King Lear: The Role Of The Fool Essay, Research Paper

King Lear: The Role of the Fool

In Shakespeare? s, King Lear, the Fool dramas three major functions. One of these functions is of an? inner-conscience? of Lear. The Fool provides basic wisdom and logical thinking for the King at much needed times. The Fool besides works as amusement for Lear in times of unhappiness and is besides one of the lone people besides the Duke of Kent and Cordelia who are willing to stand up to the King.

The Fool works as the? interior scruples? of Lear throughout the drama. The Fool shows Lear the side of concluding and attempts to carry Lear that it was incorrect to ostracize Cordelia. The Fool merely foremost appears in Act 1, scene four, after Cordelia has moved off with the King of France. The Fool knows that Lear has done incorrect by giving all his land off to his to evil girls, Goneril and Regan, and tells him so in act one, scene four, when he says, ? All thy other rubrics thou hast given off ; that 1000 wast born with. ? The Fool besides warns Lear about Goneril and Regan saying that Lear is now a lap Canis familiaris to Goneril and Regan, ? Truth? s a Canis familiaris must to kennel ; he must be whipped out when the Lady Brach may stand by the fire and stink. ? The Fool disappears in act three, when Lear goes mad. This shows that the Fool is Lear? s position of logical thinking because when a individual goes insane they can non believe directly or ground and hence after act three there is no demand for Lear to hold a Fool as he is huffy.

The Fool besides tries to assist Lear to experience a spot better about what is traveling on by

seting a humourous spin on the words he is stating. The Fool uses poesy and vocal to acquire his position across to Lear. In act one, this is seeable in legion ways. For illustration, in scene four the Fool sings:

Then they for sudden joy did weep,

And I for sorrow Sung,

That such a King should play bo-peep

And travel the saps among.

This small poetry helps the Fool the show Lear once more that spliting his land was a error. The Fool throughout this act besides refers to Lear as a sap himself and many times offers him his cockscomb.

In King Lear, there are merely three people with the ability to stand up to Lear. Cordelia, Kent and the Fool. During the drama Lear threatens to hold the Fool whipped for what he says, when Cordelia and Kent acquire banished from the Kingdom for talking their heads. This merely shows the particular relationship the Fool and Lear have during the drama. This point is emphasised subsequently in the drama when Lear shows concern and compassion towards the Fool, ? Come on, my male child. How dost my male child, art 1000 cold? ?

The Fool is non merely a retainer to Lear but is besides a friend and the boy Lear ne’er had. The name? Fool? means nil. He is the most intelligent and insightful character in the drama and provides simple and clear logical thinking for a one sighted King. The Fool is loyal to the acrimonious terminal and provides the small spots of temper in this drama. He has honestness and unity that is merely found in a few other characters in the drama.

Bibliography

KING LEAR BOOK