King Lear

King Lear

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0zwkFWcRwc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pblf5l0R38M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb-4lwMg8bI The video commentary on King Lear I chose is titled ‘King Lear – The Role of the Fool by Cameron Willison. Cameron Willison is focusing on the character Fool and tells us the role of the Fool in the commentary. Fools are the characters that usually make people laugh using their comical appearances and foolish gestures. The Fool in King Lear also gives audience pleasure through his humors and jests. However, according to Cameron, the Fool is not so foolish at all. He can be depicted as a very wise character in all contexts. The Fool is always visible next to King Lear, predicts the future of King Lear, criticizes, and helps the King to be healed. Throughout the plot, the Fool penetrates people’s mind, especially King Lear and delivers the facts of human life to King Lear and to the audience. This is a very important role because the Fool deliberately gives main messages to King Lear and audience. Fool uses his humors, and riddles to help the old King move forward to realize that authority, wealth, and territory are not the fundamental natures of the human. Fool is seemed to be just a jester of the King who has a duty to maintain a theatrical face in front of his King, however this character ironically plays a truest figure with the very truest insights of human life in the play, which allows him to be a key character. This commentary seemed very appealing to me compared to others because most of the commentaries emphasized and only focused on other main characters so I did not realize this single character could convey the significant theatrical meaning. Fool helps and guides King Lear to the full realization of his own foolishness causing tragedy of human life. After suffering and realizing, King Lear goes through healing time and cures the wound with the help of the Fool. In this context, the Fool is a wise fool, wise helper, and healer for King Lear.