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Taking in to consideration, the contribution made to King Lear by the Fool.
Shakespeare’s King Lear, tells the tragic tale of an ancient and legendary king, and his violent and inglorious downfall. The story begins when Lear decides to reside from the thrown and attempts to divide his kingdom between his three daughters. In doing this Lear asks them, “Which of you shall we say doth love us most…” (1. ... 51) Goneril, Lear’s eldest daughter, replies “Sir, I do love you more than words can wield the / matter,” (1. ... Lear’s middle daughter, Regan replies “I am alone felicitate / In your dear highness’ love. ... 75) However, when Cordelia, Lear’s youngest and most favoured daughter, honestly replies “I love your majesty / According to my bond, no more nor less. ... 92), a resentful and disappointed Lear banishes Cordelia from the land and divides the kingdom equally between his two elder, and less honest daughters, who perpetually deceive him and eventually drive him to insanity. The play follows the King Lear’s journey through anger, hatred, futility and vengeance, to his eventual gaining of insight that he needed in order to see that he was wrong to send Cordelia away. The play ends tragically with a heart-broken Lear, unable to accept Cordelia’s death, dying over his murdered daughter’s body. ...
Lear is left void in Cordelia’s absence. After her exile, he immediately misses her presence and call’s forth the Fool as a sort of substitute: “Where’s my knave, my Fool? ... 42) The character of the King’s Fool makes many important contributions to the play. We are first introduced to him in Act one, scene four, after Cordelia has been banished, this is where we can interpret that the Fool acts as a materialisation of Cordelia in her absence. It is possible to say that Lear views the Fool as a replacement for his absent and beloved daughter. In act one scene four, it is said by a Knight that, “Since my young lady’s going to France, sir, the Fool hath much pined away. ... 72) The Fool’s despair and distress here is caused by Cordelia’s absence, and it is therefore possible to say that the Fool and Cordelia are meant to be together, as if they are one person, and it is therefore unnatural for them to be separated.
Approximate Word count = 1910
Approximate Pages = 7.6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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