1st Duke of Lancaster

The view of Richard II as an effeminate king is one that to the present day has remained intact. Continuously placed alongside Edward II, particularly in the study of William Shakespeare’s history plays, the feminized portrait of this king is one of staunch endurance, despite the challenges of academics such as Fletcher, who states that the descriptions of Richard in contemporary texts were, “consistently misunderstood.” For Nigel Saul, a recent biographer of Richard II, this treatment of the tragic

Samantha Van Dine Richard Spacek ENGL 3250 September 24, 2015 Richard II, William Shakespeare Richard II is a play written by William Shakespeare in the closing stages of the 16th Century. It is based on Richard II and his scheme of taking the throne of England. Richard II is a carefully balanced play, characterized by precise and formal arrangements of characters and actions. This balance is enhanced by various parallel incidents which are included in the themes, plots, and the nature of the

A defining feature between these two men’s fate is Richard’s dependence on good fortune through divine intervention, whereas Henry and Machiavelli rely on free will, what they themselves can do to manipulate the situation. Richard calls upon God to defend him, thinking that he can manipulate God’s will to fit his desires, “angels fight, weak men must fall, for heaven still guards the right” (III.ii pg 409) This idea of unearthly abilities that allow him to manipulate nature itself, even England is

and how the power of God can change everything. Power and kingship have a great role regarding motives, in both Shakespeare’s plays, Richard II and Henry IV. Act III scene two is set on the coast of Wales, King Richard II, the Bishop of Carlisle, Duke of Aumerle, and soldiers have all gathered. King Richard expresses many audacious claims about his kingship, but on the other hand, he also seems very unsteady in his confidence. After concern is expressed by Richard, Carlisle reassures Richard by

Richard II’s subjects become increasingly aware of his corrupt ruling, yet they do nothing to overthrow Richard II because they strongly believe in his divine right to rule. John of Gaunt, Richard II’s uncle, along with the rest of his subjects, allow Richard II to get away with murder and other questionable acts because he is their king anointed by God. Gaunt reveals he knows that Richard II played a part in killing John’s brother to remain king: God’s is the quarrel; for God’s substitute, His

Henry IV takes place in the very early 1400s and generally uses true historical events and characters throughout. While based on the history of England, it conveys its message and meaning through an often satirical and comical context, providing an enjoyable experience for the audience. Characters such as Falstaff and his fellow thieves keep the story unusually captivating and clever. Of the play’s many themes, loyalty, honor and relationship stand out as most important. These matters are highly

Honor is a prominent theme in William Shakespeare’s play Henry IV. The concept of honor continuously surfaces and is questioned throughout the play. It’s made evident that honor is subjective; Every character has their own definition of it. Shakespeare doesn’t discern a concrete definition of honor, it’s perceived in various ways by the characters in the play. It’s a reflection of the character’s conscience and morality. Some relate it to noble behavior a, while others, associate it with one’s physical

Alyssa Miller 21 October 2014 ENGL 201: Shakespeare Histories and Tragedies Stephen Krewson “Title” Shakespeare’s Richard II gets a bad rap among the other plays in the second tetralogy. Lacking big, bloody battles, comedic characters such as Falstaff, and a polarizing protagonist that populate both Henry IV’s and Henry V, this play is a notoriously harder sell. However, King Richard II’s relationship to his identity as king and the concept of kingship in English society is crucial to the progression

Many people in the play are aware of this, but Bolingbroke decides to act on it. He correctly accuses the Thomas Mowbray and Richard II of killing the Duke of Gloucester, and Richard II has both Bolingbroke and Mowbray banished. This is confusing because Mowbray followed the king’s orders to kill the Duke of Gloucester, and it is an important point to remember when comparing Henry IV to Richard II. These early actions of Richard II portray him as a slimy, unjust king who typically

In Henry IV and Henry V by Shakespeare, a father and son have diametrically different reigns as king. While both kings are politically savvy and gain the favor of the people, only one, Henry V, has the divine right of kings. The divine right of kings is the belief that power is instilled in them by God and rebellion against them is considered a sin. The influence of divine intervention is shown through the punishment and guilt of Henry IV and the success of Henry V. The rule of Henry IV illustrates