1. The Man in King Lear
... joviality. Rarely has there existed a fool of such vivacious and rudiment cruelty, practicality and unprecedented common sense as the fool of William Shakespeare's King Lear. This fool is blessed with a mellifluous voice of nonsensical reason, which he uses throughout the play as a function of perpetuating Lear's ... Lear: "I am better than thou art now. I am a fool, thou art nothing." (I, iv, 184) By pointing out his superiority to the King, he cruelly underscores Lear's senility, while returning to the continuous theme of "nothing," constructed wholly by Lear. The gratuitous quality ...
- Word Count: 672
- Approx Pages: 3
- Grade Level: High School