The Fool is a character that is open to many interpretations because of the unique way that even though the character is of a lower status, he is able to get away with his insults of King Lear. When Kent speaks of how irrational King Lear is being, Lear ends up banishing Kent because King Lear feels that his power is being threatened. However, the Fool also offers King Lear advice which is seen when he says, "Have more than thou showest,/Speak less than thou knowest,/Lend less than thou owest,/Ride more than thou gowest,/Learn more than thou trowest,/[...] And thou shall have more/Than two tens to a score" (Shakespeare 122-131). The Fool is characterized by his short, rhyming lines because through those, he provides the audience with comic relief in otherwise serious content. The relationship between Lear and the Fool is interesting because at some points, Lear refers to the Fool as 'boy' and the Fool refers to Lear as 'nuncle'. This allows the reader to see that Lear and the Fool have established a sense of trust because there is some form of relationship between the two of them. In Act 1 Scene 5, the Fool explains to Lear that "Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise" (Shakespeare 43-44). The Fool is able to offer rational advice while providing the audience a break from the heavy things going on in the play. The Fool's relationship to Lear is so different from the other relationships because although the Fool realizes that King Lear may have made a major mistake, he delivers the news in a more uncommon way and Lear does not react in the ways he has previously.
I perceive the Fool as a character that may not be of a very his stature, but still is wise and knowledgeable. He shows that he knows Lear has not made the most well-thought out decisions and does it in a mocking manner. Somehow he is able to continue poking fun at Lear and his decisions because Lear does not do much about it.
i agree
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