The fool's original and supposed role is that of entertainer; although Lear's Fool is a more convoluted version, as he is an ironical paradox of love, cruelty and is filled with didactic perspicacity. One is able to see his practicality, as well as his affection for Lear when he urges the King to come out of the storm: "Good nuncle, in, and ask thy daughters blessing." (III, ii, 11) The Fool primarily recognizes the severity of the storm, and advises Lear to forget his pride, so that he may enjoy a comfortable surrounding. "Here's a night pities neither wise men nor fools" (III, ii, 12) is the subseq

Lear joins in the game by allowing it and humors the Fool; which equates him with being the Fool's entertainer, and therefore the Fool's fool. Despite this twisted relationship, Lear also acts as the guardian of the Fool. In one scene, Goneril asks Oswald if her "father [struck her] gentleman for chiding of his fool." (I, iii, 1.) Lear institutes physical violence to protect the precious fool; a severe act of rebuttal in response to a rather harmless admonition. However, Since only a madman or an evil person would think of striking or scolding the Fool, it may be assumed that Shakespeare wished to emphasize that Oswald and Goneril are of that nature. Lear sometimes threatens to hurt the Fool: "An you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipped." (I, iv, 172) but those threats are never manifested. This is also the first mention of the Fool in the play, which emphasizes his importance and favoritism from the king, as he obviously enjoys Lear's highest courtesy and protection. This is not the same relationship that exists between Kent and Lear. Although Kent also tells the brutal truth and is often less incisive, he is shunned and despised by Lear: "If on the tenth day following thy banished trunk be found in our dominions, the moment is thy death." (I, i, 178) This favoritism parallels that of Lear and his daughters, as though Goneril and Regan are Kent, and the fool Cordelia.

A knave and a fool are sometimes equated to each other in this play, although their actual meanings differ substantially. A knave is of an evil nature, a rascal or a vagabond while a fool is a simple jester, supposedly good hearted with a jovial sense of humor. Lear's fool, however, is a paradox. Shakespeare always allots more intellectual ability and shrewdness to the evil characters in his plays that he does to the righteous. Edmund, for example, is so astute that he practically causes the audience to dispense sympathy for his atrocities. Since the Fool is very sagacious, it may be assumed that he is of an evil nature as well; yet he is the one who ultimately 'saves' Lear by purging his delusions and his pride from him. It is this differentiation, or lack thereof, that is the partial cause of such unadulterated chaos in King Lear's Britain.

uent line, which contains a subjective insult; whereby the distinction of who is the wise man and who is the fool is dubitable. A direct affront to the King, one that is immersed in truth and sagacity, occurs in Act I, Scene IV when the Fool proclaims to Lear: "I had rather be any kind o'thing than a fool, and yet I would not be thee, nuncle." (I, iv, 176) This comment is contrived due to Lear's folly in partitionin

Some common words found in the essay are:
Lear Fool, IV Fool, Act III, Lear's Fool, King Lear, Cordelia Fool, Fool Cordelia, Fool Fool, Goneril Oswald, Oswald Goneril, lear fool, lear's fool, king lear, fool representative cordelia, lear's folly, lear's madness, fool acts, fool play, fool cordelia, tells lear, common sense, king lear fool,
Approximate Word count = 1782
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)