foolear A Fool for a King in William Shakespeares King...

A Fool for a King in King Lear In Shakespeares play King Lear, the main character, King Lear, is presented as a respected and powerful king. As the story progresses the king loses his power because of his own stupidity and blindness. The tragedy of this play is shown chiefly through the actions of Lear’s daughters, which lead to Lear’s bout with insanity, and through the words of the Fool. At the beginning of the play, King Lear appears as a powerful and well-loved ruler. He explains his intention to abdicate and divide his kingdom among his three daughters, giving the largest segment to the daughter who convinces him that she loves him most (Boyce 343). Goneril is the first to lie, Sir, I love you more†¦show more content†¦The king is very upset by Cordelia whom he loved best of all his daughters. Tragically, Cordelia, who truly loves her father, is disinherited, and the kingdom is divided between her two greedy sisters. Giving the land to Goneril and Regan is the first of Lears mistakes, for the selfish daughters do not love him as much as Cordelia does, but merely wish to have his riches. Goneril and Regan decide to control their elderly father so he won’t eventually caste them off as he did Cordelia. They begin to speak disrespectfully of him, referring to him publicly as the â€Å"Idle old man† (I.iii.17). They take steps to ensure that Lear lose any power that he still retains, the first step being to diminish the ranks of his followers: â€Å"What, fifty of my followers at a clap† (I.iv.300)? Lear had proposed to his daughters that he and one hundred knights would live for one month at a time with each daughter. When Goneril breaks the bargain, Lear laments, â€Å"How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child† (I.iv.280-281). He then turns to Regan who is also adamant that he releases his knights. In despair, Lear cries, â€Å"Yo u see me here, you gods, a poor old man, / As full of grief as age; wretched in both† (II.iv.306-307). The great tragedy here is that, despite Lear’s generosity and his love for his daughters, both daughters betray him and neither is willing to shelter him. TheyShow MoreRelated foolear Role of the Fool in William Shakespeares King Lear803 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of the Fool in William Shakespeares King Lear In the play King Lear, by William Shakespeare, there are many intriguing characters. Perhaps the most intriguing of them all is the fool. The fool seems to exist outside the play appearing and disappearing without warning. The fool is, however, a necessary character to the evolution of Lears character, since he is the personification of truth and reason. The fool serves to show Lear how he is going insane, as well as to attempt to delay