In Act 1, what strategies does Richard use to set his plots in motion and why are they so effective? Discuss whether Richard's actions reveal him to be
In Act 1, what strategies does Richard use to set his plots in motion and why are they so effective? Discuss whether Richard's actions reveal him to be "totally evil" or the "undisputed hero of the play". To begin with, this essay will summarise Act 1 by pointing out the main factors. There are three main factors in Act 1, which are firstly, the opening soliloquy, secondly, the wooing of Lady Anne, and finally, Richard and Clarence. Richard is appealing because he is an expert actor and trickster. Whilst he is outlining his plots, he is always in charge of himself, and extremely aware of how to play every scene to his advantage. His dishonesty and deception are daring and irresistible to the audience. He is skilled at playing the concerned family man, taking his brother, Clarence and then he becomes the Protector of his nephews. Richard's ultimate plan is to be King, to reach this goal; he must conduct acts of tyranny because he has no right to be King (the Divine Right of Kingship). In the opening soliloquy, Richard lays out his plots and thinks about how he can get Clarence imprisoned and killed. During the wooing of Lady Anne, first of all she is reluctant to give into Richard, however after a while of Richard wooing her, she gives in to him. And, throughout the conversation between Richard and Clarence, Richard is seen to be a Machiavellian character. Richard wants
'In his depiction of Richard III Shakespeare has created much more than a simple theatrical villain.' Discuss
RICHARD III 'IN HIS DEPICTION OF RICHARD SHAKESPEARE HAS CREATED MUCH MORE THAN A SIMPLE THEATRICAL VILLAIN.' DISCUSS Richard is a cruel, corrupt, manipulative, ruthless murderer; as well as a master of deception. However he is not just a trunk of the most evil qualities. Outwardly he appears to be a deformed monster, yet he is as cunning and determined as the cruellest of villains, his rhetoric is beautifully agile and his wit is of the darkest kind, yet he remains greatly entertaining. The manner in which he achieves his goal is quite superb, reaching the throne not purely by butchery but also exploiting the weaknesses of those around him. Richard is a tyrant brought up in a background of betrayal and civil unrest; however, what makes Shakespeare's portrait so entertaining is Richard's humour and wit. Richard III is a multifaceted study of political aspiration and corruption. The majority of Shakespeare's information about Richard III came from Holinshed's Chronicle, first published in 1578 in it Richard is described as many things. He was described as being witty however Holinshed also described him as weak, '...in bodie and prowesse'. This shows where Shakespeare obtained the image of Richard being deformed. Holinshed also described Richard as being. ' malicious, wrathfull and enuious'. Therefore we cannot blame Shakespeare for the image that he grafts on Richard,
Is it right to describe Edward the Confessor as a failure?
History Coursework Essay Is it right to describe that Edward the Confessor as a failure? During Edward's the Confessor's reign from 1042-1066, Edward faced many problems. According to Stafford, some of the problems had no obvious solutions. Some historians argue that Edward was a failure as he was unable to deal with the power of the Godwine, and was even less successful with the power of Harold and thirdly, he was unable to solve the problem of the succession issue according to Barlow as he shows that there were no contemporary sources that show Edward dealing with the succession, in the latter part of his reign. Evidence shown from historians that Edward had an inconsistent policy towards the succession issue. The Norman sources and English sources tell a different story about whether Harold or William had the right to the throne. However, other historians may argue that Edward was not a failure, as he was able to maintain relationship with the Godwines, he was able to solve the problem of not having enough supporters, able to defend his kingdom according to Barlow and also according to Barlow he was able to keep his reign peaceful, this view is backed up by the ASC, which shows that there was no evidence of crisis during Edward's latter part of the reign. It could be argued by some historians that Edward should not be described as a failure as king. This was shown
The Explosion.
