Describe the attempts of the Fool in trying to enlighten the King as to the true nature of his elder daughters.

Authors Avatar

Describe the attempts of the Fool in trying to enlighten the King as to the true nature of his elder daughters.

Introduction:

The Fool is the king’s advocate, loyal and honest, but he is also able, to point out the king’s faults, in a manner which no one else can. The Fool’s use of irony, sarcasm, and humor help to ease the truth, and allows the fool to moderate Lear’s behavior. While Cordelia  and Kent had each acted “unmannerly”  and begged Lear to “see better” each incurring his “Dragon’s wrath”, the Fool is all-licens’d” and practically  replaces both daughter and advisor for the successive two acts.

Argument 1:

The Fool assumes the role of Lear’s protector, when Cordelia is banished. He functions much as a chorus would in a Greek tragedy, commenting upon events and the king’s actions and in many ways, voicing the king’s trouble and repressed conscience. The Fool thus plays a major role. He provides basic wisdom and reasoning for the king at much needed times, and when these qualities are in short supply. The Fool also provides a source of amusement for Lear in times of sadness and is also one of the only people besides the Duke of Kent and Cordelia who are willing to stand up to the king and chastise him in public.

Join now!

Argument 2:

The Fool tries to persuade Lear that it was wrong to banish Cordelia. The Fool knows that Lear has done wrong by giving all his land away to his two elder daughters, and tells him so in Act One, Scene Four, when he says: “ all thy other titles thou hast given away, that thou was born with”. The Fool also warns Lear about Goneril and Regan stating that Lear is now a lap dog to them “truth’s a dog must to kennel; he must be whipped out when the lady brach may stand by the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay