In Shakespeare’s King Lear, many themes are prevalent throughout the play. However, one them stands out as the most  important, the theme of natural order, and the consequences of challenging this order.

The play itself is set up by Cordelia challenging this order. For millenniums, humans have followed a traditional hierarchy, being leader, servants, and those who follow rule under the leader but does not directly serve themes (e.g. civilians), and throughout these millenniums humans have challenged this order. However, none have seen such a effect through this challenge as seen in King Lear. By Cordelia not following in her sister’s footsteps and flattering her father to gain land and power, but rather being honest, she challenges the order, and she is banished. This action begins an entire domino effect of the same theme.

Regan and Goneril especially reflect this theme as well, not just through their betrayal of the King, but their hunger and chase for power. They reject the “natural order” in the time of women’s identity being that of their husbands. They flip this stereotype on its head by not only rejecting it, but being so aggressive in it as well.

Through all this betrayal and seemingly takeover of the unnatural, eventually the good of natural order does prevail. Although Cordelia passes, those left standing are ones who have been wronged, being Kent, Edgar, and Albany. Kent had been banished for a similar reason as Cordelia, and is now one of the few survivors. Edgar rightfully receives his justice, and no character is left without some sort of closure.