King Lear - Paper

Historically, Elizabethan jesters wore bright colours, bells and carried a mask. This mask represents the two faces of a man, a joker and a a wise man. Like the Fool in "king Lear", he is represented through these two faces,   making him a fool. The King however is also represented through these two faces as well. The fool in "king Lear" is used to out do those of higher class with his rhyming schemes and his joking wits. The fool enlightens the audience with the reality of how Lear's thoughts and actions appear. The Fool is present from the gain of royalty to the loss of everything, an unwanted reject whom nobody wants. The Fools role of being a wise man and a foolish man are paradoxical; those who are rendered as wise are truly foolish and those discussed as foolish and intact wise.
The Fool, who is supposed to be a "Fool" is in fact the wise character throughout his appearance in the play. Although treated like a fool, he defiantly did not act like one. He remained loyal to the one who never saw the truth, Lear. Although pretending to be the fool, he sees the truth plainly. He shows insights that others do not see, wisdom and common sense. He shows his sharp wit through his carefree, joking manner. His words and his rhymes have deeper meaning to them. The Fool came into the play right after the division of the Kingdom, which gives an important placement, the beginning of   the foolishness. The Fool first sees the truth in Gonriel and Regan and their evil plan. He knows they will lie and will take over the kingdom leaving the King, their father, with nothing. He knows they are evil and will "have me whipped for speaking true". He addressees Lear as the "fool" because "All thy titles thou hast given away"(I,iv,141) and calls Lear the true fool just copying the fools way, "For wise man are grown foppish,/ And know boot how their wits to wear,/ Their manners are so apish."(I,iv, 158-160). By giving away all one has, the Fool tells Lear of his unwise decision and...