The fool in King Lear

A detailed Summary of The fool in King Lear


Fool n., a., & v. 1. Person who acts or thinks unwisely or imprudently; 2. Jester or clown in medieval great household; 3. Foolish, silly person.

The fool of Shakespeare?s King Lear is hardly that of the Concise Oxford Dictionary. A dry, sardonic creature with a quick wit, he is used by Shakespeare to make both the audience and his fellow characters aware of the tragedy that unfolds. He is used primarily to show Lear the folly of his own ways. He is a shrewd observer, and serves to show us that the real fool of the play is Lear himself.

FOOL: all thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with.

The fool is, in the words of Lothian, ?the free play of intelligence shining in dark places and helping to make the pattern of events very plain.? So, it is clear that the fool is no mere clown. His jibes have a distinct purpose to them. Whereas the clown is an idiotic figure, the fool is wise and sage-like. The clown is a caricature, the fool, a character. The clown is the victim of a situation, and the humour comes at his expense; the fool is the master of a situation, and the humour is at his expertise. The professional fool was, in fact, in Elizabethan ti


At first, Lear reacts with some resentment to this truth. However, as it is offered not as a rival to his own ideas, but as the disinterested observation of a mind that grasps neither for equality nor respect, it begins to have an impact upon the King?s own mind. At the end of Act I, Scene v, we see a brief discourse between Lear and his Fool, in which the Fool asks the stock questions of an entertainer, whilst Lear, detatched from the conversation, states:

It must be clear that the primary purpose and function of the fool is to highlight the spiritual process and meaning of King Lear. While at times he plays the role of entertainer, he is also the confidant of the tragic hero, Lear, and the one who reveals the truth in every situation, without bias or prejudice. Lear walks in a world full of illusions and misconceptions; the Fool walks beside him as a reflection of the truth. While he could not reach the King with an argument, he can by homely images. The fool makes both the audience and the King aware that Prudence is a virtue that belongs to the calculating head, not the impulsive heart.

Who is it that can tell me who I am?

I will forget my nature. So kind a father!

None but the fool, who labours to out-jest

Either his notion weakens, or his descernings are lethargied...



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Approximate Word count = 1465
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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