Stereotypes In Richard II

Shakespeare was well known to create personality within all of his characters. Also, he developed the plays in a more interesting way giving insight into a royals mind. Royals such as those in Richard II were ones that were depicted as naïve. The play’s plot focuses on Richard II banishing his cousin Henry in order to rid of a threat to his crown. However, after Richard wrongfully claims Henrys belongings as his own, he creates a revolt that results in the fall of Richard. During these events, the Queen was only seen to be in the background with no display of personality. However, in the third act and the forth scene of Richard II by Shakespeare, the Queen displays womanly stereotypes and sorrow as she obtains offensive information regarding

She is recognized of having ignorance of politics and being clueless to Richards’s actions. While in the gardens, she reveals herself from hiding to confront the gardener discussing what is of King Richard and the government. She approaches the gardener firmly stating “O, I am press'd to death through want of speaking… Say, where, when, and how, Camest thou by this ill tidings? speak, thou wretch.” (3.4 1937-1947). What she is asking is how a commoner came across knowing this information, while she, having a much higher status than him, was never made aware. This acknowledges the stereotype of having politics being male dominated. Although the Queen has a high title, she is kept irrelevant when regarding “men’s” work. Women are stereotypically seen as creatures that are oversensitive, and the Queen appears sensitive while speaking by using harsh words such as wretch. She comes off very offended, and this could be a maternal instinct over her loved ones. When finding out that Richard was in Bolingbroke’s custody she asks “am I last that knows it?” (3.4 1959-1961). Because she as a women, was automatically left out of knowing anything. When the Queen was given no empowerment in this situation, it shows what little news she knew or understood. She was seen as irrelevant throughout the play due to her gender, and the new information she discovered may have