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Richard IIIBy William Shakespeare

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Richard the character The language of the play Structure Themes Motifs Other aspects: the role of women, other

characters…

Overview: Aspects of the play we will be studying.

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Is a theatrical character who plays many roles

Is not a normal tragic hero: multifaceted Embodies various dramatic types

Richard: the Character

For each of the topics above, find supporting examples and evidence as we go.

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Reluctant prince Political

manipulator Cornered, sweating

rat Bluff soldier Others?

A theatrical character who plays many roles

Devoted brother Stalwart friend Witty wooer Loyal subject Plain blunt chap Pious convert Benevolent uncle Good protector

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In some ways, conforms to archetype, but also: A Villain and a tyrant A controller An actor Delights in his powers of deception and ingenuity Dangerously disrespectful he is paradoxical his motivation is unclear he rejects remorse

Is not a normal tragic hero: multifaceted

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A Senecan tyrant: a one dimensional character in Senecan (Greek) tragedies

Five act division Highly stylised speech and line for line fencing

matches Use of soliloquy Narrative reports of horrors recited by

messengers Cycles of revenge and retribution A chorus for comment on the action Stock characters such as ghosts and a tyrant

Embodies various dramatic types (1)

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The Vice figure from medieval morality plays: The function of the Vice figure was to show how

easily human nature could be tempted into sin The devil’s accomplice, a master of mischief

and wordplay Takes the audience into his confidence and

invites applause for deceiving others A show off And expert at twisting words and at the art of

double entendre

Embodies various dramatic types (2)

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A Machiavellian ruler: Politically amoral Cunning Has a reputation that will dissuade people

from deceiving/tricking him Chooses to be feared rather than loved

Embodies various dramatic types (3)

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A conventional Elizabethan stage villain: Has intellectual rather than popular appeal Opposes the moral order by being atheistic

and satanic His moral monstrousness is symbolically

represented by some unnatural quality His career follows the pyramid structure of

rise, triumph and fall

Embodies various dramatic types (4)

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1:1:1-41: Ian McKellan; Laurence Olivier 1:1:145 -162 1:2:227 -263 5:3:178 – 207 For each of these, make notes on:

contentlanguage

Compare and contrast the four soliloquies

Comparing the soliloquies (1)

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Comment on the following quotation:When taken with other salient soliloquies, most notably "Was ever woman in this humor wooed?" and "My conscience hath a thousand several tongues" from later in the play, Richard transcends the Vice archetype that Shakespeare uses as an initial frame of reference. It keeps Richard from being the cartoon he might have been in lesser hands.

Comparing the soliloquies (2)

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Richard’s excessive energetic evil is more compelling theatrically than vapid virtue

Richard is a fully realised human being Richard gets what he deserves Richard’s charms make the audience

excuse his actions The only truly unforgiveable thing Richard

does is kill the Princes in the Tower Richard may well be evil, but he’s not as

bad as Queen Margaret.

Richard’s character: Consensus Discussion