The Fool Flashcards
Who is The Fool?
The Fool is a court jester in Elizabethan England. Their job is tell tel the truth and remind the king on morality
How do we know that the fool has a close relationship with Lear?
He is called “nuncle” and “boy” commonly in the play
How does the Fool propel the motif of ‘nothing’?
“Nothing can be made out of nothing”. The Fool tells the truth at every opportunity and turns the motif back on Lear in a comedic manner, sticking to his characterisation
What moment in the play proves the Fool’s loyalty to Lear?
When he follows him through the storm and attempts to persuade Lear to take shelter. The Fool, and arguably Kent, are the only characters that truly stay with Lear through the whole play
How could it be argued that the Fool provokes Lear’s anagnorisis?
He shows truth and loyalty through his darkest moments, like the storm, which helps Lear to realise the truth
What are the possible explanations to the Fool’s disappearance in the play?
- His time in the play decreases as Lear becomes more mad
- The Fool could no longer prevent his madness
- In the performance, the Fool needed to play another character
How could staging affect the Fool’s unexplained disappearance?
In the performance, the Fool’s actor needed to play another character
When is the last time the audience see the Fool?
When he helps Kent take Lear to bed
