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Analysis Of Richard III : In Defense Of A Villain

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In Defense of a Villain Richard III is a story of a villain who will commit unspeakable crimes in order to attain power. However, it is important to remember that it is just that, a story. Shakespeare wrote to entertain, and sometimes in order to captivate an audience, history must be embellished. For example, the events the play is based on spans 14 years, although the runtime of the play seems to suggest that it all took place within a few months. Even though this play is classified as historical, it fits more in the historical fiction genre as Shakespeare bases it on actual events but takes an artistic liberty with his characters. In Richard III, due to the political climate of his time, Shakespeare characterizes Richard as ruthless…show more content…
The young Edward V then succeeded his father's throne for 83 days until Parliament declared that the young boys birth was illegitimate and the crown was given to Richard III. Edward V was then imprisoned in the Tower of London and disappeared from all records. Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, are the brothers commonly referred to as the princes in the tower. Their murder is widely attributed to Richard III. Shortly after Richard III rose to power, his former ally and cousin the 2nd Duke of Buckingham rose up in rebellion against him. Buckingham decided to align with Henry Tudor, but a storm did not allow Henry to cross the English channel, and it also destroyed a large part of Buckingham's force. Buckingham tried to escape England in disguise but was discovered and promptly executed by Richard. Later on, in 1485 Henry Tudor made another attempt to invade England and challenge Richard. The two met at the famed Battle of Bosworth Field. Richard outnumbered Henry 8,000 to 5,000 but decided to split his army into three parts, whereas Henry kept his core intact. As the battle progressed, Richard saw an opportunity to slay his rival and end the battle quickly, and so he threw the dice on a desperate gamble that saw him lead a cavalry charge deep into Henry’s vanguard. Before he could challenge Tudor, however, Richard was separated from his men and surrounded by the men of Sir William Stanley. Richard III was then unhorsed and
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