Fool (novel)

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Fool is the eleventh novel by the American author Christopher Moore , which was published in 2009. The theme of the book is based on the plot of Shakespeare's King Lear , but by no means identical with it - described from the point of view of Lear's court jester, who is called Pocket by Moore.

action

Pocket is jester to King Lear of Britain. To prevent the wedding of Princess Cordelia, whom he adored, Pocket intrigues with Edmund von Gloucester. Pocket promises in return the illegitimate Edmund help in his efforts to bring his legitimate half-brother Edgar out of his country. Edmund initiates the competition between the three daughters, which also occurs in Shakespeare, in describing their love for their father, in which Cordelia is the only one who refuses to flatter. Lear then disinherits them and divides the land and its power to the two older daughters Goneril and Regan. However, the Prince of France marries Cordelia without a dowry, thwarting Pocket's plan. Pocket - angry about Lear's behavior towards Cordelia and advised by a ghost who later turns out to be his deceased childhood sweetheart and at the same time the former queen and mother of Cordelias - begins to plan his revenge on Lear: He convinces Goneril and then Regan of it, Lear of his remaining privileges (namely his followers to be fed) and tries at the same time to drive the two sisters to war with the other. Homeless and only accompanied by Pocket, Lear finally realizes the misjudgment of his daughters and at times goes mad. To stir up the quarrel between Goneril and Regan, he makes each of them believe that Edmund is in love with them. But there was no civil war, because Cordelia marched in with her army from France. Before Pocket and Lear can take their side, Edmund captures them and throws them into dungeon. Under the impression of Cordelia's attack, the rival older siblings initially join forces, but Pocket's intrigue ultimately succeeds: Out of jealousy, they poison each other with a poison that Pocket himself supplied them. Edmund, in turn, is killed by Pocket while attempting to kill Lear and Pocket in prison. The ghost appears and reveals its identity, the horrified Lear dies shortly afterwards. Cordelia takes the castle and becomes Queen of Britain. The unmarried Cordelia - the French prince has proven to be homosexual and now lives with the Duke of Burgundy - marries Pocket, who becomes king of Britain and several other countries in this way.

Publications

The novel was published under the title Fool in the USA in 2009 by William Morrow and was translated under the same title by Jörn Ingwersen and published by Goldman in Germany. In the US, it reached fourth place on the New York Times bestseller list.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Moore, C. Fool, 2009

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