Cordelia VS The Fool

In Shakespeare's King Lear, there are two important characters that are completely opposed, but similar at the same time: Cordelia and the Fool. But, how are this two different characters similar?

The Fool's actions often anger the King, and lead to an increase in his madness. He causes distress by insulting him, making light of his problems and telling him the truth. On the other hand, Cordelia's actions more often calm Lear, and coax him back into sanity. She steadies him with compassion, understanding and truth. Another commonality between the Fool and Cordelia is their honesty, as I mentioned before. Both the Fool and Cordelia are frank with Lear, though he may not always appreciate that they do so for for his own good.

Though both the Fool and Cordelia are forthright with the King, they are dissimilar in other crucial ways. The scenes that involve the Fool are fraught with madness an are confused at best, while the scenes involving Cordelia deal with love and are restrained. 

As a summary, the two characters want what is best for the king. Although the Fool and Cordelia are similarly candid towards their King, they never interact to each other because the Fool is a chaotic influence while Cordelia is a stabilizing force. 

References:

-Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). King Lear.

-The Fool And Cordelia: Opposing Influences On King Lea. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.123helpme.com