The Revealing Final Lines of King Lear: Albany, Kent, and Edgar

In the final stanza's of King Lear, Shakespeare reveals the three true "heroes" of the play, who ironically act predominantly as second-tier characters. Albany, Kent, and Edgar, who are portrayed in the play as lower-level persons-- Albany is a subordinate role to his wife Goneril, Kent to his master King Lear, and Edgar to his powerful brother Edmund, at least superficially. Their powerfully telling roles in the play do not manifest until later in the progression, while the functions of their more "important" counterparts are evident immediately. Goneril, Edmund, and Lear profoundly drive the plot forward, initiating conflicts at every turn. Albany, Kent, and Edgar are their foils. They take what conflict has been formed and purify it in their own ways by acting as the most just and true characters in the play. Their last lines attest to this, and furthermore reveal that Shakespeare prefers these characters over their sinister partners, whom he kills off. 


Albany, always just and honest throughout the play (he realizes quickly that Goneril is despicable and has no fear in telling her so, yet he does not fight her), remains honest in his final lines: "All friends shall taste the wages of their virtue, and all foes the cup of their deservings." He then rewards Kent and Edgar the kingdom, who justly deserve it for the good they have done. Albany's final lines attest to his character and cause him to further be illuminated within the play as being more pure at heart than the other characters. 


Kent, dedicated and deeply loving of his master King Lear, sees him through to his heartbreaking end. He goes as far as to disguise himself to continue serving his senile king out of love for him. Shakespeare sums Kent's character in his final lines as well, as Kent says that he must follow his master to his death. Kent's unbending loyalty, as it is emphasized in the final lines of the play, is placed on a pedestal by Shakespeare, towering over the sentiments of the other characters in purity and truth. 


Edgar's truthful character reigns too over others in his last lines: "The oldest hath borne most, we that are young shall never see so much, nor live so long." He, unlike the other characters (predominantly Regan and Goneril), honors rather than degrades the elderly (Lear and Gloucester). Edgar, though deemed a traitor by his father, faithfully revives his father and leads him to safety in Dover. Again, the fact that he speaks the final, truthful lines of the entire play demonstrates that he, according to Shakespeare, is one of the most valuable and respectable characters in the play.