Richard III at a glance: Your brief guide to Shakespeare's political classic
From the plot and themes to the most famous lines – everything you need to know about Richard III
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Plot
In the winter of our discontent, Richard, the ugly hunchback, has just seen his brother, Edward, crowned king of England.
He plots to have his older brother, Clarence, killed and to marry Lady Anne, whose brother and father he previously murdered. The news of Clarence’s death sends the already ill King Edward to his death and Richard makes his case as the rightful heir to the throne. He has the king’s sons murdered in the Tower of London.
Richard, now king, becomes increasingly paranoid as a rebellion rises up. His close ally Buckingham is captured and executed and, at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the deformed king is killed by the Earl of Richmond.
Themes
All the ’cides – homicide, fratricide, regicide; plus jealousy and conspiracy.
Background
Thought to be one of the Bard’s earliest plays, it was probably written in 1591. The first certain performance is not recorded until 1633, but the diary of Philip Henslowe references a popular play entitled Buckingham in 1593, which could well have been Shakespeare’s Richard III.
The most revered film production featured Laurence Olivier. On the stage, the hunchback king has been played by many an esteemed thespian, including Martin Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Al Pacino and Abraham Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth.
Key Characters
Richard: the ugly and deformed Duke of Gloucester who murders and marries his way to the throne.
Clarence: Richard’s brother who stands between him and the crown.
Henry, Earl of Richmond: future Henry VII who leads the rebellion against the House of York.
Key Quotes
* “Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this sun of York.” Richard sets the scene, Act 1 Scene 1
* “Was ever woman in this humour wooed? Was ever woman in this humour won?” Richard plots to seduce Lady Anne, Act 1 Scene 2
* “So wise so young, they say, do never live long.” Richard prophesies the death of the young princes, Act 3 Scene 1
* “Talk’st thou to me of ‘ifs’? Thou art a traitor: off with his head!” Richard berates Lord Hastings, Act 3 Scene 4
* “A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!” Richard is unhorsed at the climax of the Battle of Bosworth Field, Act 5 Scene 4
Echoes
Kevin Spacey’s character in Netflix’s House of Cards is a White House Richard III.
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