When we born we cry and we come to this great stage of fools?
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In King Lear, Lear says, 'When we are born we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools.' Who are the fools to whom he refers and did the term "fool" have a different meaning than simply a...
In King Lear, Lear says, 'When we are born we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools.' Who are the fools to whom he refers and did the term "fool" have a different meaning than simply a person who does silly things?
Shakespeare, speaking through King Lear, is using poetic license here. It is common knowledge that every baby cries as soon as it emerges from its mother's womb. If it doesn't cry of its own volition it will be given a sound slap on the behind to make it cry. This is supposedly necessary to start the lungs working and to clear the respiratory passages. Lear pretends that babies all cry at birth because they realize they have been brought into a terrible world.