King Richard 3

Question 1

Richard III
which genre?

Answer 1

• complicated to put into one genre
  > it is a play about history and historical characters
  > but in a book it is called ‘The Tragedy of Richard III’

Question 2

Themes

Answer 2

• Power and Ambition: Richard’s insatiable quest for the throne, moral decay.
• Deception and Manipulation: Richard’s cunning schemes, manipulation of Lady Anne and others.
• Morality and Conscience: Richard’s lack of guilt, others’ suffering from guilt.
• Fate vs. Free Will: Richard’s belief in his destiny as a villain vs. characters’ choices.
• Legitimacy and Kingship: Richard’s illegitimate rule, divine right of kings.

Question 3

Characters

Answer 3

• Richard III: Charismatic, manipulative, physically deformed symbolizing inner evil.
• Lady Anne: Victim of Richard’s charm, her tragic downfall.
• Princes in the Tower: Innocent victims, their murder signifies Richard’s ultimate depravity.
• Queen Elizabeth: Struggles for power, maternal grief.
• Richmond (Henry VII): Heroic, symbol of legitimate rule, moral righteousness.

Question 4

Structure and Plot

Answer 4

• Exposition: Richard’s opening monologue, sets villainous tone.
• Rising Action: Richard’s ascent to power through murder and deceit.
• Climax: Richard crowned king, descent into paranoia.
• Falling Action: Gathering of forces against Richard, his isolation.
• Resolution: Battle of Bosworth, Richard’s death, Richmond’s victory.

Question 5

Historical Context

Answer 5

• War of the Roses: Background of dynastic conflict, Shakespeare’s dramatization.
• Elizabethan Views: Reflects contemporary beliefs about monarchy and divine order.

Question 6

Literary Devices

Answer 6

• Soliloquies: Richard’s self-revelations, insight into his psyche.
• Imagery and Symbolism: Deformity as evil, animal imagery representing various traits.
• Irony: Richard’s deceptive success vs. inevitable downfall.
• Foreshadowing: Dreams and omens predicting doom.