"Then, I prithee, be merry; thy whit shall not go slipshod" (Shakespeare Act 1 scene 5, 11).
I think this quote illuminates what kind of relationship the King and his fool have. His fool calls the king "Nuncle", meaning uncle and is seen as a term of endearment. In return the King calls him boy. There relationship is much more deep than this though, as the fool constantly speaks in double entendres. Things he says can be interpreted in two ways, one being completely harmless, and the other a rude remark. His use of these shows the underlying contempt and his true feelings about the King. I think the fool sees himself in a place of protection, being the fool he can say things that no one else can say. When he says something he hides the meaning, not enabling the King to see the harsh meaning of what he said. Through all the hidden meaning the reader can see how the fool is smarter than the King. This highlights an important reason for doing this, Shakespeare relates his ideas that the higher up and not necessarily the highest and best at everything. That royalty is not as prestigious as it seems.
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