Richard III - Critical Quotes Flashcards
Richard as scourge of God
‘God’s agent in a predetermined plan of divine retribution’
Rossiter
Significance of women
‘Richard III is unusual in the history plays in the prominence of its female characters’
Dollimore
Richard as lord protector
‘The guardian from hell’
Nina Levine
Richard’s villainy
‘Richard is the ultimate villain’
Moseley
Richard’s Machiavellian schemes
‘Machiavellian politician’
Frank Rich
Richard’s scheming
‘Richard does nothing but plot and scheme for his own gain’
Harry Cunningham
Hasting’s hubris
‘Colossal complacency’
Paul Prescott
Richard and Bham’s relationship
‘An infernal marriage’
Paul Prescott
Richard’s control over the audience
‘It is impossible to resist Richard’s terrifying charm’
Bloom
Impact of women
‘Women have an important role in diverting sympathy from Richard’
Lull
The play is shocking
‘We are entertained by the suffering of others’
Bloom
RSC 2019 performance
Richard takes pleasure in his deeds, singing and dancing on stage ‘singing in a spectrum of style from Elvis and country to salsa’
Sam Wanamaker
Richard’s conscience
‘A man who doesn’t have a conscience and grows a conscience’
Spacey
Richard’s humour
‘Dry humour mingled with monstrous behaviour’
Asimov
Women’s power
Lull sees power in the lamentation scenes
Function of the women
‘Function as voices of protest and morality’
Galloway
Kingship
‘How is it possible for a whole country to fall into the hands of a tyrant?’ ‘Widespread complicity’
Greenblatt
Richard’s plan for England
‘an egotistic desire to remain on the throne he has usurped’
Warren
Tudor propaganda
‘Political propaganda’ ‘plays to the Tudor myth demonising Richard’
Campbell
