Placing Kent in the stocks is a serious affront to the king, akin to administering the same punishment to the king himself. This blatant act of treason perfectly illustrates how Lear's control over his subjects is crumbling. Traditionally, the king's emissary is the king in loco, and is accorded every respect and honor given the king, were he present. So, Kent must be treated as the king, since when the king is not present, his emissary represents him and deserves the same treatment that Lear would receive. Placing Kent in the stocks is the same as placing Lear in the stocks. This action is a serious insult to the king.
In this instance, Kent's public humiliation also demeans and insults the king. The imprisonment is an offense against nature, because the king should be accorded the respect of his subjects, just as the father is to be accorded the respect of his children, and just as the aged should be afforded the respect of the younger members of society. Cornwall's actions reflect the upheaval occurring in nature, where the old are no longer revered and the king is no longer honored. Lear is, indeed, in grave danger from Cornwall.
The scene ends with Kent reading a letter from Cordelia, but how Cordelia has learned of Lear's difficulty in this short span of time is not evident. The audience is expected to simply accept the incongruity of the letter's existence.
