In the play King Lear by Shakespeare, the destruction of social, natural, personal, familial and divine old order is a main part of the play. We can see the destruction of familial order when King Lear announces that he is going to divide his kingdom among his three daughters and whoever proclaims to love him the most, he will give them a bigger share of the kingdom (Act I Scene I). The destruction of the family does not actually occur until his favourite daughter proclaims the she cannot '"'heave her heart into her mouth'"' and that her sisters wouldn"'"t have husbands if they loved their father as much as they claim to.
Lear gets into an awful rage after his youngest daughter"'"s speech and disowns her and splits up her share of the kingdom between her two sisters. His reason for doing that is because he saw her reply as to how much she loves him as an insult to him and his pride. This rage and spiteful action against Cordelia, shows the destruction of family old order, because by Lear denying Cordelia of what is rightfully hers, he has pitted her against her tow sisters, because they have received her share. He has turned his family upside down due to one statement that doesn"'"t sit right with him and his egotistical macho pride.
The people paid lip service to him when he was in charge of the kingdom and then when they got their turn, they show him nothing but disrespect and hatred. This shows the destruction of social order, because it shows how two half brothers cannot get along due to the envy of one by another due to the social status and the inheritance of immense wealth. This shows how the destruction starts, because he clearly asks Mother Nature for her not to bear any heirs, which affects her status as a wife and a future mother, as well as a queen. Lear wants to be surrounded by "'"yes"'" men, and gets into an uproar if an honest person who was once very close to him decides that Lear did not make a proper decision. Lear"'"s daughters whittle away at his status in the kingdom by shaving down his administration of soldiers by half. It is fate that intercepts and shows Lear via his jester what a huge mistake he has made by handing over his country to his ungrateful, conniving, evil daughters. The exiling of the earl of Kent by King Lear was not a smart decision, because Kent was a very intelligent man who knew what Lear was doing to his family is wrong, and tried to show him that. Edmund continues to destroy Edgar's position in their father"'"s life by writing a letter outlining the death of their father, and by convincing Edgar to walk around with a sword as to confirm the father"'"s suspicions about Edgar"'"s plans. Lear does not reward his faithful daughter by making her queen of a part of England, but instead he disowns her and marries her off to the King of France, who admires her stoutness and demeanor. The social order of things can also be seen to be falling apart when Goneril"'"s servants purposely disobey Lear by pretending that he"'"s a part of the woodwork when he asks one of them a question; Oswald to be specific acts this way. The destruction of old order in Act I, is based around King Lear, and his fateful actions that have led him to his demise. Everything falls apart with Kent"'"s banishment, Edgar"'"s running away, and Lear"'"s daughters"'" planning. This expiation directed towards Kent was a devastation of personal order, because Lear removed one of the faithful, most honest companions from near him.
In conclusion, the old order"'"s destruction occurs when the unfaithful daughters of Lear acquire his kingdom from him by preying on his temper and igniting it when his attention is focused on the only daughter who truly loves him for who he is; a father and a ruler of a kingdom.
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