Clarence's Speech in William Shakespeare's Richard III Essay

the play draws its readers to identify with Richard and thereby to participate in a

William Shakespeare’s Richard III is a historical play that focuses on one of his most famous and complex villainous characters. Richard III or The Duke of Gloucester, who eventually becomes king, is ambitious, bitter, ugly and deformed. He manipulates and murders his way to the throne and sets the tone for the whole play with his very first speech, which is the opening of the play.

Henry’s reference to Ezekiel 12:2 (“having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not”) was a way to draw attention to injustices that he saw among the American people. Because most

    According to many, Shakespeare intentionally portrays Richard III in ways that would have the world hail him as the ultimate Machiavel.  This build up only serves to further the dramatic irony when Richard falls from his throne.  The nature of Richard's character is key to discovering the commentary Shakespeare is delivering on the nature of tyrants.  By setting up Richard to be seen as the ultimate Machiavel, only to have him utterly destroyed, Shakespeare makes a dramatic commentary on the frailty of tyranny and such men as would aspire to tyrannical rule.

The texts King Richard III and Looking for Richard both accept the centrality of power and the yearning for it, as a central plot driver and an assumed part of the human condition. However, each presents a different perspective as to the nature of power; its origins and morality.

How has your study of the connections between King Richard III and Looking for Richard deepened your understanding of the context of and values within, each text?

-Anne mostly in the dark enhancing her incomprehension, camera turns away from her or shows only as body parts to frame Richard’s body

Throughout my comparative study of texts and context, I have explored various connections shared between William Shakespeare’s ‘Richard the 3rd’ and Al Pacino’s ‘Looking for Richard’. As both of these items are based on the same character, King Richard the 3rd, they share a lot in common. The connection that I have chosen to concentrate on though is the idea of power, and how both texts explore this theme.

The conflicts within the play were revealed through hand gestures, facial emotions, and war. These conflicts were developed by suspicion of Richard III. The character who suspected the most, I think, was Elizabeth. People within the ability to be crowned ruler were dying ‘unexpectedly,” and Richard just continued to build up in the rank of the crown, therefore tension developed. The tension over the reign was resolved when Richard III died. He caused tension within the play by planning the death of a multitude of people, such as his own brother, Elizabeth’s husband, Elizabeth’s brother, and Hastings.

Richard III, by William Shakespeare, is a play based on the amount of power and decisiveness needed to become the king of England. The main character Richard of Gloucester is the brother of the current king. The fact that Richard is evil for no apparent reason troubles readers. Yet overtime, the audience begins to warm up to Richard in part because of his skill with words. Richard's obvious skill of language allows him to successfully manipulate nearly every character in the play. This skill enables him to woo Lady Anne, have Clarence thrown in prison, blame the king for Clarence's death, and achieve Hastings's execution, all without any harm to himself. Although Richard's use of words permits him to manipulate and control those

King Henry V, is one of the only successful monarchs in Shakespeare’s plays. He displays great strength and intelligence. King Henry V is capable of uniting all of his people in his St. Crispin’s Day speech as they prepare to go to battle. The troops were greatly outnumbered and believed they had no chance at winning. But King Henry makes them feel like they are part of something important, and by doing this he motivates them to fight their hardest.

land in the north of England after both the Earl and Anne died. He was

however it was not and he had to face him in battle. "My lord he doth

We have all certainly heard the expression “the pen is mightier than the sword” and as Hamlet states when he realizes the power of words: “I will speak daggers to her, but use none” (Hamlet 3.2: 366). William Shakespeare is one of the most important writers in history and arguably the most notable, particularly with his use of language. I believe that Shakespeare consistently uses the knowledge that language is power to his advantage throughout his plays. From themes of power, control, disguise, deception, and manipulation, there remains the underlying theme that ties all of these together: the power of language. The beauty of Shakespeare’s work and what makes it resonate even today is his use of discretion and

As Machiavellians, Richard III and Henry V become actors, acting differently in certain situations to be able so that they will benefit, but in these situations Henry V has noble aims. Richard’s goal just seems to become the King(1.1.140-148). In a true Machiavellian fashion, he deceives several people like his brothers and the common people to try and advance his goal. When he is talking with Clarence his imprisoned brother he tells him, “your imprisonment shall not be long; I will deliver you.” He is