Richard III
About the Play:
Richard III is a five-act chronicle play penned by William Shakespeare around 1592-94. It was first published in 1597 in a quarto edition, which was likely reconstructed from memory by the acting company when a copy of the play went missing. The version in the First Folio of 1623 is significantly improved, as it was extensively corrected with reference to an independent manuscript.
As the final installment in a sequence of four history plays, collectively known as the "first tetralogy," Richard III is part of Shakespeare's exploration of significant events in English history during the late 14th and early 15th centuries. The preceding plays in this sequence are Henry VI, Part 1, Henry VI, Part 2, and Henry VI, Part 3. To craft the events of the play, Shakespeare primarily drew from the chronicles of Raphael Holinshed and, to a lesser extent, Edward Hall. The play depicts the cunning and ruthless rise to power of Richard III, a captivating and infamous historical figure, as he navigates treacherous political intrigues and commits heinous acts to claim the English throne.
Major Characters of the Play:
Richard, also known as the duke of Gloucester, serves as the central character and the villain of the play, eventually becoming King Richard III. He is physically deformed and possesses a twisted mind. Richard is depicted as an evil, corrupt, sadistic, and manipulative individual who harbors an unrelenting ambition to claim the throne. His intelligence, political brilliance, and captivating use of language keep the audience spellbound, while his subjects and rivals remain under his control.
Margaret, the widow of the late King Henry VI and mother of the slain Prince Edward, holds a significant role in the story. In medieval times, when kings were overthrown, their children were often killed to eliminate any threat to the royal line, but their wives were spared as they were considered harmless. Margaret was married to the Lancastrian King Henry VI, who was subsequently dethroned and murdered, along with their children, by the family of King Edward IV and Richard. Filled with bitterness, she harbors a deep hatred for both Richard and those associated with the downfall of the Lancasters.
The princes, young sons of King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth, are Prince Edward and the young duke of York, often referred to collectively. Richard orchestrates the murder of these innocent boys, who are his nephews, while they are confined in the Tower of London. Prince Edward, the rightful heir to the throne, should not be confused with the elder Edward, Prince of Wales, who was killed before the events of the play and was the first husband of Lady Anne and the son of the former King, Henry VI.
Summary of the Play:
Jealous and crippled, Richard of Gloucester wants to be King of England and uses manipulation and deceit to achieve his goal. He murders his brothers, nephews, and opposition to become King Richard III. In the end, Henry of Richmond raises an army, kills Richard in battle, and becomes King Henry VII.
Act I: Richard III follows the events portrayed in Henry VI Part 3. Richard of Gloucester, the brother of King Edward IV, is determined to gain the crown of England for himself, no matter what. His plot begins as he romantically pursues Lady Anne, a widow. He woos her as she accompanies the funeral procession of her father-in-law, King Henry VI (whom Richard murdered). Anne is unable to resist Richard's advances and becomes Duchess of Gloucester. Richard engineers the imprisonment of his elder brother, Clarence, in the Tower of London. Clarence tells his jailer a dream he had of drowning. Shortly afterward, Richard's hired assassins kill him and place the body in a cask of wine.
Act II: King Edward IV is ill, and Richard is appointed to govern in his place, aided by Lord Hastings and the Duke of Buckingham. Three women mourn their state: Margaret, the former queen of Henry VI; Queen Elizabeth, Edward's wife; and the widowed Duchess of York, Richard's mother. Margaret curses Richard and the kingdom.
Act III-IV: To counter any claims to the crown, Richard confines his nephews, the young Prince of Wales and his brother, in the Tower of London. Buckingham assists Richard's rise to power by helping persuade the Lord Mayor and the people of London to support their faction. When disease kills Edward, his brother is proclaimed King Richard III.
Richard has Lord Hastings, the Lord Chamberlain, executed to thwart him. Richard also sends an assassin to smother the princes in the tower in their sleep. Buckingham suspects Richard's role in the death of the young princes. Then when he is denied an earldom, Buckingham seeks to raise an army against Richard. Richard captures and executes him. Meanwhile, Richard wants Elizabeth of York, Edward IV's daughter, as a new wife to secure his position as King. He has his current wife, Anne, murdered.
Act V: Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, is the heir to the Lancastrian claim to the throne, and he gathers an army in France to oppose Richard's tyrannical reign. Their armies meet at Bosworth in Leicestershire. The night before the battle, the ghosts of his victims haunt and curse Richard while appearing to Richmond and blessing him for the battle. Richmond kills Richard III on Bosworth Field and is proclaimed Henry VII of England. He plans to end the 'Wars of the Roses' by marrying Elizabeth of York and becoming the link between the white rose of York to the red rose of Lancaster.
Themes of the Play:
The Allure of Evil: Richard III uses his physical deformity as a manipulative tool to garner sympathy and deceive others, making him a captivating and cunning villain throughout the play.
The Connection Between Ruler and State: The play explores the intricate relationship between a ruler and the state, as Richard's thirst for power leads to a destabilization of the nation and a descent into chaos.
The Power of Language: Richard's eloquence and mastery of language serve as potent weapons in his quest for power, enabling him to manipulate and control those around him, and highlighting the persuasive nature of language in political maneuvering.
The Birth of the Tudor Dynasty: The play culminates in the rise of the Tudor dynasty, with the defeat of Richard III by Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth Field, leading to the beginning of a new era in English history.
Deceit and Betrayal: Richard III's ascent to power is marked by a series of treacherous acts and betrayals, as he manipulates and eliminates his rivals, leaving a trail of deceit and betrayal in his wake.
Verbal Manipulation: The struggle for power in the play is not solely based on physical force or political strategies but is heavily influenced by the characters' adeptness at using words to advance their agendas. Richard's verbal manipulation is a crucial element in his climb to the English throne.
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