The Downfall of Hastings In this extract in Act 3 of the masterpiece: King Richard III written by William Shakespeare, the filthy Richard is in the midst of "getting rid" of a few people that he believes might stand in his way of getting the throne. At the beginning of this passage, Ely, Hastings and Stanley are waiting for Richard and Buckingham to return to the Tower of London because before that, Richard had gone to have a quick word with Buckingham. The discussion that they have after Richard returns, truly changes the relationship between Richard and Hastings due to Richard's actions. These changes in relationships show the complexity of Richard's plan and his great ability to manipulate and persuade others to usually allow Richard to move forward in his execution of his plan to become the King of England.
In Shakespeare’s Richard III, Richard’s incredible ability to manipulate others transcends to real life as the character manipulate the audience’s feelings towards. He is able to change the way that he is viewed by him, going from a conniving monster to a clever and impressive ally. This character is able to reinvent his image through the act of manipulation which is what gave him his original unpleasant title, as he gains the ability to mass manipulate an entire audience into thinking they are the only one’s he is true to, when in reality they are the ones being duped by the most. Although Richard III is a real historical figure and manipulated people in his own life, the manipulations of the character of Richard III are entirely at the hands
This allows Richard to effectively manipulate those who feel remorse for him, exposing the stark contrast between his outward appearance and his inward realities. This is evident through the persistent use of aphorism, that Shakespeare highlights Richard’s inward nature, as “conscience is but a word that cowards use”. His dismissive attitude towards conscience and morality reflects Richard’s distorted views of ethics as a tool for the weak. Richards's manipulations are deeply resonant with the Elizabethan audience, due to their perpetual fear of treachery and potential threats to Queen Elizabeth III’s rule. Richard’s motives are further uncovered as he flatters Anne, "Was ever a woman in this humour woo'd?
She has her students focus on the theoretical, ideological, and metaphysical views of the play. During the discussion, the students consider how Richard’s deformity affects his character and question if his deformity is portrayed solely as a negative characteristic. To illuminate this idea, van Elk has her students read a section of Henry IV when Richard talks about the unusual timing of his birth. Through discussion, van Elk wants her students to critically think about their interpretations and thoughts on the play. She includes film in her teaching strategy as well by showing the beginning and ending of Laurence Oliver’s 1955, Jane Howell’s 1983, and Richard Loncraine’s 1995 films.
Over the course of Shakespeare's, Romeo and Juliet; Juliet has proved herself to be a round dynamic character. In the beginning of the play, was a more independent character and thought about herself only and not another individual. When she met Romeo and married him all her actions were to please Romeo and not herself entirely. Before she would put herself first but not that she is putting Romeo before everything shows how she has changed proving she is a dynamic character. She went against her better judgement and took the potion that could have been actually lethal just to be with Romeo even though they haven't known each other for long.
Pacino states that he wants to show that King Richard III is about ‘how we think and feel today’, mirrored in the film’s subtitles ‘A four hundred-year-old work in progress’ suggesting for Pacino there are central values and ideas in the play that remain relevant for contemporary audiences. This notion reinforced by the African-American man who believes Shakespeare should be in schools ‘because then our kids would have feelings’ and ‘we wouldn’t be so violent.’, reflective of an American context with excessive violence and gun culture. Pacino’s representation of Richard clothed in black with a Chiaroscuro lit face is metaphoric of his duplicit and bureaucratic nature, likening his actions to the ‘canvas like politicians, complete with lies and innuendo’ to reflect the corruption and wide distrust in politicians in his era. A claim reiterated through a series of vox pops to enable contemporary audiences to understand this style of power is menacing, such as Vanessa Redgrave’s suggestion that people in power have ‘total contempt for everything they promise, everything they pledge’, the long shots of nobles being imprisoned serving to symbolise the harsh, unyielding treatment received by those who oppose Richard. These varying representations of Richard reflecting that no text is ideologically
After the player queen says the line “…If, once a widow, ever I be a wife!” Hamlet exclaims “If she should break it now!” This comment is pointed at the Queen, who is, in fact, sitting across the room. Instead of staying calm and whispering it quietly to some one near him, like Ophelia, Hamlet gets overly excited and yells it, trying to make a certain point that the Queen, and even the King, can hear him. This can be seen as an insane move.
