Person who acts or thinks unwisely or imprudently; 2. Jester or clown in medieval great household; 3.
The fool of Shakespeare's King Lear is hardly that of the Concise Oxford Dictionary. A dry, sardonic creature with a quick wit, he is used by Shakespeare to make both the audience and his fellow characters aware of the tragedy that unfolds. He is used primarily to show Lear the folly of his own ways. He is a shrewd observer, and serves to show us that the real fool of the play is Lear himself.
LEAR: Dost thou call me fool, boy?.
FOOL: all thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with.
The fool is, in the words of Lothian,the free play of intelligence shining in dark places and helping to make the pattern of events very plain.? So, it is clear that the fool is no mere clown. His jibes have a distinct purpose to them. Whereas the clown is an idiotic figure, the fool is wise and sage-like. The clown is a caricature, the fool, a character. The clown is the victim of a situation, and the humour comes at his expense; the fool is the master of a situation, and the humour is at his expertise. The professional fool was, in fact, in Elizabethan times, paid to amuse the lords and ladies of the court with his wit. He was often on quite friendly terms with the family, as expressed in Shakespeare's own As You Like It, where Celia speaks of her foolHe?ll go along o?er the wide world with me?. So, it is clear that the fool does not follow Lear simply for his wages. Indeed, throughout the play, a close relationship between Lear and his fool is shown. 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?.
The relationship between Lear and his fool is an unusual one, to say the least. Branded by Lear's daughter, Goneril, as anall licensed fool?, he indeed appears to be rather outspoken, particularly in challenging Lear's actions.
