How are gender roles and stereotypes reversed in King Lear?

The presentation of gender roles and the way in which they
are reversed is symbolised in the way that Lear relinquishes his power and gives it to
his two daughters, Goneril and Regan. This of course can be said to relate to a larger
theme, which is the way in which Lear's kingdom descends into chaos through his
bequeathment. When Lear gives away his authority and power to his two ambitious and
unworthy daughters, Goneril and Regan, he surrenders not only himself but also his
kingdom of Britain to the forces of chaos and instability. As the play progresses we are
shown the way in which Goneril and Regan assert their power and flex their muscles,
savouring their authority and position, and as a result Britain is plunged into ever
greater depths of chaos and cruelty. The wrongness of this is of course symbolised in
the storm that blows through Act III of the play. The stable heirarchy of the kingship
that we are presented with at the beginning of the play devolves into chaos through the
relinquishing of power to Goneril and Regan and the prestige and status that they are
thus given. Such a reversal of gender roles is shown to be profoundly negative for all
concerned.