Fool
Can you make no use of
nothing, nuncle?
KING LEAR
Then ’tis like the breath of an unfee’d lawyer; you
Why, no, boy; nothing can be made out of nothing.
Interesting, interesting. Nothing can me made out of nothing. Where have I heard something like that before…
CORDELIA
Nothing, my lord.
KING LEAR
Nothing!
CORDELIA
Nothing.
KING LEAR
Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.
I’ve probably heard this scene played out a dozen times, but for the first time I appreciate just how blatantly the Fool can look Lear in the eye and say, “You’re an idiot.”