The Fool in King Lear (1 Viewer)

[aud]

Does anyone have any good info on the Fool in Lear, especially his prophecy in Act III Scene ii/iv (I forget which one)?

My teacher says that the Fool isn't relevant to today's society because we don't have an equivalent now, that's why productions tend to cut him/her out... so he won't go into discussion about it

 

[santaslayer]

our teacher said the fool can be said to be a shadow of king lear himself...its like his other side.......if u concentrate on the productions of king lear it is quite obvious that both characters have similar physical appearences and their movements and gestures reflect each other.

 

[iambored]

he could be seen as a protector / mother figure. maybe he is showing lear how to see, and then when lear finally sees truthfully then that is the point of the play when the fool disappear.

personally, i don't like the fool. i don't understand his role.

 

[imsooverskool]

well my interpretation of the fool is that he is lears shadow and that all of his observations are those that lear would make himself if he wasnt insane

 

[Gregor Samsa]

The role of the Fool is ironic, given that he is the only character for much of the play who points out the truth, in a veiled fashion.
Perhaps you could view him as a Shakespearean equivalent of the Chorus, foretelling the ultimate result of Lear's decisions..

He is also seen as a parallel to Cordelia, a loyal companion to Lear, disappearing from the text in Act III, Scene VI, shortly prior to Cordelia's return. [This is why some productions have used the same actor to play both roles. Note the ambiguity of My fool is hanged'!]

Of course, he also provides comic relief, as befits his title.

 

[anti]

Not just a parallel to Cordelia, the Fool can be seen as a side of Cordelia we don't see otherwise (hence the same actor playing both roles). (S)he is Lear's conscience, and ironically his sanity during Lear's madness.

A few productions have used a female actor for the Fool (one I saw; I forget which production it was). That itself brings the Fool into what I see as a more twenty-first century light...

 

[Krangelus]

The fool can be viewed as a fool nothing more nothing less. His snide and unambiguous comments make my spine shudder.

 

[santaslayer]

yea nicely put anti...lol

 

[bubz :D]

the fool replaces cordelia, goneril and regan, and becomes a surrogate family member. although he is portrayed as a joke, a pet that tags along after the king, he remains loyal to him, almost feminine in his subservience.

 

[chelloveck]

i've only read the first act, but already, i reckon the fool is one of my favourite characters....i love the irony shakespeare uses and how he does it so well through the fool.

 

[abdooooo!!!]

the fool is suppose to be queen lear... oh wait... the fool is cordelia lol.

the fool is relevant in todays society because it shows that one's title does not equals one's intelligence.