A Motley Fool

I remember that in class we had talked about the role of fools in Shakespeare's plays. We had said that they are usually the characters that say what needs to be said but can get away with it because they are the fools and are not taken seriously. In As You Like It, the fool, Touchstone, is the "wise fool" that we had talked about. In Act 1, scene 2, he is talking to Celia and Rosalind, telling them about a knight who swore on his honor. When Touchstone makes the comment that the story is related to Celia's father, Duke Frederick, Celia becomes angry and tells to stop or he will be punished. Touchstone's response is an amazing one. "The more pity, that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly." This line is the ultimate statement of what we had talked about in class. What makes this even more interesting is that Celia agrees with him when she says "By my troth, thou sayest true."


The next quote is from Act 2, scene 7. Jaques, who earlier was brooding, comes back to Duke Senior at camp much more happy than before. When asked why, Jaques gives his monologue about meeting a fool (Touchstone) and reiterates what the fool said. Part of what he said was, "Tis but an hour ago since it was nine,/ and after one hour more 'twill be eleven;/ and so, from hour to hour, we ripe and ripe/ and then, from hour to hour, we rot  and rot;/ and thereby hangs a tale." Jaques sings the fool's praises, even going as far as wanting to be a fool. Little did he know that Touchstone was really mocking/ commentating on Jaques brooding.