King Lear Essays (2850 words) - King Lear, British Films, Films

King Lear Question #3: Consider the wisdom of King Lears fool. Look closely at the interplay between Lear and his fool and at the speeches of the fool, which offer instruction to the king. Look for connection the play makes between Lears fool and the other fools in the play Cordelia, Kent, and Poor Tom. King Lears fool is undoubtedly one of the wisest characters in the play. He is not only able to accurately analyze a situation which many other characters are blind to, but he is also able to foreshadow the actions of many characters and many other incidents to come. The main instruction the fool gives to the king is to beware of doing things that are unnatural, such as giving his inheritance, (splitting his kingdom among his daughters) to his daughters before he his dead. By doing this unnaturally, Lear must face many adverse consequences, such as losing his identity, self-worth, and respect from his daughters. Many connections between the fool and Cordelia, Kent and Poor Tom are evident, mainly because they all remain true to the King throughout the entire play. Also, all four of them are not rewarded for their loyalty in the beginning and Cordelia and Kent are both banished from the kingdom by Lear. These four are the true selfless characters in the play, all a source virtue that the other characters lack. 1. Mark it, nuncle: Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest, Lend less than thou owest, Ride more than thou goest, Learn more than thou trowest, Set less than thou throwest, Leave thy drink and thy whore, And keep in-a-door, And thou shalt have no more Than two tens to a score. (I, IV, 115.) -One significant irony in the play is the wisdom the Fool has. This advice the Fool is giving to Lear carries a great weight in foreshadowing mistakes, and solutions for them that Lear will make. -The Fools constant advice to Lear goes unheeded by Lear, but ironically is the best advice for him to take. -The main message the Fool is trying to tell Lear is be careful what you give in accordance to what you have. -More clearly, the Fool is warning Lear that giving up his Kingdom (a necessity for Lear) before his time was unwise. 2. Then tis like the breath of an unfeed lawyer; you gave me nothing fort. Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle? (I, IV, 127.) -The Fools question to Lear Can you make no use of nothing is not really a question concerning what Lear has given the Fool, but a direct question of Lears life. He had given away all he had to his daughters, which meant he literally had nothing. What the fool meant is that having nothing, he (Lear) cannot expect to make anything of it. -The Fool is pointing out to Lear the obvious foolishness in giving away all he had to his two undeserving daughters. -Ironically, Lear truly is the fool in this story, and even more ironically the Fool is one of the wisest characters. 3. That lord that counseled thee To give away thy land, Come place him here by me; Do thou for him stand. The sweet and bitter fool Will presently appear: The one in motley here, The other found out there. (I, IV, 138.) -The Fool is showing the error in Lears way. He hinting that whoever put such a stupid idea in Lears head should be punished according to Lears future suffering. -Also, it is possible the Fool suspects that whoever counseled Lear to make the decision to split up his kingdom among his daughters was in fact an adversary (possibly Oswald) of either Goneril or Regan, and would now be here, in lifes favor, while Lear would be found out there, outside of lifes favor, more specifically in the rain. 4. All the other titles thou has given away; that thou wast born with. (I, IV, 147.) -The Fool is sarcastically speaking his feelings on the foolishness of Lear giving away his inheritance and power too soon. -He is also stating that Lear is no longer the same person he used to be because he has lost his kingship, which was innately given to him. -Lears mistakes leave him in a sort of identity crisis, because all that he used to be related to was taken away when he