A Comparison Of Richard III And Looking For Richard

Language is transformed to effectively explore both resonances and dissonances that ultimately shape new meaning overtime. Texts reflect the concerns of their time, allowing Literature to mirror the values of the times. In Richard III, Shakespeare uses King Richard to align the mediaeval values established through the great chain of being during the Elizabethan era. In comparison, Al Pacino’s docudrama “Looking for Richard" effectively explores a more newer approach to King Richard ultimately suiting a more contemporary audience during postmodernism. Thus, it is through the Elizabethan era and the war of the roses, that Shakespeare was able to align and become reframed in Looking for Richard.

Pacino has reinvented Richard’s character to suit

Shakespeare explores the idea of self determination through his pursuit of power in Richard III as he attempts to behold the throne for the Elizabethan audience. Shakespear profoundly encapsulates Richard's cunning, manipulative and ambitious nature that demonstrates his pursuit of power as he states “Since I cannot prove a lover I am determined to prove a villain”. Richard, during the opening soliloquy of the play expresses his motivation of becoming a villain through his paradoxical pun that also foreshadows his ambition to obtain the throne of England, ultimately going against God. Pacino, like Shakespeare, provides insight into the pursuit of power for Richard that

Shakespeare’s craft of writing of King Richard’s manipulative and cunning human nature eventually provides the consequences of expropriating power. Shakespear effectively illuminates Richard’s knowledge of the cost of his pursuit of power that has disorientated his remaining humanity which is emphasised by the noun creature in Act 4“ there is no creature loves me and if I die no soul shall pity me”. Shakespear language profoundly conveys the downfall of Richard’s pursuit for power, effectively illustrating the consequences of expropriating power that ultimately conserve the rebirth in power during the War of roses. However rather than conversing with the spiritual and moral corruption of Richard, Pacino provides insight into the psychological wound that Richard experiences providing despair and empathy. Pacino downplays Richard’s sins and actions by blaming them on Richard’s deformity and psychological difficulties that allows the audience of postmodernity to emphasise with a different modern perspective of Richard’s cunning actions that provides understanding of their world. Pacino’s repetitive voiceover of “despair and die” constructively furthered the transition of Providentialism to a postmodern society that is illustrated of Richard’s character, however still illuminates the malice nature of Richard. Thus, Pacinos reinvention of Richard’s