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The role of the fool in the play king lear
The role of the fool in the play king lear
The role of the fool in the play king lear
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Importance of the Fool in King Lear
Beginning in the late 17th century, producers of King Lear removed the Fool from productions of King Lear. He did not return until 1838. Producers greatly diminished both King Lear and Lear as a result.
One should notice the importance of the Fool very early in the play. In Scene 4, Lear asks for his Fool twice. The second time is just a few lines after the first. He seems to need his Fool urgently. Yet the Fool has been pining over the loss of Cordelia (1.4. ). Yet Lear orders the Fool to come to him.
Upon the Fool's arrival, one can see the Fool is a king of teacher to Lear (1.4. ). The Fool arrives and begins to teach Lear a speech. Also, when the King is going mad, he asks the advice of the Fool. Although Lear may not realize it, he constantly depends on the Fool.
In addition to advice and teaching, the Fool adds commentary on Lear's decision. He voices what many people are thinking-Lear is the Fool. In fact, the Fool calls Lear less than a fool. He calls him nothing (1.4. ). His constant comments shed...
Lear’s lack of personal identity becomes painfully clear when he criticizes Goneril and asks, “Does any here know me?” (I.iv. 231). Lear relies on external sources to tell him who he is. It is Lear’s inability to separate himself from the crown that led to his undeveloped personal identity. In answer to his question, the fool provides the answer: “Lear’s shadow” (I.iv. 234). Lear’s identity as king is all he has ever known. Without the title he is nothing but an empty shell with no internal substance. Lear forgot to form an identity for not just Lear the king, but Lear the man. Lear is only able to find his personal identity when he meets Cordelia and says, “I am a very foolish fond old man” (IV.vii.69). Lear has given himself an identity beyond that of a king and it is not a description of vanity, but of truth and experience. Lear has gained an identity for
Lawrence believes that the storm is a symbol of King Lear’s own turmoil that he is unable to realize. Furthermore, when King Lear wishes to die in the storm, he hopes to make his death more significant than it really is. Lawrence also argues like many other critics that King Lear’s suffering is largely voluntary, which he believes King Lear does to give his life more meaning. Lawrence also describes the Fool similarly to other critics as King Lear’s guide. For instance, despite all the suffering King Lear faces in the storm scene, the Fool reminds him that he can ask for Cordelia’s blessing to feel better (Lawrence 40). However, King Lear fails to recognize the Fool’s words of wisdom being caught up in his own self-righteousness. This can be seen in King Lear’s speech demanding for an apocalypse when he accuses others of crimes to show his superiority over others (Lawrence 41). Only once King Lear calms down later in the play does he begin to seek a meaningful death. However, it may have been too late for King Lear as he remains unable to escape from Being due to how he acted before (Lawrence
Either he can't seem to grasp who he is, or he isn't self assured what others think of him. His question redeems the truth of reality. “Who is it that can tell me who I am? (I. iv. 10)”, Lear re-evaluates his intellect, however, he asks the rhetorical questions in a manor that doesn't quite suggest his own faults; instead, he gives the impression that the answers are self-evident. He expects a response in favor to his own, but discovers that no one can tell him what he wants to hear.
As the play opens one can almost immediately see that Lear begins to make mistakes that will eventually result in his downfall. The very first words that he speaks in the play are :- "...Give me the map there. Know that we have divided In three our kingdom, and 'tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age, Conferring them on younger strengths while we Unburdened crawl to death..." (Act I, Sc i, Ln 38-41) This gives the reader the first indication of Lear's intent to abdicate his throne.
Despite Lear’s descent into madness, he displays many signs of his own redemption in Act 1. Most of the evidence is contained in what Lear says and does, but there are subtle moments of revelation by other characters towards Lear’s mental state. Lear’s complex mind begins to unravel due to his age and the treatment he experiences from his daughters, but his character and the undeserved goodness he receives from other characters are what point him towards his own redemption. The underlying irony of the act is that the fool appears to be the most perceptive character, while the supposedly wise characters are acting like fools. From the opening lines, with the vulgar conversation between Kent and Gloucester, there is an indication that something is wrong in the kingdom because the king’s two most important advisors are speaking so coarsely. The state of the kingdom can be viewed as a parallel to the state of Lear’s mind, with both progressively getting worse. Lear’s division of the kingdom parallels the divisions in his head, with reality and illusion becoming intertwined in his head. The confusion and unhappiness of the people over their rulers illustrate Lear’s confusion, all signs which point towards his madness. Lear’s impending madness stands out in this act, but the evidence towards his redemption is overwhelming when carefully viewed.
father, King Lear. This becomes the center of the play and also leads to the
Through Lear, Shakespeare expertly portrays the inevitability of human suffering. The “little nothings,” seemingly insignificant choices that Lear makes over the course of the play, inevitably evolve into unstoppable forces that change Lear’s life for the worse. He falls for Goneril’s and Regan’s flattery and his pride turns him away from Cordelia’s unembellished affection. He is constantly advised by Kent and the Fool to avoid such choices, but his stubborn hubris prevents him from seeing the wisdom hidden in the Fool’s words: “Prithee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to: he will not believe a fool” (Shakespeare 21). This leads to Lear’s eventual “unburdening,” as foreshadowed in Act I. This unburdening is exacerbated by his failure to recognize and learn from his initial mistakes until it is too late. Lear’s lack of recognition is, in part, explained by his belief in a predestined life controlled completely by the gods: “It is the stars, the stars above us govern our conditions” (Shakespeare 101). The elder characters in King Lear pin their various sufferings on the will of...
