# Oswald — King Lear character guide

> Oswald in King Lear by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Oswald Madam, Exit Oswald, Oswald Help, Reenter Oswald, Oswald Prithee, Oswald Away, Oswald Slave

**First appearance:** 0004-act-i-scene-iii

## Snapshot

Goneril's obsequious steward, a small man with borrowed authority who bullies the helpless and embodies the petty cruelty of serving power without conscience.

## Who they are

Oswald is the face of Goneril's household: he carries her letters, enforces her slights against Lear, and treats the king's retainers with sneering contempt. His pride is entirely secondhand, drawn from the mistress he follows, and Kent's violent contempt for him makes that hollow arrogance visible. As a minor functionary who enables great cruelty, he shows how tyranny depends on ordinary people willing to do its errands.

## Relationships

### [King Lear](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/characters/king_lear)

_professional_

Oswald is Goneril's steward, serving as a messenger and antagonist to Lear, often disrespecting him.

### [Edmund](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/characters/edmund)

_professional_

Edmund and Oswald collaborate as servants of Goneril and Regan, plotting against Lear and Edgar.

### [Edgar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/characters/edgar)

_rivalry_

Edgar kills Oswald after Oswald tries to murder Gloucester, acting as an enemy to the corrupt steward.

### [Edgar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/characters/edgar)

_rivalry_

Edgar kills Oswald after Oswald tries to murder Gloucester, acting as an enemy to the corrupt steward.

### [King Lear](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/characters/king_lear)

_professional_

Oswald is Goneril's steward, serving as a messenger and antagonist to Lear, often disrespecting him.

### [Edmund](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/characters/edmund)

_professional_

Edmund and Oswald collaborate as servants of Goneril and Regan, plotting against Lear and Edgar.

## In the story

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/chapters/act-i-scene-iii)

Receives Goneril's orders to treat Lear and his knights with coldness and negligence.

### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/chapters/act-i-scene-iv)

Oswald is struck by Lear, tripped by Kent, and later sent by Goneril to deliver a letter to Regan.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-ii)

Goneril's servant, assaulted by Kent.

### [Scene VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-vii)

Brings news that Lear has gone to Dover with his knights.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-ii)

Reports Albany's strange behavior to Goneril.

### [Scene V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-v)

Delivers Goneril's letter, resists Regan's pressure to unseal it, and agrees to seek out and kill Gloucester.

### [Scene VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-vi)

Arrives to kill Gloucester but is slain by Edgar, revealing letters to Edmund before dying.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/characters/oswald
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/king_lear_se/characters