Fools In _King Lear_ :: essays research papers

Fools and Kings     Shakespe bes dynamic use of irony in King Lear aid the microcosmic illustration of not only 16th century Britain, merely of all times and places. The theme that best develops this illustration is the sermon of fools and their unadvisableness. This discussion allows Shakespeare not only to portray human nature, but also to press out a sort of Socraticintrospection into the nature of societys own ignorance as well.      One typesetters case of fool that Shakespeare involves in King Lear is the immoral fool. Edmund, for instance, may be seen as a fool in the adept that he is morally weak. His foolishness lies in the fact that he has no sense of right or justice, which rewards him with an untimely, ironic death. He discusses this as his father, Gloucester, leaves to ponder the "plotting" of his parole Edgar. Edmund soliloquizes,      "This is the excellent foppery of the world, that  & nbsp    when we are sick in fortune...      ...we make guilty of our disasters       the sun, the moon, and stars, as if we were villains       on necessity fools by heavenly compulsion." (I. ii. 32) for the sole purpose of illustrating his wickedness. Edmund realizes that his black is self-taught. This soliloquy shows the audience Edgars foolishness in his belief that malevolence is the absorb that drives one to greatness or prosperity. It also illustrates the bastards mistaken belief that by fooling his father, he might be able to eliminate Edgar, the contender for Gloucesters title, and possibly rid himself of his father in the same act. This is a indigenous example of immoral foolishness in King Lear.      Another type of fool in King Lear is the ignorant fool. Whereas characters such as Goneril, Regan, and Edmund are fools because of their tendency to harm others for self-gain, t he ignorant foolish are not needfully driven to evil. However, the evil are almost always driven to foolish actions. Gloucester, arguably Lears foil, puts forth an interesting perspective in the play. His character is presented as one who is blind to the truth, and ironically, one who becomes physically blind in the end. In actuality, it is his blindness to the truth of Edgars love and Edmunds greed and apathy that ultimately brings about Gloucesters demise. When he says, "I have no way and therefore necessity no eyes, / I stumbled when I saw" (IV.i.173), he seems to be illustrating the credit of his own