King Lear Lesson Plan

King Lear has banished both Cordelia and Kent for mildly criticizing him, but he tolerates much more scathing criticism from his Fool. Why do the Fool's words go unpunished?

Points the students may raise include (but are not limited to):

• Perhaps since he is a "fool," Lear does not truly listen to the things that he says
• Perhaps he does listen to what the Fool says, but takes it less seriously because he does not take the Fool's words seriously.
• Perhaps he does not expect the same level of deference from his Fool that he would from his own daughter, or from a courtier.
• Perhaps the emotional bond he has with his Fool is strong enough so that the fool can get away with this...