‘King Lear’

1. ‘King Lear’ The Role of the Fool

2. Traditional Role of the Fool • In ancient times courts employed fools and by the Middle Ages the jester was a familiar figure. In Renaissance times, aristocratic households in Britain employed licensed fools or jesters, who sometimes dressed as other servants were dressed, but generally wore a motley (i.e. parti-coloured) coat, hood with ass's ears or a red-flannel coxcomb and bells. • Regarded as pets or mascots, they served not simply to amuse but to criticise their master or mistress and their guests. Queen Elizabeth (reigned 1558-1603) is said to have rebuked one of her fools for being insufficiently severe with her. Excessive behaviour, however, could lead to a fool being whipped. • The fool's status was one of privilege within a royal or noble household. His folly could be regarded as the raving of a madman but was often deemed to be perceptive truth. The fool exists outside normal social expectations and often defies rules or convention.

3. Role of the Fool in ‘King Lear’ In Shakespeare’s, King Lear, the Fool plays three major roles: • inner-conscience of Lear. • Provides basic wisdom and reasoning, pointing out truths and flaws in Lear’s character. • Amuses Lear at times of sadness in an effort to prevent or delay the onset of madness.

4. The Fool first appears in Act I scene iv. How many times does Lear have to call for him before he comes? • The Fool appears after Cordelia has been banished from the Kingdom. Lear calls for him numerous times “where’s my fool?” but he does not respond. Lear has to call him four times before he arrives on scene.

5. How long has the Fool been absent? What reason is given for his absence and what does this reveal about his character? • The Fool has been absent for two days as he is in mourning for the banishment of Cordelia. • The fact that he does not immediately appear at Lear’s request implies that unlike others in the Kingdom he is not ruled by or in fear of Lear’s power. He makes his own decision’s and is not afraid to tell Lear the truth of the situation.

6. Brains Crowns Houses “if a man’s brain’s were in’s heels, were’t not in danger of kibes?...Thy wits shall not go slipshod “Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gavest the golden one away” “ I can tell why a snail has a house..to put it’s head in; not to give it away to his daughters and leave his horns without a case” A lot of the Fool's intelligence is conveyed through his riddles and jokes.

7. What is the Fool trying to show Lear in each of these situations? Why do you think the Fool does not appear again after Act III? • The fool uses these jokes and riddles to point out to Lear certain truths about people, as well as flaws in his very own actions. He is pretty much telling Lear what an idiot or ‘fool’ he has been in the guise of humour. • In Act 3 Lear descends into madness. One of the fool’s main purposes is to make Lear see reality. Once he has lost the ability to reason the fool no longer has a function or purpose. Lear later emerges from his madness and does realise the error of his ways – again the Fool no longer has any role to play.

8. ‘Fool Summary’ • Without the fool, Lear would never have come to the realization of who people really were. The fool sustained Lear's sanity as long as he could in order to aid him to see the truth clearly. • When he had finished his role in the play he vanished. Since he vanished only after Lear had gained his insight, he must have been there to show Lear these things. • In addition, without the fool's influence Lear would probably have gone insane much earlier, which would have had a bad effect on the outcome of the story. The fool was the key factor in Lear's evolution as a character.

9. Something to Ponder…. • Why do you think both Lear and Cordelia had to die at the end of the play? • Could their have been another ending? • How do the deaths of these characters restore order to the Kingdom somewhat?