Essay on William Shakespeares Fools - 2066 Words

Shakespeares Fools Shakespeare used foolish characters in his plays to make points that he considers highly important. I had previously supposed that Shakespeare was an entertainer who sprinkled his writing with observations about humanity and its place in the world to please critics. However, I discovered that he was a gifted writer who had a penetrating understanding the condition of humanity in the world and sprinkled his plays with fools and jokes meant for the common man as a way of conceding to his audiences intellectual level. Or, as Walter Kaufmann said in his essay Shakespeare: Between Socrates and Existentialism, Shakespeare came to terms with the obtuseness of his public: he gave his pearls a slight odor of the†¦show more content†¦(I Henry IV I.ii.201-207) That is to say, Hal wishes that others see him as the prodigal son. Having sunk himself in debauchery and common vice, his new acceptance of his noble station after his conversation with his father in III.ii, with all of its attendant responsibilities, is all the more impressive. The king who Shakespeare believes to typify the ideal head of state had to identify with the common people, both to be able to understand them and to win their love and admiration. Falstaff is an essential part of Hals ability to identify with the common people, albeit only indirectly. It is Falstaff who provides Prince Hal with many opportunities to show his companions, the common people of the inn, how similar his is to them through his constant jokes at Falstaffs expense. The robbing of the robbers in II.ii, the plundering of Falstaffs pockets in II.iv, and the constant jokes at Falstaffs expense throughout the first three acts are types of humor which the inns patrons could appreciate. However, seen in this light, Falstaff could still be a mere entertainment device. It is true that Falstaff provides numerous opportunities for humor throughout the first three acts, but there is another layer at work, one that IShow MoreRelatedFool in William Shakespeares King Lear Essay1119 Words   |  5 PagesFool in William Shakespeares King Lear The Fool’s function in King Lear is to create emphasis on the tragedy in the play and give insight into the characters’ true nature. He shows other characters’ nature though blunt comments and earns himself the name of ‘all-licensed Fool’, as he clearly states peoples’ inner personality. He develops the tragedy though a theme of madness and instability, from his use of poems and rhymes intermingled with standard prose, Read MoreEssay on The Fool in William Shakespeares As You Like It1525 Words   |  7 PagesThe Fool in William Shakespeares As You Like It The fool is one of the first character archetypes that any student of literature learns how to analyze. 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