The Fool and Tom (Edgar) both help their masters through their use of foolishness. The style that they help their masters in though, is completely different. The fool uses his foolery in a very bold way. He mocks Lear, and through doing so points Lear to the source of his troubles, his own actions, especially through the breaking up of the kingdom.. This mocking hand helps prompt King Lear into his mad ravings, from which, I will assume, he is able to gain some redemptive understanding in the final act.
Tom, on the other hand, claims to be mad, but he uses his madness to combat Gloucester's. After 'helping' him commit suicide, Edgar tells Gloucester that he saw him being lead by a devil. Casting Tom as a devil allowed Gloucester to see that his suicidal madness was evil and needed to not be followed.
Tom leads Gloucester away from madness and the Fool leads King Lear into it. What is interesting is that both methods are what the characters need at the time.
Interesting... especially that 'madness' is what Lear 'needs at the time.' I hadn't really thought of it that way, but you could argue that! Also a good comparison of the two, Edgar and the fool.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting how you made it sound like Tom was evil because I really didn't get that vibe. It definitely seems like he is somewhat possessed as an act, but I don't feel like Gloucester ever interprets Tom and being an evil character.
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