English Literature / Unit 7 ENL 0620 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Fool and the Clown
Captions available
The idea
Shakespeare's fools speak truths others will not. In King Lear, the Fool mocks the king's folly in giving away his power; in Twelfth Night, the clown Feste sings and observes that "pleasure will be paid." The fool's licence to jest lets him tell the truth.
In practice
The jester who tells the truth.
Where people slip
The fool is often the wisest voice.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Unlocks
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for English Literature