The Explosion. As I arrived in the plane, I looked out of the window with great anticipation. I saw the volcano it was colossal, I could feel the blistering heat coming from the volcano, even though I was still in the plane. And there was lava squirting out of the summit like nothing I have ever seen before. Mauna Loa is renowned for its unpredictability, and it was practically unstable now. It was like an egg being boiled until it finally cracked, but in this case it would not be the soft yellow centre squirting out, it would be a vast flow of molten lava oozing out, with rocks soaring into the sky like a space shuttle departing for space. This was the first time I had been to Hawaii. I was told by a geologist that it was the most unpredictable volcanic island in the world. I felt my whole body shiver as I was told this, but I knew it would be the greatest experience of my life. Nothing in the natural world could ever beat Mauna Loa for its shear size or beauty; I could smell my adrenalin pumping around my body like a swarm of bees. We landed a few miles away from the volcano, named Mauna Loa. Richard and I departed the plane and collected our luggage which had already been unloaded on to a trailer. It was a typical American trailer, with all the grunt and power you would ever need. The Americans always have to be bigger and better. Richard was a good friend of
In act 1 scene 2 Richard III has many difficulties before he wins Lady Anne. Shakespeare, too, has many challenges in this scene. How are these overcome? Do you find Lady Annes capitulation to Richard credible?
In act 1 scene 2 Richard III has many difficulties before he wins Lady Anne. Shakespeare, too, has many challenges in this scene. How are these overcome? Do you find Lady Anne's capitulation to Richard credible? The war of the Roses is a civil war between two families fighting for the crown. On one side there are the York's and on the other side there was the Lancaster family who at the start of the war have thrown. At the end of the war the Lancaster's have lost the thrown and the only important living Lancaster left is Lady Anne. Lady Anne was the wife of Lancaster prince Edward. He has been killed by Richard III who is a York. He also killed Lady Anne's father in law and the reigning king Henry VI. Shakespeare sets Richard III just after the York's have won the crown. Richard is at a celebration party where everybody is having fun are talking and are having a great time. The way Shakespeare presents Richard III makes us feel that he is the only one not having fun. The reason for this is that Richard III was a great fighter but after the war has finished he has nothing to do and he "hate the idle pleasures of theses days". He is "Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time". As he is deformed he can't woo a woman because no body wants to be with him. Richard III is the type of character that never lies. He tells the audience what he is going to do then he does it and then
Is Richard III a hero or a villain
Is Richard III a hero or a villain? A hero is defined as "a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability, an illustrious warrior, a person- a man admired for noble achievements & qualities (e.g. courage), the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work". A villain is defined as "a scoundrel, rascal; also a criminal, a character in a story or play whose evil actions affect the plot". I feel as if I should define "antihero" as this could be a relevant term for Richard. An antihero is defined as "a protagonist who lacks traditional heroic qualities (e.g. courage). The question is very relevant to the character of Richard. I believe this is because he encompasses two personalities, which in itself makes him villainous, but also makes him a character of several dimensions. Certain qualities fall into the categories of "villainous" & "heroic" but Richard's character is not simply one or the other, since he embodies characteristics which fall into both categories. During Richard's life, there was a great lack of political stability. The Wars of the Roses (which lasted 30 years) was fought between the houses of Lancaster (red rose), & York (white rose). By the end of the play, the crown belongs to Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who is linked to Lancaster. It is often thought that Tudor monarchs encouraged a particular
'In his depiction of Richard III Shakespeare has created much more than a simple theatrical villain' Discuss
'In his depiction of Richard III Shakespeare has created much more than a simple theatrical villain' Discuss In Shakespeare's Richard III, Richard is undoubtedly a monstrous villain set out to seize the throne of England for himself in any way possible. He does this by ruthlessly killing people in line for, or even anything to do with, the throne. Shakespeare, however, albeit historically inaccurate, has created a man much more than what meets the eye. Behind his physical deformities lies a man of extreme intelligence and wit, who is very shrewd and crafty. He is a villain, but much more than an average villain. He is a deeply malicious monster yet significantly wise and perceptive. He gains the throne not simply by butchery but by intelligence and exploiting the weaknesses of those around him. The play tells us lots more about him. The opening speech made by Richard, probably one of the most famous speeches, informs us initially of the background to the play and sets the scene. It is a soliloquy - a speech delivered by a character alone on the stage to the audience. The opening four lines, containing at the start one of the two most well known lines in plays, tell us that the War of Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York is now over, and that Richard's house (the House of York) has prevailed and triumphed as the ruling house of England: Now is the
What have you found of interest in Marlowe's presentation of history in Edward II?
