“The Shakespearian Fool as the Orchestrator of the Play’s Conscience” – A Reinterpretation of the Role of the Clown in Shakespeare’s King Lear

Abstract

The Fool has been part of the medieval cosmos even before the advent of the English Theatre. Originating as jesters and clowns in medieval courts, Shakespeare brought the fool into his plays to bring both realism and comic relief to the often melodramatic and sombre tragedies which in turn reveal the psyche of the human mind. The fool is not found only in Shakespeare’s Romances but has a very crucial part even in his tragedies. This paper attempts to highlight the role of the fool as the inner voice of the titular hero in Shakespeare’s King Lear. The clown often ridicules and jokes around the king and his state but he is not killed or imprisoned, as he is just a meagre jester. However, Shakespeare portrays the clown as the character who breathes sense through his wit to his fellow characters and he is often the sole guard of the play’s conscience.