Lear and his daughters

Lear and his daughters

1. conflict between man's law and nature's law, people who follow natural laws are the good ones

   • Lear does not seem to know too much about the natural laws, violates them, but he learns eventually
     • Lears laws are man-made, and emphasizes his wants, not the good of the community, or his family
       • He is often without conscience and lack recognition of higher moral authority. He hopes to involve divine justice in his evil plans as well.
         • Finally, natural order is abandoned and the unnatural betrayal of parent and child takes place

2. Lear betrays his youngest daughter and is betrayed by his two oldest daughters

   • The natural 'filial' relationship between father and children is destroyed because of a lack of awareness, when people give up basic fairness and natural order, and make hasty judgment based on emotions alone.
     • By the play's end, the abandonment of natural order leaves the stage littered with the dead bodies of fathers and their children.

3. Lear creates a love test to justify giving Cordelia a larger share of his kingdom

   • Lear's kingdom should be divided equally, but he loves Cordelia more and wants to give her the largest portion of his kingdom. In return, Lear expects his daughters to impress him with gushing expressions of love.
     • When Cordelia replies in tempered, honest, and reasonable words— indicating that people share their love betweenloved ones, Lear asks her to 'mend' her words.
       • Cordelia refuses to do so and is banished by her father
     • Goneril and Regan already know that Lear has a favourite daughter, and that if they want their bit of inheritance, they would have to follow the rules set by Lear and flatter him.
       • Goneril and Regan are quick to take advantage of the situation. They may have genuinely loved their father at one time, but theycould be tired of being passed over in favor of their younger sister.
         • They now feel free to seek their revenge, destroying the family's natural order. Lear masterminds a competition between his children that will carry them to their graves.