Tension Between Guilt And Anger In Richard III

The corruption of Edward: The tension between Guilt and Anger in Richard III 2.1 104:136 It is in these lines that William Shakespeare presents King Edward pondering how his brother George could be dead. Edward reflects before a meeting of nobles including Dorset, Rivers, Queen Elizabeth, Richard, and Stanley. In his words we see much sorrow and guilt as Edward appears to be taking the blame for his action. However, when Stanley asks of the king for pardon of his servant, who has just killed a man, that Edwards attention and rage turns toward the others in the room. It appears as though Edward is not full of sorrow and guilt but rather anger. In this way Shakespeare demonstrates how corruptive anger can be on even the most noble of men. The passage begins with Edward expressing his anger at Stanley’s request, “Have I a tongue to doom my brother’s death, /And shall the tongue give pardon to a slave?” (104-105) Here we see Edward realizing and accepting his great error in having his brother killed. Yet, in his

Edward states that the fault is both his and of those I the room “But for my brother, not a man would speak, / Nor I, ungracious, speak unto myself” (128,129) Edward revels again in how is brother was such a worthy man suggesting they were all indebt to him. Guilt re-enters his mind when he states how they have failed him “The proudest of you all/ Have been beholding to him in his life,/ Yet none of you would once beg for his life.”(130-132). Guilt finally takes over Edwards mind causing him to worry of his punishment. Edward believes god will take his life because of his sin. Moreover he suggests god will punish all in the room as well this is his anger toward the nobles making one last appearance in the passage “O God, I fear Thy justice will take hold /On me and you, and mine and yours for this!” (133-134). With these words Shakespeare foreshadows Edwards