King Lear The Fool

Role of madmen in Shakespeare’s England Popular to visit insane asylum – madmen were harmless and amusing (kept by a rich family to entertain them) Shrewd, but poor, pretended to be mad

Court Fool Standard part of the palace scene Comic songs and dances Witty comments Sight gags

Anachronism The fool in King Lear is an anachronism: he wouldn’t have existed in pre-Roman Britain

The Role of a Fool Can say and do things an ordinary man could not possibly get away with Behind the guise of madness (and to the amusement of his patron) he could mock arrogant lords and stately bishops and cast aspirations on all the sacred cows

Really foolish???? Might be the most intelligent member of the court

Costuming Standardized costume – Hat: had a serrated red cloth sewn to it to represent a cock’s comb (the cock is a stupid creature filled with a foolish pride and given to making senseless sounds) – called a coxcomb (a stupid man is also referred to by this term) – Wears a costume of rough varicolored wool – a motley of colours Costume serves two purposes: 1. make people laugh 2. makes his function / role clear (identifies him as a privileged character

Lear’s Fool Begins as part of Lear’s paraphernalia (Lear calls him “my fool” Looks with half-disguised disdain at members of Lear’s court The Fool sees the kingdom in upheaval, and those in power are rapidly losing their moral and intellectual force Upbraids Lear openly “I am better than thou art now. I am Fool, thou art nothing.”

Insider / Outsider Attends to Lear Entertains Lear Rejects being treated as a genuine half-wit His buffoonery is only an act He is loyal to Lear – follows the beggarly king into the night and onto the heath, expecting nothing in return, knowing for sure that he goes in harm’s way in the loser’s camp

Personality Sarcastic Contemptuous Unflattering “all-licensed Fool”

The Fool in Lear There are many lines in King Lear referring to different characters behaving foolishly (Kent, King Lear, and the Fool) Quotes:The sweet and bitter fool Will presently appear; The one in motley here, The other found out there. When Lear asks if the fool is calling him a fool: All thy other titles thou has given away, that thou wast born with.

Kent: this is not altogether fool, my lord Kent’s foolishness: – “take one’s part that’s out of favour” (volunteers to serve Lear) – “Let thy hold when a great wheel run down a hill lest it break thy neck with following” (stocks)

Character foil for Kent? Presents a more sober look at things Counterpoises Kent’s zealous sense of loyalty Shows scorn for the corrupted court

Disappearance at the end of Act III A new setting: moves into the tragic denouement – no more room for comic diversion Things like Gloucester’s torture, Cordelia’s death, Lear’s asking for forgiveness can never be objects of ridicule if we want to remain human (Mohamad)