This does not deter Kent, however, and he re-enters the castle disguised as Caius, a man of a lesser rank than Kent, and resumes his service to the King. Kent retains his bluntness, for which he suffers a night in the stocks. Kent is in total opposite of Goneril’s servant, Oswald. Oswald does everything his mistress tells him to do with no qualms at the stake of his dignity because he knows that as long as he obeys he will gain. He is only loyal to Goneril because she is a source of power, unlike Kent, who proves his unwavering loyalty to Kent when he stays with him event though now he is worth nothing.
Kent is also a very reliable judge of character. He sees through Goneril and Regan’s false adulation and recognizes Cordelia’s simple yet true devotion for her father. He also disapproves of Oswald’s lack of authentic loyalty to his masters, and proceeds to insult Oswald on the grounds of being a “knave”, a “whoreson” and “one that wouldst be a bawd in way of good service”. Kent is also devoted to Cordelia, and sees her as a potential redeemer and a hope for a better life.
Another staunch supporter of Lear is The Fool, a court jester licensed to say whatever he wants to make the King laugh. Shakespeare uses the Fool to say things that other characters are unable to. For example, The Fool immediately refers to Lear’s mistake of judgement and calls him a “bitter fool” for having given away all his titles and kingdom. No other character in the play could have said that and get away with it. The Fool does not divulge random bits of silliness, rather, his words are of wisdom and help Lear see the error of his ways and eventually see the truth.
The Fool is also a companion to Lear and tries to sooth Lear’s grievances with jokes. There is a close relationship between the two and they use affectionate terms such as “nuncle” and “my boy” when talking to each other. The Fool is seen as an alternative for Cordelia, Lear’s dearest of his children. Cordelia and the Fool are never in the same scene which may imply that they hold the same significance in Lear’s eyes. Later on in the play the Fool is replaced by Edgar in the role of guide in Lear’s voyage of change. The Fool disappears when he is no longer needed and is duly substituted by Cordelia.
Lear’s change of character throughout the play is largely thanks to the characters of Kent and the Fool, the only people who stood by him and shown him any real love and respect. Their role is critical to the play, as they stand out from the other characters that are only loyal to Lear for personal gain. This helps Lear recognize the important things in life and in turn, help him become a better human being.