“Fools Tell All They Know” or The Wisdom of Feste in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night

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"Fools Tell All They Know" or The Wisdom of Feste in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Almost all of Shakespeare's plays have a clown character. Clowns were popular and amusing, and were simple characters that the lower class audience members could relate to, amidst all the royal people plays were populated with. But the clowns in Shakespeare's plays served a dual purpose. Not only were they sources of comedy, but also sources of truth. Wisdom and advice are imparted through the lines of these figures of fun. The clowns reflected the true nature or intentions of the other, more "noble characters. They also foreshadow coming events. One of the most striking examples of this type of clown is the character of Feste in Twelfth Night. Feste dispenses advice and exposes truths to most of the major characters of the play. Though he is only a fool, he seems to be the only character in the play that truly has his wits about him.

Feste mirrors each of the main characters, revealing facets of their respective dispositions. He often shares knowledge about other characters of which they were not aware. For example, Feste is most closely related to Olivia. She is his patron and calls upon him to amuse her. But Feste does not entertain in the standard way of a clown. He realizes that Olivia is not in control of her emotions when it comes to love, and that she lacks control over her subordinates. He says, in an aside,

"Wit, an't be thy will, put me into good fooling!

Those wits that think they have thee do very oft prove fools

And I that am sure I lack thee may pass for a wise man.

For what say Quinapalus? -'Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.''' (1.5.29-31)
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Feste knows what is going on with Olivia's predicament with Orsino, but still plays the fool. He expresses his feelings of apprehension for Olivia and her supposed wisdom. Feste thinks Olivia's actions are silly, and is not afraid to tell her so in indirect ways. When Olivia gets tired of Feste's obscure advice, she tells her attendants to take away the fool, and Feste returns, "The lady bade take the fool away, therefore I say again/take her away . . . I wear not motley in my brain/good madonna give me leave to prove you a fool" (1.5.45-6, ...

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