What have you found of interest in Marlowe's presentation of history in Edward II? Throughout Edward II, Marlowe uses a variety of stimulating techniques to present the drama as a history play. Marlowe manages to use the tradition of the chronicle or history play and develop it further producing an extremely compelling, unique piece of work. It is a play which on one hand shows structural affinities with the chronicle plays, in that it has a stirring plot with a rapid flow of incident and plenty of variety while on the other hand it has points of contact with tragedy in its attempts to show on stage heart-rending scenes filled with passionate utterances, deep pathos and high tragic dignity. This can be seen in Act four, scene two where the pace quickens as Marlowe deviates between countries. We see Edward receiving the news that Isabella, Mortimer, Kent and the young prince Edward are collecting an army in Hainault to attack on King Edward: 'Ah villains, hath that Mortimer escaped? With him is Edmund gone associate? And will sir John of Hainault lead the round? Marlowe therefore states historical moments, which did actually occur, but real, human, affectionate feelings are also shown from Edward, which makes the drama so much more intriguing. Also, in this scene the importance of Prince Edward continues to grow in a carefully controlled way. In the midst of Edward's anger
Explain the importance of Act 1 Scene 1 to 'King Richard Third' Discuss your ideas for presenting these scenes and say, how successfully you think the Loncraine Version interpreted them.
Explain the importance of Act 1 Scene 1 to 'King Richard Third' Discuss your ideas for presenting these scenes and say, how successfully you think the Loncraine Version interpreted them This plays deals with the story of King Richard third, Duke of Gloucester, and reflects on how he gained the English Throne. The genre is 'history' although in our terms it changed to 'horror' due to the number of deaths that take place among the characters throughout the film. Richard becomes the focus of the play; it is structured to allow the audience to feel involved and complicit in his crimes. The backdrop to the play is the infamous civil conflict, 'the war of the roses'. The play is presented in the Tudor perspective. It was written to flatter the monarchy. Therefore, Shakespeare portrayed Richard in a negative light as a deformed, obsessive villain not a hero. The conflict of the 'war of the roses' was a brutal civil war where Queen Elizabeth's godfather Henry VII defeated Richard and gained the throne of England, the first Tudor monarch. In this way, Shakespeare indicated that the Tudors were the founders of peace, ending the 'war of the roses' in favour of Elizabeth. The civil war affected people badly, throughout the whole British Isles. Shakespeare's language indicates that after the civil conflict, everybody was involved in great celebrations. The language of war is balanced
'Dangerously alluring', to what extent is this an accurate estimation of Richards Character?
'Dangerously alluring', to what extent is this an accurate estimation of Richards Character? Richard III. One of the most complex characters in Shakespeare's various plays. Psychologically, he is an enigmatic individual, who possesses a number of contradictory characteristics, which qualify him as a fantastic villain. He is a man so determined to succeed, that he can almost be perceived as slightly insane. His three dimensional character means that there is a side of him that will appeal to the audience, and absorbs the viewer into his world of madness, irony, and mayhem. There is no other suitable way to characterise Richard, apart from 'Dangerously alluring', as I will prove in a psychosomatic analysis of Richard in the play 'King Richard III'. One of Richard's most dangerously alluring characteristics is his manipulative speech. He is undoubtedly the most articulate character in the whole of the play, making him dangerous to encounter. He proves, throughout the play, that, with the aid of his 'honey words', he can free himself from any situations that may jeopardise, his plot and thus his path to the throne. One of the most improbable situations, which Richard's verbal dexterity allows him to escape, is his confrontation with Anne (Act I Scene III), at the funeral of her late husband Edward Prince of Wales, who died at the hands of Richard following the Battle of