Comedy in "King Lear"

Paper Summary:

On its surface, "King Lear" by William Shakespeare, stands as an excellent example of one of his tragedies and, in certain senses, it is the most obviously ?classical? of Shakespeare's plays in terms of tragedy. This paper examines how there can be room for comedy in the play and shows how Shakespeare blends the two elements of tragedy and comedy successfully throughout the text. The paper also borrows examples from several of Shakespeare's other plays to illustrate this blending of concepts.

From the Paper:

"Indeed, at this moment, King Lear comes to realize for the first time the folly of his policy and the treachery of his daughters and in this moment, we, as an audience might begin to have some sympathy for his earnest expression of grief. The Fool, however, responds to Lear's heartfelt outpouring with a witty remark that provokes laughter rather than sympathy, creating a strange moment for the viewer who is caught between the depths of Lear's suffering and the hysterics of The Fool's remark:"

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