In Akira Kurosawa's transformation of King Lear into Ran, the flat character of Lear's Fool evolved into Hidetora's Kyoami, a character who presents a number of personal complexities absent from that of Shakespeare. Silly. Both characters occupy a significant and unique position in their respective dramas, but where the Fool is a flat character with relatively little effect on Lear's plot, Kyoami is a larger, more fleshed-out character in Ran, whose relationship with his High Lord offers more personal complexities than the more familiar relationship between a Western king and his jester. Ultimately, Kyoami is a more human character than the Fool, whose crises of conscience over remaining loyal to Hidetora are an important aspect of the film's morality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayIn Lear, the Fool occupies a position at Lear's court that would have been familiar to Shakespeare's audience. The Fool has more freedom than any other character to criticize Lear, and indeed, the Fool spends much of Act I excoriating a perplexed Lear, despite the vaguely joking threat of a whip. Additionally, the Fool enjoys a prominent position at Court with Lear as his benefactor; Indeed, Lear is said to have struck a gentleman for "reprimanding his fool" (I.iii 1), and Lear, whatever his attitude at any given moment, shows a willingness to listen to his fool and joke with him , even when the Fool's observations are particularly biting. Unlike the relationship between Kyoami and Hidetora, however, the relationship between Lear and the Fool seems very one-dimensional. The Fool is given no real backstory in the play, and his position was not alien to early 17th-century spectators: he is simply a Fool, and is therefore expected to make such observations in the king's council. His relationship with Lear is also obvious. Roz Simon, author and editor of the Royal Shakespeare Company's play guide, notes the following: A distinction was made between fools and clowns, or country bumpkins. The status of the fool was privileged within a royal or noble house. His madness could be considered the ravings of a madman, but it was often considered to be divinely inspired. The “natural” fool has been touched by God. Much to Goneril's dismay, Lear's “licensed” Fool enjoys a privileged status. His characteristic language suggests that he is a "natural" fool, not an artificial one, although his insight and wit show that he is far from an idiot, however "touched" he may be. More importantly, the Fool himself is a very flat fool. character, someone who has no real character arc of their own; he is, in all these respects, almost a standard character, whose functionality in the main plot of Lear as a source of observation, commentary, augury, wit and even persuasion is more significant than he as an actor in the play. In other words, while all the other main characters have a unique story in Lear, one that includes crises of conscience and morality as well as a distinct personality, the character of the Fool presents no such complexities: the Fool is always simply the Fool, and he pretends to stay with the fallen king during Lear's period of misfortune simply because he is a fool. Despite the provocative nature of the Fool's statements which make him an engaging force in the play, the Fool is ultimately so marginalized in the story that he simply disappears in the third act inambiguous circumstances. Despite Kurosawa's intention to give Lear a stronger backstory, there is a marked absence of backstory for Kyoami, an aspect which highlights the complexity of his turbulent relationship with Hidetora. As with the Fool, the audience learns little about Kyoami's past life and how he became Hidetora's servant, the difference being that there was apparently no comparable lore of a character like him. fool in Japanese medieval history. While an audience can see Lear's The Fool and immediately understand the character's position, the same cannot be said for Kyoami. Even when writing the film's screenplay, Kurosawa needed to understand Lear's story in order to accurately portray the character he was forming; Alexander Leggart writes on this subject: “There is a precedent in Japanese tradition: commenting on his remarks, Kurosawa likened him to approved artists guarded by warlords and allowed freedom from the rules of etiquette. [...] But he also comes from the outside: he is presented in the script as a “servant-entertainer, the equivalent of the fool in a medieval European court”. This is the only Western analogy that the scenario makes. (182) Kyoami is therefore presented in the film as Hidetora's servant, a person of low birth and little privilege (unlike Lear's "natural" fool) who nevertheless enjoys a number of special privileges in his relationship with Hidetora . Visually, Kyoami appears in stark contrast to the rest of the hunting party in the film's first scene. While the various nobles and warriors are depicted sitting stiffly and with dignity, Kyoami, in his brief performance, is a living presence. He moves his colorfully dressed body with enthusiasm and without restraint, almost seeming to transcend the respectful rigidity of those around him. Despite her submissive position, Kyoami, as an artist and comedian, naturally enjoys a particular freedom of movement, dress, and speech. Unlike Lear with his Fool, the laconic Hidetora does not often joke with Kyoami. ; Hidetora rarely seems to enjoy the antics of his faithful servant-artist, and as the Great Lord slides into madness, he acts belligerently and capriciously towards Kyoami, at one point whipping him for his insolence. Yet there appears to be a mutual loyalty between servant and master in this relationship, as evidenced by the first scene in which Hidetora unexpectedly kills a soldier threatening to maim or kill an unarmed Kyoami. Although this incident is not explicitly discussed at any point in the film (except as the impetus for Taro's exile from his father), this fact should not obscure the important fact that Kyoami owes his life to Hidetora. Furthermore, this violent act is the closest thing to an expression of gratitude or affection that we see Hidetora express to Kyoami. While the Fool stays with Lear because, he says, he is a Fool, Kyoami's continued loyalty to Hidetora is a more nebulous question. Despite his cynicism towards Hidetora's warlike ways, Kyoami is clearly very emotionally invested in his service to Hidetora: he cries openly after Hidetora expels him for disagreeing with the decision to go to the third castle. After Hidetora is mentally weakened by his experience in the Third Castle, it falls to Kyoami and Tango to care for their leader, which they initially do without question. Eventually, Tango leaves and for a time, Kyoami is tasked with looking after Hidetora alone; the time the two spend together eventually causes Kyoami to undergo a moment of serious introspection. While Hidetora sleeps, Kyoami wonders out loud why he decides to>.