Foil Characters in King Lear and Rear Window

Foil Characters in King Lear and Rear Window 

Foil characters are characters that contrast each other.  They are like mirror images; they are clearly different but they share similarities. A writer’s use of foil characters helps the reader understand each individual character better, and develop them as the story goes on. Shakespeare’s plays are rich in complex and interconnected characters which compare and contrast throughout the play.

In King Lear, an example of Foil Characters would be Lear and Gloucester. Their families are nearly identical. They both deal with the issue of blindness. Gloucester is blinded in the play, and throughout the play Lear is blind to what’s going on.

Kent and Oswald are an example of foil characters. The biggest contrast between the two the people they serve.  King Lear and Goneril are enemies in the play. Lear is Kent’s master and Goneril is Oswald’s master. The actions of one bring the other one down. The two servants differ in their values. Kent is a loyal servant and is motivated by defending his values. He confronts Lear after the king banishes his daughter for being truthful. He honors his values more than the King’s judgment. This is done in complete loyalty to the King, even though Lear is blind to it. Kent is trying to make Lear see that he is making a mistake. When it would have been in his best interest to stay silent, Kent decided to speak out in defense of his values and in the best interest of the King.

In Rear Window, Jeff spends his time sitting in the darkness, watching others and not being seen by his neighbours until the climax of the film. He is more passive than Lisa, who conversely, is very active and exciting. She is always jumping around Jeff’s apartment, doing things for him. She eventually does a lot of investigating about the murder, while Jeff is confined to the apartment.

Lisa is the real dominating character in Rear Window. Even though we see the world from Jeff’s point of view, she is one of the main characters in the film. In King Lear, women play a huge role