The fool of Shakespeare's King Lear is hardly that of the Concise Oxford Dictionary. ... A fool was expected to sing tunes appropriate to any given occasion, and the fool's songs in King Lear are perfect in keeping with contemporary custom in themedieval great household?. ... , and yet the King haspared [his] wit o? ... was Lear's advice to Cordelia, and now, in a bitter twist, this advice is applied to the King himself, from his own mouth: FOOL: Can you make no use of nothing, Nuncle? ... It must be clear that the primary purpose and function of the fool is to highlig...

• Word Count: 1465
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

The theme of madness is explored throughout King Lear in many different ways. ... The storm is a central element, used to symbolise the internal battle going on within Lear, as well as being a representation of nature's reaction to the ill treatment of the King. ... Not only is it used to represent the inner conflict going on inside Lear's head, but also is a reflection of what will happen when the king is wronged and his authority taken from him. ... It is also ironic how the storm hits simultaneously with Lear storming off after his daughter's strip him of his retinue of 10...

• Word Count: 1691
• Approx Pages: 7

During Lear's test of love, she calls out her sisters, claiming that they couldn't possibly love the king as much as they say because they already have husbands; "why have my sisters husbands if they say they love you all?... He's almost like a sassy son to Lear. ... Lear is very stubborn and since he was once a king, he doesn't take direction well at all. ... Almost no one was allowed to address the king so bluntly, or to show any doubt in his decisions. ... At the end of the play, King Lear dies. ...

• Word Count: 1869
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

You may be asking yourselves why begin this forum on King Lear? ... He described King Lear as a "pure tragedy". ... Do you perhaps interpret King Lear in a religious perspective? ... Do you believe King Lear is a tale of redemption? Thank you and enjoy studying King Lear. ...

• Word Count: 1659
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

In King Lear, by William Shakespeare , the fool is one of the most important characters in the play. Rarely has there existed a fool of such cruelty and common sense as the fool in King Lear. ... His affection for Lear is demonstrated when he urges the King to come out of the storm: "Good nuncle, in, and ask thy daughters blessing." ... (I, iv, 184) By pointing out his superiority to the King, he cruelly underscores Lear's senility, while returning to the continuous theme of "nothing," constructed wholly by Lear. ... It is this differentiation, or lack thereof, that is the partial cause ...

• Word Count: 1444
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School