Pocket, The Fool

**Brief Overview of Pocket’s Storyline**

Pocket’s story starts out with him on a ship to Venice. He has been sent by his wife, Cordelia , who is queen of a large portion of Europe to dissuade the senate from another crusade. They want a war because of money. He also is on a mission to avenge his wife’s death, who was murdered. After arriving in Venice, he has dinner with the Senator Brabantio , who is accompanied by Antonio and Iago. Pocket is already not on good terms with Brabantio because, Pocket helped his daughter, Desdemona , marry Othello . Pocket begins to insult Brabantio and Iago and they drug him. He wakes up chained in a dungeon that is full of water. While chained up, a sea monster named Vivian visits him. Vivian essentially rapes Pocket but later frees him. He escapes, and then washes up in front of Jessica’s house. Pocket’s continuing motivation to stay alive through all of this, is his love for Cordelia. After being found, Jessica gives him food and shelter as long as he will be a servant. Pocket begins to work for shylock, and at the start, Pocket uses Jessica for her money to help him on his mission. He then begins to fall in love with Jessica. Pocket has a flashback of when Cordelia’s ghost comes to him to tell him he cannot have sex with anyone else.

Pocket ruins Portia and Bossanio’s chances of ever getting married by taking the picture of Portia out of the lead casket. This essentially ruins Iago's plan of later being in control of Venice. Pocket then gets Iago arrested and Iago is killed by Vivian.

Cordelia’s ghost again visits pocket and she tells him it is okay for him to be with Jessica. Pocket takes Jessica from Shylock and they sail to China.

Visit Launcelot Gobbo

**Characterization**

Pocket, the fool is a very crude, foolish, and meddlesome character. Although he seems crazy, his intentions are good. He wants to avenge his wife, Cordelia’s, death and accomplish the task she gave him to stop the crusade in Venice. He is very lustful, but maintained his respect for his marriage vows by not having sex with Jessica. He is very loyal to her by not sleeping with Jessica until Cordelia’s ghost gave him permission. Pocket even helped Othello marry Desdemona.

Pocket is one of the main characters and protagonists of *The Serpent of Venice*.  He took very serious situations and provided comedic relief while still making good points. He is very blunt with his speech and is actually pretty smart and he tells it how it is. He is not afraid to offend somebody when he speaks his mind.

**Parallels**

***King Lear* Fool**

The fool in *King Lear* is a very sarcastic character who, just like Pocket from *The Serpent of Venice,* is very smart and actually gives King Lear important advice. In *The Serpent of Venice*, Pocket is one of the main characters while in *King Lear*, the Fool is just a small supporting role.

(For more Information on *King Lear,* visit this wiki entry King Lear)

**Launcelot Gobbo**

Lancelot Gobbo comes from *The Merchant of Venice*. He is shylock’s servant. Pocket, the Fool is more crude, more involved in the story, and is smarter than Lancelot Gobbo. Lancelot Gobbo is seen more as a “clown” while Pocket is seen more as a “fool” or “jester”. It is very similar but there is a difference. A clown is more of an uneducated person who is very ignorant. a fool is very sarcastic and witty. Pocket also has more characterization because he is a central character in *The Serpent of Venice.*

(to read more about Lancelot Gobbo, visit http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/characters/merchantgobbo.html )

**Cask of Amontillado**

Here is the summary of The Cask of Amontillado

Here is the reading of *Cask of Amontillado*[1]