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The Earl of Kent, known throughout the play as Kent, is a character in William Shakespeare's tragic play King Lear. He is a nobleman who is extremely loyal to King Lear and described widely as the plays best judge of character and the plays main voice of reason. Kent spends the majority of the play disguised as Caius, a peasant, so he can continue to provide council and serve Lear even after he banished him.

Role in play
Kent is an advisor to King Lear and the most loyal of his subjects. The play begins with Kent being banished by Lear as he tries to tell him that Cordelia does in fact love him. He is honest with Lear, ‘when majesty falls to folly. Reserve thy state, and in thy best consideration check this hideous rashness. Answer my life my judgement: thy youngest daughter does not love thee least’ (1.1.144-147).

After his banishment by Lear, Kent assumes the disguise of a peasant names Caius. He does this so he can continue to serve Lear again cementing his complete loyalty. In act two, scene two, Kent is placed in the stocks after an altercation with Goneril's steward, Oswald. This angers Lear since it is done under his daughter’s authority and in turn throws Lear’s own power into question.

When Lear is sent out into the storm Kent remains with him. Kent is also present when Cordelia and Lear reunite. At the end of the play following Lear’s death Kent says, ‘my master calls me, I must not say no’ (5.3.343).

Analysis
Kent is said to be the voice of reason within the play and his character reflects the true nature of what is happening such as in act one, scene one when he tells Lear that Cordelia is not the daughter that loves him the least. He is honest, reliable and trustworthy even though this is not always recognised or valued by Lear. Therefore, Shakespeare has arguably used Kent as a vehicle to express Lear’s fragile state of mind and his descent into madness. This is shown by King Lear banishing Kent who represents the truth as he cannot face it. This leads to why Kent has to return disguised as Caius. On a literal level this is because Lear has sent him away and Kent needs to be disguised so he can return and serve him. However. On a deeper level, this supports the idea of Lear’s fragile mental state as he can only see the truth when it is disguised as something else.

As well as having a devotion to the king it can be argued that Kent also has a devotion to the truth that is imperative in the play both to help guide Lear and the audience. Jonas A. Barish and Marshall Waingrow speak of this, ‘his code can be reduced almost to two commandments: absolute loyalty to his master and absolute loyalty to the truth’. They build on this further conveying how Kent is the voice of truth even when this goes against what Lear believes to be true, ‘Kent’s good service therefore starts (in the play) with an act of disobedience, the only alternative being an act of servility- a dilemma created by the King’s failure to recognise the counterpart of his subject’s obligation to him’.

The ending
The ending of the play could be considered ambiguous when concerning Kent. He is asked by Albany to rule over the country with Edgar but Kent declines saying, ‘I have a journey, sir, shortly to go: My master calls me, I just not say no.’ (5.3.342-343). This is usually read to mean that Kent follows Lear into death. There are no stage directions to confirm this but this is likely what Shakespeare meant to convey. It is written in online sources, ‘Kent’s destiny is irrevocably connected to that of the king’s as the final scene reveals… Kent feels that his job on earth is to serve his king, and with that job now ended, he anticipates his own death’.