| Lear either thinks that he is wise as he frequently refers to himself as old, or he is starting to realise that he is old but has not had the wisdom that goes with it, suggested by the word “shouldst” | thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise |
| Fool comments ironically on Lear’s foolishness | thou wouldst make a good fool |
| Fool implies that his status is what gave him wisdom/that he clearly has no wisdom if he could give away his power | thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gav’st thy golden one away |
| Fool, in a song, summarises how nature has turned on its head and wise people have become the fools | [Sings] wise men are grown foppish, and know not how their wits to wear, their manners are so apish |
| Edmund takes advantage on Edgar’s innocence and goodness, calling it folly, but Ed ends up dead and Edg still inherits the estates Ed so desperately desires | on whose foolish honesty / My practices ride easy |
| the man who kicks away what he should love (Cordelia?), or misplaces his affection on principal (Gloucester –> Edmund?) will find suffering and sleeplessness | the man that makes his toe / What he his hearth should make, / Shall of corn cry woe / And turn his sleep to wake |
| the fool implies that wisdom should breed power, not the other way around | here’s grace and a codpiece – that’s a wise man and a fool |
| poor Tom shows wisdom (similar to the fool), but also voices similar expectations as in James I speech to parliament, implying that the “foul fiend” is kings/god | take heed o’the foul fiend; obey thy parents, keep thy word justly |
| showing the subversion of hierarchy and everything | (Gl) ’tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind |
| Gon says that Albany’s sense of morality is a weakness and stupid, irony when comparing to the fool and his influence and wisdom | moral fool |
| fool’s natural wisdom | jesters do oft prove prophets |
| the fool shows the corruption of the king, who will only hear what he wants to from his subjects and will never be challenged (compare to James I speech) | they’ll have me whipped for speaking true, thou’lt have me whipped for lying, and sometimes I am whipped for holding my piece |
King Lear quotes – wisdom/folly and the fool
July 23, 2019