Friendly_Fool

Friendly Fool Everyone on earth needs a friend. Someone to whom they can confide their deepest fears, someone who can make them laugh, someone who can act as a second conscience, and someone who will be honest and unbiased with you. In the Shakespearian play King Lear, the King himself needs a friend like everyone else. When the rest of his life plummets, the Fool fulfills the role of a friend for the King. The Fool takes it upon himself to lighten things up for King Lear. He recognizes that the King’s life is going downhill, so he cracks jokes in an attempt to make Lear laugh at his own follies and learn something at the same time. The fool asks “‘if a man’s brains were in’s heels, were it not in danger of Kibes'’” “‘Ay, boy’”, the Kings responds. “‘Then I prithee be merry. Thy wit shall not go slipshod’” (King Lear: I, iv, 8-13).The King laughs at the joke, but like a lot of bantering between friends, there is a message behind the humour. Kibes, in the Fool’s original question, refer to blisters; when someone has blisters on their feet, they go around in slippers because it is more comfortable. An interpretation, then, is that because Lear has brains – even his heels – he has no need to worry about such potential discomforts. He pokes fun at the King again when he tells him “‘though wouldst make a good fool’” (King Lear: I, v, 37). Apart from the somewhat obvious insult calling Lear a fool, the Fool is also reminding him that he made some silly decisions and is now a fool in the eyes of some people. The jokes that the Fool throws at Lear are good natured, friendly jabs with a purpose – much like the ones old friends might throw at one another. Lear’s confidence in the fool is another sign of friendship between the two. He takes the fool into his confidence by sharing his thoughts and fears with him. “‘O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! Keep me in temper; I would not be mad!’” (King Lear: I, v, 44-45). Lear evidently fears going mad very deeply. This kind of fear is often expressed only to those people whom we trust the most – our family, and our good friends. Good friends don’t lie to each other, and this is valued very highly by others. People may not always like the truth, but the friends who are close enough to tell it are highly valued. In a sad situation, the Fool wistfully says “‘I would in fain learn to lie’”. The King responds, saying “an you lie, sirrah, we’ll have you whipped’” (King Lear: I, iv, 176-177). In the sad situation, the Fool wishes he could lie to make everything seem happier; Lear disagrees though, because he values the honesty of the Fool enough to threaten him with a beating should he ever lie. One of the other duties that a good friend might perform for someone is being a reflection of their conscience for them. Like their conscience, a good friend reminds someone of their mistakes so that they know better in the future, and counsels them on the present. The Fool chides Lear, saying “‘Nuncle, give me an egg, and I’ll give thee two crowns… after I have cut the egg i’ the middle and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i’ the middle and gavest away both parts, thou borest thine ass on thy back o’re the dirt. Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gavest thy golden one away’” (King Lear: I, iv, 152-160). He reminds the King of his foolishness, in the hopes that Lear will learn a lesson from the past. I order to help him with the present, the Fool offers advice; “‘the hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long that it had the head bit off by it young’” (King Lear: I, iv, 212-213). The advice is given in front of the people whom the Fool is trying to warn Lear about, so the Fool makes it seem abstract – in fact he is talking about the dangers that lie in raising children such as Goneril and Regan. Very few people are concerned enough with the welfare of someone who is not close to them, so they won’t offer advice or try to help them. The Fool does both for the King, because they are good friends. The role of the Fool in the play is that of a friend to the King. He does what he can to lighten the King’s mood, and he is taken into Lear’s confidence. He is truthful beyond every measure, and he gives good, useful advice to the King. If everyone could have a friend like the Fool, the world would be a much better place. Bibliography Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Canada: Harcourt Canada. Print. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Canada: Harcourt Canada. Print.