In the novel, Shakespeare represents Richard III initially as dominant, Richard states ‘stay’, which implies that Richard is implying authority. In comparison, Lady Anne states ‘what do you tremble? This demonstrates Lady Anne’s confidence and that she is not intimidated by Richard’s presence. Richard III, doesn’t love Lady Anne however he wants to marry her and have children with her.
Ahmed Ammar Albannai 2-10-2016 Honors English period D Ms. Sandy Richard III In the play of Richard III there were two major roles that affected the morale of the story. The two characters were Buckingham and Hastings. Buckingham is loyal to Richard , he is his right hand and he is willing to do anything that Richard asks him to do.
This scene shows how Hero hides behind others and is not able to independently carry out her plans. Shakespeare develops Hero’s character by showing what she does not say or do, which effectively
After knighting Dick, the Duke of Gloucester stares deeply into his eyes, causing him to quail before his gaze. “The insane excitement, the courage, and the cruelty that he read therein filled him with dismay about the future” (Stevenson 217). Richard discovers the cruelty of knighthood and becomes disillusioned to what true manhood means. After witnessing the ruthlessness and ferocity of knighthood, Dick understands that knighthood did not possess the qualities which he came to believe knighthood included. In order to become Joanna’s husband, Richard forsakes all the glories of knighthood, realizing that Joanna means more to him than knighthood and its fading glories.
In the play, Hamlet, William Shakespeare reflects the common early modern beliefs and perspectives about madness by using the character development of the protagonist who feigns madness throughout the play. Given Hamlet 's status as a prince, current knowledge of madness during the time period, and the contrast of the different types of madness of other characters in the play, Elizabethan audiences would have found it plausible that Hamlet feigns madness as part of his plot to avenge his father 's death. This new historicist perspective steers the modern reader away from anachronistic psychological interpretations of the play. Hamlet’s status as a prince gives the character certain roles and expectations to fulfill, such as avenging his father’s
One of the characters that derives great intrigue from his inclusion in Shakespeare’s plays is the fool. Throughout the years of writing plays, Shakespeare has been known to utilize this character and in some aspects, his role has been adjusted and the differences can certainly be seen. His roles differ from one play to another and there is a sense of metamorphosis from clown to gentleman in society’s eyes while analysing the four plays one after another. In this essay, I am first going to discuss the actors Will Kemp and Robert Armin that were available for Shakespeare to utilize as his fools and how they affected the way Shakespeare allotted the role of the fool in his plays.
Shakespeare really wrote tragedies of great heights and earned standard category. His one of the best creation Richard II is a historical play rather being a tragedy. The history play is usually distinguished especially by its political purposes from other kinds of plays. Shakespeare 's use of his sources shows that he wanted to emphasize the political issues involved in the conflict between Richard and Bolingbroke, mainly the privileges of kingship and the right of rebellion. The play is consequently written not about the down fall of its hero but around the chronological stages by which Bolingbroke threatens, captures, and retains the crown.
He finally knew what it took to be a good king and Edward II realized that even kings who have status, position and power are also mortals and human beings, just like ordinary people. He was well aware of the fact that it was too late for him and for his savation, but despite that, there was no cowardice in his mind, there was only clear mind in a weary body that peacfully welcomed inevitable death. Edward’s death scene is definitely the most famous scene of Chrsitopher Marlowe’s play. Thus, the real-life death of King Edward II made an impact on historical accounts and that impact is arguably evident in Marlowe’s play. The death scene of Edward II presented in this play inspire terror and pity.