Fool as a Source of Comedy in King Lear
The
Fool was regarded as a professional jester in the Elizabethan age. His function
at the court was to amuse the king and the courtiers by his witty remarks. His
talk centered round wit, wisdom
and foolery. King Lear is the only tragedy of
Shakespeare, in which a Fool has been introduced. The Fool makes a large number
of sarcastic remarks on the folly which Lear has committed by giving away all his
power and authority to two of his daughters and keeping nothing for himself.
Each of the Fools remarks is a sharp reminder to Lear of the blunder and the
folly of which he has been guilty. For instance, he tells Lear, if the latter
gives him an egg, he will give to Lear two crowns. He explains his offer by
saying that he will cut the egg in the middle, eat the edible portion inside,
and give to Lear the two halves of the shell of the egg. This he says with
reference to Lear’s folly in dividing his crown into two portions, giving away
one part to Goneril and the other to Regan. (Then
he recites a few lines of verse and on being asked since when he has begun to
quote verses he gives the following witty reply:I have used it, Nuncle, ever
since thou mad’st thy daughters thy moth rs; for when thou gav’st them the rod
and putt’st down thine own breeches.)
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