richard iii - downfall

Question 1

Francis Bacon

Answer 1

• contemporary fears of deformity (physical manifestation of evil

Of deformity’. Contemporary text explains possible links between bodily disabilities and morality, which include overcompensating through overachieving, as well as potential resentment
As nature does ill by them, so do they by nature
‘You should bear me on your shoulders’
‘Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time’

shakespeare started the limp (keeping with modern cliches about the body expressing the soul, as hunchback and lame of arm

Question 2

Kenneth Branagh 3.1

Answer 2

• physically and verbally assault him on account of his disability - seems to be in pain (pull off his support brace)
  (presents R as a trauma victim of his disability, perhaps provides justification+rationalisation for his actions)
  ‘You should bear me on your shoulders’
  Bestial imagery of ‘bear’ and common entertainment such as bear carrying monkey on shoulders (Elizabethan) - ungailiness and shape recalling a hardened bear - jokes at R’s expense distorts idea of who victim is, complicating victimhood - no one has respect for him on account of deformity, belittles his status, demeaning, humiliating

Question 3

Sher production disability

Answer 3

After R coronation crutches and tremendous speed are abandoned - now limps - bestial side (spider)
‘Shall I be plain’
Uses crutches to see under veil - symbol of fragility used as an asset to assert power

visual, elaborate and almost pantomine-like costume

Question 4

o’sullivan

Answer 4

has successfully proved a villain once richard gains the throne
- he has no evil ambition to fuel his entertaining manipulative machinations
- therefore, he becomes ‘blatant and clumsy’

‘stops he now for breath’
‘Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead’
‘I know a discontented gentleman’

‘but shall we wear these glories for a day’ - usual methods of euphemism to manipulate no longer work on buckingham (power can be removed easily)

Question 5

tanner

Answer 5

as he gain power he ‘loses his intellectual edge’
- grows more paranoid and eratic
frantically orders around stanley and catesby once king - asks repeatedly for ‘bowls of wine’ and later insisting that he only be brought ‘good news’

‘my kingdom stands on brittle glass.’
‘Richard loves Richard, that is, I am I.
Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am.’