimate son goes against the natural values of his time, additionally he is not
embarrassed of his bastard son but more so proud as he does not with the wish
the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper. To an extent in the time that
King Lear was written, this would have been deemed unacceptable or
embarrassing as illegitimate children were children who were view as unwanted
or unworthy of the society in the 1600s. This trust and love that he invests into
his younger illegitimate child proves to leave him harsh responses from nature.
As a result of the trust that Gloucester puts into his child he is tricked into
thinking that his older son is plotting to kill him and orders to Let him fly far. Not
in this land shall he remain uncaught. And founddispatch. The very nature of
this action of a father trusting his illegitimate child and then proceeding to
murder his own child went against the values of the Elizabethan era and as a
Gloucester has his eyes plucked out of him in Act 7 Scene 3.

Desire over Family

Desire, as shown in Kind Lear, displaces the bonds that hold a family together.
Gonerils and Regans desire for Edmund, instigated betrayal which eventually
lead to both their deaths. Edmunds desire for recognition resulted in the death
of a number of close relatives, including his father.
King Lear by William Shapespeare showcases a number of filial and sibling
relationships. Arguably, the most bonded sibling pairing in the play is Goneril and
Regan. Although both evil at heart due to the mistreatment of their father, they
both relied on each other and retained their family ties until Act 5, where their
desire for power no longer was satisfied until either one of them had Edmund.
Regan and Goneril banded together in order to slowly diminish their fathers
power. Although the act isnt worthy, their relationship is highlighted from this
act. In Act 1 Scene 4, Goneril sent Oswald to warn Regan about their fathers
behaviour, Take you some company and away the horse. Inform her full of my
particular fear. This act would be expected, however, in the play siblings dont
treat each other as they should, shown through the tension when Goneril and
Regan encountered Cordelia, Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides;
Who cover faults, at last with shame derides and Edmunds betrayal of Edgar,
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed and my invention thrive, Edmund the
base shall top th' legitimate. Therefore the fact that Regan and Goneril remains
together, contrasts their relationship to those of the other characters and when
the final betrayal occurred it would have created an overwhelming shock from
the audience.
Edmunds desire for recognition and power, spurred immense ramifications for
him, his father and people around him. The subplot in the plays stems from
Edmund desire for recognition. Edmund and Edgars relationship through a
number of encounters appeared like an orderly sibling relationship. Gloucester
appeared to love both of his son equally, But I have a son, sir, by order of law,
some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account. Resultantly,
when Edmund decided he was going to betray his brother and deceive their
father (the by- product being their fathers torture and death), it went completely
unnoticed. Unlike Lear, desire for love wasnt enough. However the ease at which
Gloucester was able pass on the inheritance to Edmund when he believed in
Edgars treason, suggests that Gloucester did love Edgar more. Still the desire
for recognition or Now gods, stand up for bastards grew into desire for power.
Edmund not wanting competition ordered the hanging of Cordelia, breaking the
authentic filial relationship of Cordelia and her father, Lear, reinforcing the idea
that desire overrides or break family apart. Edmund as the object of desire
resulted in the dispersion of the sisterly bond between Goneril and Regan. In the
end, Edgars revenge for their father resulted in the death of Edmund, proving
the strength of the filial relationship.
Conclusively, King Lear by William Shakespeare uses the theme of family through
desire. Bonds that have been forged from birth, becomes irrelevant when desires
comes into the play as proven by Goneril, Regan and Edmund. However in the
end nature catches up, evil disperses, leaving the loyal individuals left as in the
case of Kent and Edgar.

Edmunds Soliloquy: Illegitimacy

Key Scene: Act 1 Scene 2
(Edmunds soliloquy Act 1 Scene 2)
Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law
My services are bound. Wherefore should I
Stand in the plague of custom, and permit
The curiosity of nations to deprive me,
For that I am some twelve or fourteen moon-shines complains society about their
treatment of younger siblings

Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore base?

When my dimensions are as well compact,
My mind as generous, and my shape as true, just as worthy as Edgar
As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us
With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base?
Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take
More composition and fierce quality
Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed,
Go to the creating a whole tribe of fops,
Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well, then,
Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land:
Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund reinforces the idea that Gloucester
loves Edmund no more than Edgar

As to the legitimate: fine word,--legitimate!

Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed,
And my invention thrive, Edmund the base
Shall top the legitimate. I grow; I prosper:
Now, gods, stand up for bastards!
Illegitimacy
The status in which an individual is a legitimate or illegitimate, decides the
course of their future as it is socially accepted that the elder legitimate son will
ultimately receive all inheritance from their father, leaving the illegitimate with
nothing. Shakespeares play, King Lear, demonstrates the result and
consequences of being illegitimate; causing the betrayal of family bonds as such
with Edmund as he plans to take all inheritance despite his illegitimacy.
In Edmunds soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 2, it portrays his frustration in the way
society treats younger siblings and illegitimate children. He argues that his social
status shouldnt define him as he is just as worthy as Edgar Lag of a brother?
Why bastard? wherefore base? / When my dimensions are as well compact, / My
mind as generous, and my shape as true. Hence Edmund resolves to take his
brothers land by betraying both Edgar and Gloucester. The reason for his
betrayal against his family is mainly due to his status as being the illegitimate
child, the filial bond between Gloucester and his sons are of what is expected of
a father. Gloucester, during Act 1 Scene 1 stated But I have, sir, a son by order
of law, some year older than this, who yet is no dearer in my account. which

displays that he has the same amount of love for both of his sons. This idea is
later emphasised and reinforced during Edmunds soliloquy as he says
Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land: Our father's love is to the bastard
Edmund / As to the legitimate.
Though it is to be noted that during Act 1 Scene 1, Gloucester was embarrassed
to acknowledge that Edmund was his son, His breeding, sir, hath been at my
charge. I have so often blushed to acknowledge him that now I am brazed to it.
this connotes that perhaps his father had indeed favoured Edgar in their
upbringing, which further fuelled Edmunds betrayal. Nevertheless, it all stems to
the fact that he is illegitimate, which eventually led to the betrayal.
By the end of Edmunds soliloquy, it is revealed that his is put into action as he
forges a letter that betrays Edgar. The letter states that Edgar wants to kill
Gloucester with Edmund so that he will receive half of his fathers revenue. As
Gloucester reads the letter, he immediately believes in its contents without
questioning the fact that his beloved, older legitimate son would really betray
him. The reason as to why Gloucester was so quick to believe the letter is
resulted from the society of their era in which there was a common fear that all
sons look forward to their fathers' deaths. As Edmund continues his plan, he lies
to his noble (innocent) brother who just as easily believes in him. This shows
the effect of illegitimacy as Edgar, the legitimate child seems more trusting and
honest as opposed to Edmund who is cunning, greedy and dishonest.
The theme of family is represented in many forms throughout Shakespeares
play, King Lear. In this case, illegitimacy is an important feature of the theme as
presented through the betrayal from Edmund. That, which the effects of being an
illegitimate child and the influences of society based on that status, causes a
discontinuity between the family bond of Edmund, Gloucester and Edgar.