The Death of Cordelia in Shakespeare's King Lear- Shakespeare's intended purpose

Why does the death of Cordelia in King Lear matter? What was Shakespeare's purpose in Cordelia's death? I have some ideas, but I am not sure of their exact validity. I am certainly open for fresh ideas.

One purpose of her death- to further the idea of an unjust world.
Another- because it is a direct cause of the death of King Lear.

Please help!

Don't worry about "exact validity" in determining Shakespeare's purpose. Since he (or whoever wrote the plays attributed to him) is not around to tell us, any defensible idea will do.

Your two ideas refer to two different levels of purpose: thematic and structural. Of the two, the first -- the thematic -- will probably prove more fruitful, as it offers you so much to say. You'd have to say why you think Cordelia's death represents an example of an unjust world. (Pretty easy to do.) And then you'd have to talk about other elements of the play that further the same theme. I can think of several, starting with Edmund's monologue.

Unfortunately, my prompt requires me to focus on Cordelia's death only, so I won't be able to venture into other elements of the unjust in my paper. I have some ideas to write about in the paper and I would really appreciate some feedback on it also.

My first focus, I believe, is going to be the lack of redemption in her death. I will point out how there is a sense of redemption in all of the other deaths in the play, but none in Cordelia's death.

Second focus- How her death is a consequence of King Lear's poor decisions, and that even the most innocent can be affected by poor decisions.

Third focus- How her death is King Lear's personal sacrifice.

If, in answering the prompt, you want to say that Cordelia's death contributes to the theme of an unjust world, then you ought to marshal other evidence of this theme in the play, briefly listing other evidence in order to show that this is, indeed, among Shakespeare's themes of the play.

Similarly, when you say "there is a sense of redemption in all of the other deaths in the play, but none in Cordelia's death" then, obviously, you will have to talk about the other deaths in order to make that point.

In order to answer the questions "Why does the death of Cordelia in King Lear matter?" and "What was Shakespeare's purpose in Cordelia's death?" you must talk about other aspects of the play. In order to talk about Cordelia's death in the context of the play, you must talk about the rest of the play, or at least other elements that support whatever it is that you are arguing about Cordelia's death.

You might also point out that, if Cordelia doesn't die at the end of the play, England will end up under French control (as the king's only surviving daughter, who would still be married to the King of France), not exactly a great crowd-pleaser in Elizabethan England.

Your other ideas seem on track too, and Simone has already given you some good advice. So, I'd say you should take a shot at a draft then post that here for more detailed feedback.

explain Cordelia's characteristic .. which was honesty and integrity contrast