Quotes Works Cited Cordelia "Whiles I may 'scape, I will preserve myself, and am bethought to take the basest and most poorest shape that ever penury in contempt of man brought near to beast. My face I'll grime with filth'Edgar' I nothing am" [Act 2 Scene 4 Lines1-21] Edgar
The disguise in the personalities of Kent and especially Edgar bring out sympathy from Lear and show a shift in his nature and spirit. Lear offers Poor Tom clothes and compassion. This highlights the change in character of Lear throughout the play. Finally Lear agrees to take shelter, but he tells the Fool to go in first. Edgar, in disguise, is within the hovel, and the Fool is frightened by him, thinking Edgar a spirit or a ghost "Edgar's disguises [] embody the world that has been blown aside or fotten by the violence at the centre" (begins the madman leading the blind, becomes a 'better spoken' guide 4.6.10, a moneyed fiend 28-30, a 'bold peasant' 227, a gracious 'sir' 5.2, an avenging knight, a returned son and brother, an inheriting earl or even the heir apparent 5.3) Quotes Works Cited Cordelia "Whiles I may 'scape, I will preserve myself, and am bethought to take the basest and most poorest shape that ever penury in contempt of man brought near to beast. My face I'll grime with filth'Edgar' I nothing am" [Act 2 Scene 4 Lines1-21] Edgar Failing to recognize the disguised and raving Edgar as his son, he leads Lear, Kent, Edgar, and the Fool to a house. Gloucester's failure to recognize his own child, echoing Lear's failure to recognize his long-faithful servant Kent, provides a literal emphasis to Lear's metaphorical "blindness" to the true qualities of his daughters.
A nobleman of the same rank as Gloucester, banished by Lear in the first scene when he attempts to intercede with the king on Cordelia's behalf. Kent spends most of the play disguised as Caius, a disguise he takes on so that he can continue to serve Lear even after being thrown out of his kingdom. Kent Quotes in King Lear
The earl of Kent returns in disguise, offers his services to Lear, and is accepted as one of Lear’s followers…. Act 1, scene 5 Lear, setting out for Regan’s with his Fool, sends the disguised Kent ahead with a letter to Regan. Act 2, scene 1
Although banished, Kent disguises himself in an effort to stay close to his king. Kent is honest — he will not lie to his king — and he is truly selfless, devoted to Lear. When his attempts to protect Lear from his own impetuous nature fail, Kent assumes the guise of an ordinary man and resolves to protect his king. edgar It was Kent, sir, the exiled Kent, who, after the king treated him like an enemy of the state, put on a disguise and followed his king, carrying out tasks unworthy of even a slave. Enter SECOND KNIGHT with a bloody knife The Earl of Kent returns from exile in disguise (calling himself Caius), and Lear hires him as a servant. At Albany and Goneril's house, Lear and Kent quarrel with Oswald, Goneril's steward. Lear discovers that now that Goneril has power, she no longer respects him. She orders him to reduce the number of his disorderly retinue.