The fool of Shakespeare?s King Lear is hardly that of the Concise Oxford Dictionary. A dry, sardonic creature with a quick wit, he is used by Shakespeare to make both the audience and his fellow characters aware of the tragedy that unfolds. He is used primarily to show Lear the folly of his own ways. He is a shrewd observer, and serves to show us that the real fool of the play is Lear himself.

FOOL: all thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with.

The fool is, in the words of Lothian, ?the free play of intelligence shining in dark places and helping to make the pattern of events very plain.? So, it is clear that the fool is no mere clown. His jibes have a distinct purpose to them. Whereas the clown is an idiotic figure, the fool is wise and sage-like. The clown is a caricature, the fool, a character. The clown is the victim of a situation, and the humour comes at his expense; the fool is the master of a situation, and the humour is at his expertise. The professional fool was, in fact, in Elizabethan ti

Now thou art an O without a figure. I am better than thou art now: I am a Fool, thou art nothing.

It is interesting to note lear?s initial reaction to the Fool?s wise observations.

Does any here know me? This is not Lear.

When thou clovest thy crown I? th? middle and gav?st away both parts, thou bor?st thine ass on thy back o?er the dirt. Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gav?st thy golden one away.

The fool guides Lear to an understanding of his own folly:

Either his notion weakens, or his descernings are lethargied...

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