Parallels Between Lear and Gloucester

     Lear and Gloucester have many things in their lives in common.  Each has children and some sort of standing rank in the kingdom that at least one of their kids wants from them.  In the beginning of the play Lear decides that his only "loving" daughter, Cordelia, should be banished to France because she didn't play into Lear's game of tell me how much you love me.  This action leaves Lear's other two daughters, Goneril and Regan, with all the control of the kingdom and even the power to drive Lear insane.  Similarly, Gloucester has two sons and Edgar, one of those sons, loves and respects him very much but the other, Edmond, looks to drive Edgar out of the kingdom then take his fathers position in the kingdom from himself.  These things make Lear and Gloucester very similar because their loving children get driven away from the kingdom in one way or another which causes trouble for the "old men" because then all they have left are their disrespectful children, which are looking to get rid of their fathers.  Because of these similarities in the story it really helps to show all the problems that are created by the children that don't care what is best for their fathers, but only what will get them more power and authority.  These actions ultimately cause everyone, expect Edgar and Albany, to die in one way or another.

Lear's Fool

      Lear's fool plays a major role in this play by jokingly pointing out a lot of Lear's faults directly to his face even though Lear just shrugs them off because he thinks that what the fool is saying dosen't matter.  As the play continues Lear and his fool are shut outside in the storm and the fool stays loyal to Lear and talks to him while they are out in the rain and even tries to convince Lear to go inside.  After Lear gets inside, the fool sticks around until Lear leaves to meet Cordelia at Dover.  When Lear leaves for Dover the fool is gone from the play, and with no real reason why.  Im not really sure why the fool disappeared from the plot of the play but if i had to venture to guess it was because King Lear was in good hands with his only loving daughter and the fool could sneak off and find a place to not be a part of all the conflict.  the reason i believe this is where the fool went is because it is exactly what i would do.  Wait till the person im with is in safe hands, then get out of the fight that i am not supposed to be a part of.