The Fool and His function in 

"King Lear"  play by Shakespeare

Title

Clever and Courageous Fool

Introduction

King Lear is the only play among the tragedies of Shakespeare a Fool has been introduced. The Fool used to be a professional jester or clown whose function it was to amuse the King and the courtiers by his jokes and witty remarks. The Fool enjoyed a good deal of freedom to speak on any subject and to comment on persons and events without any restraint. His objects in introducing the Fool seems to have been to provide comic relief in a play where the events oppress our minds too much and where the sufferings of the chief protagonist became almost unbearable for us.

The Fool is essential to the narrative drama. One of the most important reason is because he is the only individual who can openly criticize King Lear. Since he is licensed, the Fool is able to speak truth about King Lear and not receive any banishment or death for it.                                                                    

The Fool’s  Attachment to Cordelia

The first mention of the Fool comes when Lear, who is spending his first month after giving away his entire kingdom to his two daughters, with Goneril, ask one of his Knights where his Fool is, and then says that he has not seen the Fool for the last two days. The knight replies that since Cordelia’s departure for France, the Fool has much pined away. “Since my young Lady’s going to France, Sir, the Fool hath much pined away”

This reply by the knight shows that the Fool was greatly attached to Cordelia and that her having gone away to France under peculiar circumstances [having been disowned by her father] has greatly depressed the Fool. In this one remark by the knight, we are made to see the human side of the Fool who otherwise seems almost indifferent to the persons around him.

His offer of his Fool’s cap to Kent and then to Lear

A moment afterwards, the Fool makes his appearance and, on finding Kent in the stocks, offers his Fool’s cap to him. His reason for offering his cap, which is the symbol of his own “folly” is that kent too has proved himself to be a fool because he had taken the side of Lear who is now out of favour with Fortune.

"Why? For taking one’s part that’s out of favour,Nay, and those can’st not smile as the wind sits,thou’lt catch cold shortly: there take my coxcomb.Why, this fellow has banish’d two on’s daughtersAnd did the third a blessing against his will: If thoufollow him thou must need wear my coxcomb,How now Nuncle! Would I had two coxcombs and two daughters!"

The Fool by his puzzling remark means that, by having given his to two of his daughter, he had made them absolutely independent and had in this way lost their love and obedience. Doing the third daughter a blessing against his will implies that Lear, by disowning Cordelia had made her the Queen of France and saved her from marrying the Duke of Burgundy [who was asking for dowry]. The Fool then offers his cap to Lear, saying that Lear need two such caps and the he should beg the second cap from his daughters to whom he had given away everything, without having kept anything far himself.

“If I gave them all my living, I’d keep my coxcombs myself. There’s mine; beg another of thy daughters”

The Sense in His Apparently Foolish Remarks

When Lear warns him not to talk in this irresponsible manner and threatens to whip him, the Fool replies that a man who speaks truth is surely treated like a dog who must be whipped out of the room, while Flatterer, who always speaks falsely, receives kindness and affection.

“Truth’s a dog must to kennel; he must be

whipp’d out when the Lady’s Brach may

stand by th’fire and stink”

Lear feels that the Fool’s satirical attacks on him are painful to him like the plague.He says “A pestilent gall to me!”It is to be noted that he [the Fool] has a good deal of knowledge of human nature. His remarks and comments may appear to be foolish on the surface , but there is a good deal of sense in what he say.

Then, he also, gives a speech to Lear to teach-

"Have more than thou thowest,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 more,Than two tens to a score."

In simple words, he says to Lear, Do not make a parade of your wealth. Be reserved and do not tell others all that you know. Lend less than you possess. Ride more than you walk. Do not believe all that you hear. Do not stake all your winnings at a single throw. Give up your drinking, give up your hired mistress,

and keep to your own house. If King will follow this advice given by fool, he will gain more than his expectation.

The Fool’s Repeated Reminders to the Lear of the Latter’s folly

Once he recites a poem in which he calls the king a fool. The Fool also says that even a snail has a place to hide. However, the king is so foolish that he has not reserved any shelter for him.

“Why, to put’s haed in; not to give it away to his daughters and leave his horns without a case.”

He also sarcastically on second daughter of Lear, Regan,“She will taste like this as a crab does to crab.”

The Fool’s Loyalty to Lear

Finally, the Fool remains loyal to Lear. He accompanies the King in sun and shower. He entertains the King, criticizes him for his folly and also respects the King. The King too has a soft corner for the Fool. This bond between the two does credits to both.

Conclusion

Thus, the Fool plays the role of clown. He contributes to the comic relief and sarcastic comments and remind the king of His folly. Ironically, though his name is FOOL but he is smart and courageous. And from his speech we get to know the real FOOL is King Lear.