Lear's Fool

As in many of his dramas, Shakespeare uses the fool as an ironic source of wisdom and logic.  As a witty jester and an object of humiliation for others' enjoyment, the fool is surprisingly the character who makes the most logical sense in the play.  The fool takes on the role of an informal royal advisor; he reveals Lear's errors in judgement throughout the play.  An example early on in the play, the fool addresses Kent (in disguise) who wishes to accompany and aid Lear: "[. . .] Why, this / fellow has banish'd two on's daughters, and did the / third a blessing against his will: if thou follow him thou / must needs to wear my coxcomb" (Act 1 Scene 4 96-99).  He calls Kent a fool himself for wanting to follow Lear, but this is not a warning message to Kent but a reality check for Lear.  Ultimately, while the Fool's critical comments on Lear can be somewhat cruel his objective is to help him.

The fool seems to be most effective in Act 3, Scene 6 when he holds a mock trial of Lear's daughters.  At this point Lear has begun to slip into senility; however, he finally internally realizes the shallowness of his daughters, Goneril and Regan in this slip from reality.  The fool disappears from the play after Lear, now thoroughly mad, reaches Dover.  He could have disappeared because of Lear's mental state, or possibly because at this point Lear has realized his mistakes and the fool has completed his task.