“Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter”
Their stereotypical behaviour is contrasted against Cordelia’s honest and loyal conduct, as she refuses to “heave my heart into my mouth”. To Lear, Cordelia’s unexpectedly strong sense of justice and honesty is considered as intolerable. He regards Cordelia’s behaviour as a sign of female empowerment and prohibits any female’s “domination” over him. When he “disclaim all my paternal care” to Cordelia, he loses his conscious guide. Chaos begins to unfold from then on when Gonerill and Regan, who are the “unnatural hags”, begin to reverse the traditional hierarchy.
The traditional hierarchy, where males dominate society and females are their “servants”, is believed to be the natural order. Under this society, females have no rights or power of decision-making. Males are primarily the only form of human being that have the right to inherit power. Such society is the only form of social organisation that is strong enough to hold chaos at bay, and that any movement within this is considered as a destruction of the natural order. Lear has all the power of an archetypal king and father. He breaks the traditional order of the “divine rights of king” when he divides his kingdom among his three daughters. Gonerill and Regan are empowered with the inheritance of their father’s property. This has triggered their desire to take over Lear’s power, bringing chaos and disorder over the family and the kingdom. Their unnatural desire is emphasised at the beginning of the play when Gonerill reckons “we must do something and I’th heat.”, revealing their devious nature. Their empowerment has reversed the traditional patriarchy into matriarchy. This unnatural shift of power between sexes causes turmoil to occur. They show little morality and integrity in their treatment of their father when Lear has to kneel before his daughters and “ask her forgiveness”. Even when Lear wanders in the storm, his merciless daughters “shut up [their] doors”. Their treatment of their father reverses the existing patterns of rule where daughters have certain duties to fulfill, such as respecting and loving their father. Gonerill and Regan’s monstrous demeanor is not only seen as ugly and selfish, but as a major corruption of human nature, causing chaos to take place.
This struggle between chaos and order is only restored when the patriarchal society is in control again. Towards the end of the play, Cordelia reunites with Lear. The scene focuses on Cordelia’s angelic nature in this reunion when she hopes “restoration hang thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss repair those violent harms that my two sisters have in thy reverence made”. The purpose of this reunion is to demonstrate the restoration of the father and daughter relationship. However in Modern Shakespeare’s production, Cordelia kneels before Lear while he sits on his throne. This production depicts a feminist perspective of the play, where Cordelia’s reconciliation with his father works less as recovery of their broken relationship, but symbolises the redemption of nature from chaos. The patriarchy is restored when females lose their power. This idea is further supported by the death of Gonerill and Regan. The death of the fundamental causes of chaos restores harmony and the natural law. Following their tragic death, Albany takes control of the situation, which is also the moment when males are in the position of power again. His rational manner in sorting out the mess is contrasted against females’ irrationality who have poisoned and killed each other. This once again condemns females’ ability in taking the position of power and decision-making.
Instead of examining the patriarchal society, a Marxist production of the play would place its emphasis on the struggle of political power between the old and new order which is known as the reason for chaos and conflict to occur. In a feudal society, only the people from the old order have the right to inherit the power to control. Their disempowerment is considered as a reversal of the natural order thus creating chaos. In Act 1 Scene 1, a focus would be placed on Lear’s misuse of power through his division of kingdom. He has ultimately broken the Natural law. His power, in the form of land and property, should not be denounced and “[confer] them on younger strengths”. This shift of power has empowered the new order, which is represented by Gonerill and Regan and Cornwall. Their hunger for more power encourages them to “do something”, creating chaos in the traditional hierarchy. Another reverse of nature can be seen in the parallel plot of Gloucester, Edgar and Edmond. Edmond’s greed in owning his legitimate brother, Edgar’s “land” (i.e. power) portrays the proletariat notion of Marxism. This notion concerns the disempowered gaining power through property and title, consequently resulting in a struggle for political power. Edmond’s attempt in gaining power or trust from Gloucester is evident in his deception. The “fight” between the two brothers in Act 2 Scene 1 can be highlighted, as a way of depicting the struggle between chaos and order. Chaos (Edmond) however has stronger power against order (Edgar) as Edmond’s attempt of taking over has shifted Gloucester’s trust (which can be seen as a form of power) towards him. The victory of chaos causes Edgar’s banishment and the start of his intolerable journey. This family chaos is a result of the inversion of the traditional feudal system.
While the new order is empowered, the old order tries to retain part of its power. Though his land and property are separated between his daughters, Lear still “retain the name and all th’ addition to a king” and the “reservation of an hundred knight”. However, Gonerill and Regan both try to strip away Lear’s only form of power, while he tries to keep hold of it.
“Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty…”
“What need you give and twenty? Ten? Or five?”
Lear’s insistence on retaining his power causes chaos and distress which is mirrored in nature. The storm, symbolising the struggle of power between classes also represents the struggle between chaos and order within Lear. Focus is placed on the importance of the storm which can be dramatised through the use of lighting and sound. This dramatisation reinstates Lear’s distress as a result of his unwillingness to let go of his power. This causes him to enter a state of confusion and madness. His struggle to seek order within this chaos brought him to realisation when he comes to identify with the poor. Lear’s incapability to deal with the cruel treatment from the new order brings him to the level of the poor and working class. He recognises the helplessness of the poor compared to the power of the rich property owners.
“Take physic, pomp,/ Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, / That though mayst shake the superflux to them/ And show the heavens more just”
His identification with the poor makes him question the validity of property and power. This allows him to redeem himself from his struggle of retaining power and to restore order within himself. Shakespeare reflects this idea using stage directions such as “storm still” to show Lear’s restoration of order.
The struggle between chaos and order is dramatised through different productions of the play. Both feminist and Marxist productions of the play considered chaos as a result of the reversed of natural order. Feminist approach criticises the patriarchal society which regards the female as the reason for all the chaotic events. Order is restored when the females who trigger the chaos lose their power. Marxist production however sees power struggle as the causes for chaos and conflict. The hierarchical system is re-established when the characters such as Lear unleash their desire for power, ceasing a struggle between chaos and order.
