Who the...

Who's the Fool

The old addage wisdom comes with age seems to be far from true in King Lear.  The fool is the only one who can speak the truth without getting thrown out, yet since it's the fool speaking true and the aged that's the fool and the fool who is wise, who's fooling who?

Fool: 

They'll have me whipped for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipped for lying, and sometimes I am whipped for holding my peace.

May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse?

If thou wert my Fool, nuncle, I'ld have thee beaten for being old before thy time.  Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise.

Much truth is spoken in our society in jest!  In fact most of the time that is when pure truth is spoken, yet because it's in jest nothing is done about it; therefore, we end up just like King Lear, pared [our] wit o'both sides, and left nothing i' the middle.  So the next time your friend or roommate throws a "jest" listen and then throw the book at them!  This book preferably. One would be fool not to listen and they need to quit playing the fool and get their horse in front of the wagon.  But the rug is you may be the one attempting to be wise before your old!

I love the conceit of the fool! Yet the bigger question is who's the fool!