Lear’s first ‘speech of a madman’ occurs when he meets Tom (Edgar). From this point on, Lear slips into madness as Tom slowly begins to rise back up and reclaim his identity as Edgar. Therefore, Edgar is essentially the foil of Lear, as Edgar is powerless and Lear is (mostly) sane when they first meet and then Edgar begins to regain his status and Lear begins to lose his sanity after they meet. Edgar, as Tom, takes on the role of the fool for Lear, who demands he stay with him. The role of the fool in this play is basically the logic, honesty and the knowledge of the audience. For instance, the character who originally plays Lear’s fool is the only one who can speak freely with Lear and criticize his actions. The Fool is also honest and ‘calls it as he sees it’ whereas everyone else in the play tells Lear exactly what he wants to hear, except of course Kent who is banished for speaking honestly to the king about his actions towards
In Shakespeare’s King Lear, the Fool is a source of chaos and disruption in King Lear’s tumultuous life. The Fool causes the King distress by insulting him, making light of his problems, and telling him the truth. On the road to Regan’s, the Fool says “If thou wert my Fool, nuncle, I’d have thee / beaten for being old before thy time.” (1.5.40-41). He denies the king the respect due to him as an aged King, causing the King to wonder at his worthiness. The fool also makes light of Lear’s qualms making snide remarks in response to Lear’s ruminations. When Lear asks Edgar cryptically, “wouldst thou give ‘em all?” the Fool responds, “Nay, he reserved a blanket, else we had been all shamed” (3.4.69-72). The Fool’s snide remarks do little to maintain Lear’s fragile control of his faculties. However, the Fool speaks to the king candidly, a rare occasion in Lear’s life. Even Kent acknowledges the truth of the Fool’s statements, saying, “This is not altogether fool, my lord” (1.4.155).
It would be impossible to label all the roles that Fool plays to his king. His only assigned brief - an entertainer of the court - is most likely the fool’s least important. Fool acted far more importantly than a mere source of entertainment, being Lear’s informative protector and friend. By far his most significant role was that of a moral instructor to his king. Fool teaches Lear that humans are unable to know themselves completely.
Lear is estranged from his kingdom and friends, causing his loss of sanity. In the midst of Lear's self-pity he is discovered by the fool. Fittingly enough the fool is the one able to lead Lear back to the normal world. He is made to appreciate the people who truly cared about him from the beginning. He sees that they were right all along, and repents from his foolish decision, though it's too late to do him any good.
In the Shakespeare’s tragic play, King Lear, specifically in Act III, the essence of the fool emphasizes his overall impact on Lear; through his caution and humor, the fool strives to protect Lear. To begin, the fool’s purpose in relation to Lear is to provide comical puns and jokes, however such comedy is implanted in order to lighten the mood of Lear’s dark thoughts and actions. Lear is going crazy due his daughters ganging up against him and the corruption now occurring in his kingdom, yet the fool provides comic relief to diminish the depressive tone. The fool is almost like the chorus of a play, he forms commentary to describe to the audience about Lear’s situation.
Despite its undeniable greatness, throughout the last four centuries King Lear has left audiences, readers and critics alike emotionally exhausted and mentally unsatisfied by its conclusion. Shakespeare seems to have created a world too cruel and unmerciful to be true to life and too filled with horror and unrelieved suffering to be true to the art of tragedy. These divergent impressions arise from the fact that of all Shakespeare's works, King Lear expresses human existence in its most universal aspect and in its profoundest depths. A psychological analysis of the characters such as Bradley undertook cannot by itself resolve or place in proper perspective all the elements which contribute to these impressions because there is much here beyond the normal scope of psychology and the conscious or unconscious motivations in men.
This is shown as he asks the question “Who is it that can tell me who I am?” (I.iv. 236). In addition, the Fool’s retort provides further insight into the crisis of identity Lear is facing; the identity of “Lear” was defined by his titles and authority, and thus he now stands merely a shadow, a shattered fragment of his former self left to wander without purpose. Truly, Lear’s confusion as to who he truly is, following the division of his kingdom, goes on to prove that one’s identity is largely influenced by one’s societal status, and that great psychological crisis and distress can result from both of these things becoming
The Fool begins by offering his jester's cap to Kent, saying that if Kent is to follow Lear, he had better have a coxcomb, insinuating the folly of following Lear. He goes on to say that "if I gave my daughters all my property," I'd have to keep a coxcomb. The Fool is quick to juxtapose his comment against his statement that he does not have a "monopoly" on foolishness. The Fool further points out the presence of a "wise man and a fool" without saying who is who, and he criticizes Lear for "going the fools among," implying that Lear is usurping the Fool's position as one prone to lapses of judgment and sheer stupidity. He tacitly insinuates through his actions and statements that he is among the company of fools, which provides the hint of foreshadowing the audience needs to know that Lear is losing his wits.