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ExaminationQuestionsonKingLear
Question:DiscusstheFoolinKingLearandhisfunction
intheplay.Washeaboyoraman?
Answer:OurestimateofKingLeardependsverymuchon
theviewwetakeoftheFool.Superficiallyconsidered,his
presenceisablemishintheworkbutacloseanalysisof
thecharactersprovesthatheisnecessarytothefull
developmentandrightunderstandingofalltheprincipal
characters.
TheintensepassionofLearwouldbewantinginpathos
wereitnotforthesilentsympathywhichexistsbetween
himandthissoulofpathos.Shakespeareendearshimto
uswhenheintroduceshimpiningfortheembodimentof
womanlypurity.Weknowatoncethathissoulreverences
truthandseekswithatender,clinginglovefortheloyalty
whose"lowsoundreverbsnohollowness."Endowedwith
apeculiarlysensitivenature,histongueeverstruggleswith
ajestandhischeekdimpleswithasmiletorelievetheeye
ofaburdenunderwhichitisreeling.Courageousenough
todareGonerilintheangrywords
"Afox,whenonehascaughther,
Andsuchadaughter,
Shouldsuretotheslaughter,
Ifmycapwouldbuyahalter."I.iv.340.
thereisyeta"shrinking,velvetfooteddelicacyintheFool's
antics"whichbindshimstillclosertothepathosoftheplay.
Aprivilegedcharacter,heeverywhereturnshisprivileges
intocharities.Highlyintellectual,heuseshiswitinurging
hismastertoresumetheshapehehascastoffandso
pointedandearnestarehisreproaches,soacuteishis
perceptionofthewTongsdonetoCordelia,andwhichhis
masterpersistsindoingtohimself,thatwecannotbelieve
thatheis"altogetherfool"inanyspeech.
EvenaftertheattempttogoadLearintoareasonable
coursehasbeengivenup,wefindtheFoollaboringtoout
jestthe"heartstruckinjuries"oftheinsaneking.Butwe
donotneedasecondconfirmationofthebondbetween
thistenderest,truestofnaturesandtheobstinate,
persistent,remorsefulLearwhenwehear
"NomoreofthatIhavenoteditwell."
Thiscommonsuffering,toostrongforexpressiontheFool
mourningalossanddeploringacauseforwhichhecan

onlyreproachtherashnessofhismaster,Leardrinkingthe
bittercupwhichwoundedprideholdstohislipsmakesthe
Fooloneofthemostimportantpersonagesoftheplay.
Andwhenweknowthathehasbeenslowlybutsurely
dyingashisheartstringsbrokeoneafteranotherunderthe
weightofanother'swoe,theexclamation(III.vi.92)
"AndI'llgotobedatnoon"
becomesoneofthemosttouchinginallShakespeareand
astheFooldisappearstotteringundertheburdenofhis
master,when"oppressednaturesleeps,"ourpartingwords
mustbewithHudson,"Trulythouartthesoulofpathosina
sortofcomicmasquerade."
Therearemanyreasonsforbelievingthathewasaboy.
HismourningforthelossofCordeliaLear'sspeakingof
himas"myprettyknave,"andagain,hissaying,"How
dost,myboy?"hissensitivenesstocoldinthecry,"This
coldnightwillturnusalltofoolsandmadmen"hisfrightat
PoorTominthehovelandhisdyingofgrief,wouldseem
toindicateadelicate,boyishsensitivenessandaphysical
natureincapableofenduringtheintensementalanguish
throughwhichhepasses.Suchis,Ibelieve,theopinionof
themajorityofthebestcriticsbutMr.Furnessthinksthat
hewasoneoftheshrewdest,tenderestofmenshrewd
fromhisexperienceoftheworld'sdeceitfulness,tender
fromparticipationinthewoestowhichhispositionwas
incident.
Iseenothingincompatiblewiththisshrewdnessinthe
active,discerningintellectofaboyandanintensely
sympatheticnatureisalwaystender."Thetruestarethe
tenderest,thelovingarethedaring."TheFoolhas,inthe
spaceofafewmonths,passedthroughthevicissitudesof
alifetime.Thesetrialsdevelopinhimloving,wholesouled
boyhood,thequalitieswhichMr.Furnessclaimsforthe
"man"only.
BacktotheKingLearExaminationQuestionsmainpage.

Howtocitethisarticle:
Williams,Maggie.ShakespeareExaminations.Ed.
WilliamTaylorThom,M.A.Boston:GinnandCo.,1888.
ShakespeareOnline.10Aug.2010.(datewhenyou
accessedtheinformation)<http://www.shakespeare
online.com/plays/kinglear/examq/meightaes.html>.

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