Three fools in King Lear

King Lear is a play full of diverse and different characters. There are many characters that catch the eye of the audience. Two of them include the Fool and Cordelia. Both are important aides to the kind with a contrasting role. Cordelia is the disowned daughter of the King Lear. Cordelia’s character is itself a story in the play as her love and devotion to her father is great but it is her refusal to accept and express that makes it difficult to read and comprehend. It can be understood when she says;

“Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love your majesty according to my bond; no more nor less.”   Act 1 scene 1 pg 90-92

This reflects the virtues of her character that she cannot speak a lie. This has multiple meanings and this confuses the audience but what she meant is that she loves Lear as her father not just the king but the bond she shares and doesn’t have any greed for the material things or the kingdom that on the other contrast other siblings may have. The characteristics of Cordelia are love, kindness and devotion with beauty & honesty. It was her honesty that earned her the wrath of her father. She was never playing with the words and didn’t try to flatter her father. Lear fails to judge the underlying emotions of daughter in rage disown her to be sent away.

Cordelia did not want her love to be gauged held no disrespect for her father and accepts the decision gracefully. She remains concerned for King Lear and is always looking after the news of her father. Even after the ill treatment she remained affectionate and loyal to her father. She forgives him and always wishes the good for him. Cordelia has been subjected to the heartlessness of the world who didn’t consider her feelings. Her father failed to understand her but she never gave up caring for him, it is when she returns the balance is restored in the kingdom.

 Her returning back to Dover shows that it was love and forgiveness that won. Honesty is the integral part of Cordelia’s character. It was due to her honesty and not finding the need to flatter her father with the words that earned her the respect over the world. It was due to her honesty that even without the dowry the King of France decided to marry her. Her honesty was not to prefer the world but being truthful. Many would believe she was a fool for being so much honest but there was a Fool already who acted as advisor to King Lear.  

Among all the characters there is a very fascinating and distinguished character that is called by a name fool. Looking at the name he seems to be a very foolish and irresponsible kind of a person but no not at all. By looking at his name it means nothing and he is very opposite kind of a person from his name. His nature is full of honesty and loyalty which is not seen in every character in this play. Fool helps many of the readers who read this play in a better understanding of it along with the audience who likes to watch the plays of Shakespeare. He makes them understand in a better way. He is a character who remains with King Lear no matter how harsh or rude King becomes but still he remains with him and this shows his loyalty to the king. There are many characters in this play that are totally different from the fool in nature and they leave king alone whenever he becomes angry. Three different roles are being played by a fool in this play which are:

1.    He is like a hand of the King where he is playing a duty of telling him that which act is right and which act is wrong. He guides the king about good and bad things.

2.    The second role which he is playing is by him is the advice King Lear in the hour of need. Whenever he becomes tensed and gets stuck in any of the situation, fool helps him.

3.    Last and the most interesting role which he plays for the king is his act of amusement for him. Whenever King Lear becomes sad and he wants to laugh, he asks fool to tell him jokes and after listening to them he laughs so much that no one can stop him at that moment.

The Fool is the only character who likes to be with king and stands by him without any job or duty but he likes to be with him on his own will. The fool is one of the most intelligent and wisest characters in the whole play and he shares a very close relationship with King Lear. But sadly, he leaves a play in the sixth scene with a heavy heart by saying that everything in this world is upside down. The fool displays tremendous loyalty towards his king. The fool reflects the traits of Cordelia but is wise with words.

Both of Cordelia and the Fool represent loyalty and devotion to the King in a contrasting way and style. The level of devotion and loyalty compliments each other making the play wholesome. The kin of King except Cordelia is not sincere to their father but greedy for the kingdom and the power. They have been trying to flatter their father whereas Cordelia doesn’t believe in this expression but in action. She remains loyal to her father despite being mistreated. Unlike her siblings she never went behind her father’s back and even in exile she was considerate about her father. She is shown the epitome of loyalty. She could have got her share of the kingdom had she opted the way of words her father preferred but she didn’t want her loyalty and love to be measured in the way she thought was cheap. She bore hardship but never crossed her father. The Fool on the other hand is a remarkable character who stands by the king and is loyal. Who is the fool? He is no one yet he is loyal.

 He has devoted his life to the king even though there is no compulsion on him. He advices the kings and uses the methods the Kings like to advice what is best. He enjoys great trust of the king but he never abuses the trust and is loyal. The loyalty of the Fool can gauged when King Lear is hurt and in agony says;

“No, I’ll not weep. I have full cause of weeping, but this heart shall break into a hundred thousand flaws, or ere I’ll weep. O fool, I shall go mad!” Act 2 scene 4 pages 259-282

This reflects the loyalty of fool to the King that he remembers him and expresses his pain as if the fool is listening. The symbolism also shows his loyalty as the King is seen referring to him as the fool. This shows the expression that the beloved resides in the lover and this is put into action by Shakespeare that the fool who advices the kings and makes him laugh is more loyal and trustworthy than his own kin who wants him dead so they can gain power and control. The fool and Cordelia may be all honest to the King but it was Cordelia who takes the lead in the way of love and sacrifices herself in the love of her father. The love King couldn’t understand earlier.

Cordelia’s character reflects true love that goes beyond the verbal expression and is pure in its true form. She faced rejection but her love wasn’t based on the material gains that her father couldn’t understand. She continued to live with immense love and respect for her father. She remained in pain but forgave her father but she couldn’t bare the news of her father being ill-treated she returns to her father so he can be free and be treated well. Her brothers and sisters were preferred over her who brought harm to Lear and his status but she never thought that. She displayed love and affection for her father. She teaches us love gets tested and Lear learns about love than being just verbally flattering but action into expression like Cordelia. When soon after the reunion of the family Cordelia is dead, the reason being unknown, it leaves Lear into pain and he doesn’t know how to react. The love of his daughter takes a better of his senses and he feels if life has gone from earth. He says;

“Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones: Had I your tongues and eyes, I’d use them so that heaven’s vault should crack. She’s gone forever!
I know when one is dead, and when one lives; she’s dead as earth.” Act 5 scenes 3

He in symbolism refers to the daughter he once disowned as the light of earth and other people as emotionless and as if made of stones.    [1]

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