King Lear: the Role of the Fool

In the play King Lear, by William Shakespeare, there are many intriguing characters. Perhaps the most intriguing of them all is the fool. The fool seems to exist outside the play appearing and disappearing without warning. The fool is, however, a necessary character to the evolution of Lear's character, since he is the personification of truth and reason. The fool serves to show Lear how he is going insane, as well as to attempt to delay this inevitability. The fool also demonstrates to Lear the truths about people around him, and tries to point out what treachery and deceit they wish upon him. When Lear is too far-gone to heed the advice and knowledge of the fool, he vanishes without a trace no longer useful, or needed.

Right from the beginning of the play Lear shows sings of insanity. Dividing up his kingdom, for the reasons he stated, may seem to be a wise thing to do. Not trusting Cordelia, however, is a sing of insanity, as she is the only daughter who truly loved him. The fool, throughout the entire time he is in the play, is attempting to point out these insane actions and delay Lear's insanity as much as he can. The fool, however, does not tell Lear directly that he is going insane, "Then I prithee be merry. Thy wil

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Later in the play the fool warns Lear about a misfortune which he predicts could be in the planing, "For you know, nuncle, the hedy sparrow fed the cuckoo so long that it had it head bit off by it young"(I. This is because he is no longer needed. 42), as well as have some insight as to why these events are occurring. The fool uses riddles and jokes to convey his message to Lear.

From the point the fool is introduced he never leaves the kings side. Since the fool is only there to enhance Lear's insight, it is only fitting that when Lear has this insight, the fool leaves. 1-3),

the fool stayed by his side and tried to convince Lear to go inside, "O nuncle, court holy water in a dry house is better than this rain water out o'door" (III. After Goneril gives Lear an ultimatum of get rid of the troops or get out, Lear decides to seek lodgings at the residence of his other daughter Regan. The fool sustained Lear's sanity as long as he could in order to aid him to see the truth clearly. This is why the fool left since for the rest of the play he would have just been a plain fool tagging along with nothing else to show Lear. The fool simply responds by saying, "Shalt see thy other daughter will use the kindly; for though she's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell" (I.

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