Free King Lear Essays: Comic Relief :: King Lear essays

Comic Relief in King Lear     Combining the antics of a circus with the pomp of a royal court is a difficult labor movement indeed. William Shakespeares genius came from how closely he intertwined the two seemingly mutually unshared realms to appeal to all socioeconomic groups in his audience. In King Lear, Edgars appearance as Tom of Bedlam, Lears insanity, and Lears take up provide the comic relief which slices the dramatic tension. Among these, Lears cod provides the closest intercourse of the two realms of royalty and tom bum aboutery while still maintaining their separation. chumps, as I understand them, were kept by kings as entertainment devices foregoing to the advent of television. Lears have, how-ever, transcends the role as entertainer to assume the role of both Ann Landers and Jim Davis. Particularly fascinate to me are his witticisms and humorous tidbits which interweave foreshadowing, practical advice, humor, and characterization into a succinct, m eterical saying. The Fool begins by offering his jesters cap to Kent, saying that if Kent is to follow Lear, he had better pretend a coxcomb, insinuating the folly of following Lear. He goes on to say that if I gave my daughters all my property, Id have to keep a coxcomb. The Fool is quick to juxtapose his point out against his statement that he does not have a monopoly on foolishness. The Fool further points out the presence of a wise man and a fool without saying who is who, and he criticizes Lear for going the fools among, implying that Lear is usurping the Fools position as one inclined(predicate) to lapses of judgment and sheer stupidity. He tacitly insinuates through his actions and statements that he is among the company of fools, which provides the lead of foreshadowing the audience needs to know that Lear is losing his wits. The Fool also uses billet by analogy several times. He first relates Lear to a hedge dunnock which feeds cuckoo babies, which then bit the sparrows head off. The Fool also relates fatuous egg shells to Lear and his crown. Shakespeares unique touch comes in the double meaning of the egg shells. The Fool says that Lear is left with two empty egg shells for a crown, but he also implies that Lears head is like an empty egg, related most clearly in the comparison of the color of Lears head to the color of an egg.Free King Lear Essays Comic Relief King Lear essays Comic Relief in King Lear     Combining the antics of a circus with the pomp of a royal court is a difficult task indeed. William Shakespeares genius came from how closely he intertwined the two seemingly mutually exclusive realms to appeal to all socioeconomic groups in his audience. In King Lear, Edgars appearance as Tom of Bedlam, Lears insanity, and Lears Fool provide the comic relief which slices the dramatic tension. Among these, Lears Fool provides the closest intercourse of the two realms of royalty and tomfoolery while still maintaining their sepa ration. Fools, as I understand them, were kept by kings as entertainment devices prior to the advent of television. Lears Fool, how-ever, transcends the role as entertainer to assume the role of both Ann Landers and Jim Davis. Particularly intriguing to me are his witticisms and humorous tidbits which interweave foreshadowing, practical advice, humor, and characterization into a succinct, meterical saying. The Fool begins by offering his jesters cap to Kent, saying that if Kent is to follow Lear, he had better have a coxcomb, insinuating the folly of following Lear. He goes on to say that if I gave my daughters all my property, Id have to keep a coxcomb. The Fool is quick to juxtapose his comment against his statement that he does not have a monopoly on foolishness. The Fool further points out the presence of a wise man and a fool without saying who is who, and he criticizes Lear for going the fools among, implying that Lear is usurping the Fools position as one prone to lapses of j udgment and sheer stupidity. He tacitly insinuates through his actions and statements that he is among the company of fools, which provides the hint of foreshadowing the audience needs to know that Lear is losing his wits. The Fool also uses argument by analogy several times. He first relates Lear to a hedge sparrow which feeds cuckoo babies, which then bit the sparrows head off. The Fool also relates empty egg shells to Lear and his crown. Shakespeares unique touch comes in the double meaning of the egg shells. The Fool says that Lear is left with two empty egg shells for a crown, but he also implies that Lears head is like an empty egg, related most clearly in the comparison of the color of Lears head to the color of an egg.