Everything about The Wise Fool totally explained
The
wise fool, or the
wisdom of the fool is a theme
that seems to contradict itself in which the
fool may have an attribute of
wisdom. With probable beginnings early in the
civilizing process, the concept developed during the
Middle Ages when there was a rise of "civilizing" factors (such as the advent of certain practices of manners in
Western Europe) and achieved its most pronounced state in the
Renaissance. The wisdom of the fool occupies a place in opposition to that of
learned knowledge.
Characteristics
The implications built-in the "wise fool" figure comes out of the societal biases, inclinations, and tendencies held about real fools. Various characteristics attributed to the fool, include:
- lacking seriousness and given to frivolity (inanis, fool),
- dull-witted or not very bright (stultus, dolt, clown),
- retarded in intellectual development or mentally deficient (imbécile, dotard),
- lacks understanding (insipiens),
- different from normal men (idiot),
- deprived of the use of speech or words,
- babbles incoherently (fatuus),
- noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline when merrymaking (buffone),
- nonrecognition of correct or appropriate behavior codes (ineptus),
- mock the "others" ;
- acts like a child,
- simplicity of the heart (natural), and
- innocence of the heart (simpleton).
Innocuous fools have often enjoyed special
privileges in cultural and economic groups, whereas aggressive madmen had to been restrained or incarcerated. A fool's powerlessness and helplessness may gain them protection of more fortunate people. Since the fool is only guided by their natural instincts, because they don't understand social conventions, they're not culpable for breaches of those rules. The fool isn't expected to "know better" or "know" anything.
Because of this, the fool has often been given great relative freedom, particularly in speech. The advantage of speaking with exemption from punishment has made the fool attractive in the literary imagination, for example, the fool in
Shakespeare's
King Lear. Lear's fool is one of only three people in the play who consistently speak to him wisely, and the other two, Cordelia and the Earl of Gloucester, are punished severely.
Though the fool is in a position separated from normal society which can cause them to be subjected to deriding acts and contemptous treatment, it has also at times caused them to be regarded with respect and reverence — the
holy fool. In the Middle Ages, and in some primitive societies, the fool was thought to be under the protection of God and possessing "
Godly imparted tongues".
Further Information
Get more info on 'Wise Fool'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://wise_fool.totallyexplained.com">Wise fool Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
