2019 EA Mod A Richard III Looking for Richard Notes Ella Jessie PDF

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Download 2019 EA Mod A Richard III Looking for Richard Notes Ella Jessie PDF

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RICHARD III and LOOKING FOR RICHARD MODULE A – TEXTUAL CONVERSATIONS -

Exploring the relationship between texts in terms of context The effects of social, historical and cultural context and questions of values on texts The ways in which changes in context lead to changed values being reflected in texts CONTEXT SHAPES AND RESHAPES MEANING Overarching premise of Shakespeare’s work is the examination of what it is to be human How the issues adapt/ stay the same due to obvious changes in context

RICHARD III CONTEXT and FORM context -

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Through the examination of Richard, the complexity of human beings (evilness?) is explored Shakespeare is reaffirming Queen Elizabeth’s rule by making Richard out to be eviler than he was (QE’s uncle(?) killed Richard) Questioning the nobility and their innate right to rule Divided into free-will and providentialism, which is reflective of a shift during Shakespeare’s time o No longer following blindly, and instead humanity is questioning faith Christian morality plays ‘The Prince’, by Machiavelli is the guidebook for politics, and justifies the nobility’s actions, as the ‘ends justify the means’

form -

Tragedy / play Using window scenes to show commoners questioning the actions of nobility Adapting the Greek Tragedy

NATURE OF EVIL “The nature of evil and is revealed by Shakespeare to be a complex and complicated issue that is reflective of his social and political context” -

The struggle between PROVIDENTIALISM vs FREE WILL allows the notion of conscience amongst the nobility to be depicted The nobility look out for themselves first The evil nature of Richard is exaggerated, and through this character Shakespeare explores the complexity of human beings Shakespeare shows Richards evilness is through his actions rather than his nature The nature of the nobility (the evil) is truly shown – the characters (such as Hastings and Clarence) do have a conscience, but only on their death bed

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Shakespeare uses the ideas surrounding Christian Morality plays, such as the Vice character (Richard), and concepts such as sin and atonement - The simplification of vices, virtues, the Devil etc through Manichean characterisation (good vs bad) makes these stories more accessible. - Shakespeare takes this and forces people to question it o IS EVIL BLACK/WHITE? IS IT FATE? OR DO INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE? ▪ He is trying to convey the latter, through Richard and the idea of conscience - Shakespeare suggests that all the nobility are divided by what they know to right/wrong QUOTE EFFECT  heated of feature by dissembling nature’ ‘C Introducing the conflict between Providentialism and free-will in Richards opening soliloquy ‘I am determined to prove a villain’

‘Foul lump of deformity…abortive rooting hog…devil’ ‘My conscience hath a thousand several tongues…each condemn me for a villain’

Contrasting, and introduces the idea of free-will Richards actions are his own, and he has chosen to be evil Animal/Devil imagery is used in reference to Richard to emphasise his evil-ness and lower him on the Chain of Being Richard does possess a conscience, which appears as he is about to die

POLITICAL DUPLICITY “Shakespeare clearly portrays his problematic political context, showing the tension between the Monarchy and democracy. Shakespeare is demonstrating the hypocrisy of all people in political power, and that they are only concerned with their preservation and advancement” -

Those in power will do/say anything to remain in power and to maintain their status. This applies to both those in the Church and those in the State - Richard is the Manichean villain, manipulating those around him through language - Richard is never honest with those around him, and only the audience is able to see his manipulative (his soliloquys) - Shakespeare comments on the hypocrisy of the ruling class - Machiavellian politics (The Prince) QUOTES EFFECTS ‘A man as you are…’ Introducing a new concept, that those who are ‘lesser’ are in fact equal with the nobility when ‘not as I am royal…’ ‘nor you as we are, loyal…’ it comes to their actions ‘Not for all this land…God forbid we infringe The Cardinal refusing to give up the young the holy privilege of Sanctuary’ princes to Richard – he then turns around and hands them over Shakespeare straight up shows the hypocrisy of those in power – they will do anything for self-preservation ‘The ends justify the means’ Machiavellian take on politics, justifying the nobility’s actions of evil-ness and deceit

‘Politics have no relation to morals’

Again, those who have political power excuse their actions

ROLE OF WOMEN “Through his portrayal of women as powerful, intelligent and insightful, Shakespeare is able to reaffirm the reign of Queen Elizabeth and further highlight the manipulative and duplicitous actions of Richard” -

Shakespeare can present women as powerful, intelligent and resourceful despite the overbearing patriarchal nature of society at the time. He legitimises the rule of Elizabeth by showing women as capable leaders - It is the women that are able to see through Richards manipulative and duplicitous actions - Shakespeare draws on Ancient Greek theatre through the choric function of women as muses for the Gods. (Usually 3 women) - The women in Richard III are initially seen as weak and inconsequential, hence why they are kept alive. - Shakespeare reveals them to be voices of retributive justice. - By the end, rather than being hysterical, insane or dominated, they are able to avenge the injustice done to them. - Through the characters of Anne, Margaret, Duchess of York and Queen Elizabeth, Shakespeare examines different issues regarding women within the play - Richards actions towards the women in the play also reinforce his evilness – wanting to marry his niece and the woman who’s father-in-law and husband he killed o All is a show of power QUOTES/CHARACTER EFFECT/ACTIONS Lady Anne She realises the danger she is in by defying ‘foul lump of deformity’ Richard, and gives up. However, she does ‘god never hung poison on a fouler toad’ continue to challenger his repeatedly – spitting in his face, calling him names. Richard killed her husband and father-in-law, and Anne is aware that refusing his proposal would result in death Margaret She predicts Richards death with pin-point ‘…the worm of conscience will begnaw thy soul’ accuracy – everything she predicts in Act 1 comes true Queen Elizabeth She defies him, first by seeing and calling out ‘the loss of such a lord includes all harms’ his political machinations. At the end of the play she sees his designs on her daughter and helps her to escape the incestual marraige Duchess of York Even Richards own mother hates him ‘accursed womb’

LOOKING FOR RICHARD CONTEXT and FORM context - Post-Cold War - Modern America, when the ideas central to Shakespeare’s context are irrelevant - The nature of evil has been simplified for the American audience whilst political duplicity has been highlighted as modern America has experience with deceitful politicians form - Doco-drama - Vox-pop (interviews with people on the street) - Interviews with professionals - Pacino explaining the politics behind scenes - Pastiche

NATURE OF EVIL “Shakespeare’s representation of evil is simplified for the contemporary American audience in order to make his work more accessible” -

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Oversimplification of such an important concept o the idea of providentialism is not relevant or understood by Americans Instead of portraying all nobility as equally villainous, Richard is the Vice and the others are depicted as victims Pacino does not delve into Shakespeare’s ‘complex’ depiction of evil and that internal struggle, resorting to the Hollywood trope of Manichean conflict and characterisation o Pacino does this do suit his audience, who are used to the Hollywood dichotomy between good/evil Pacino’s depiction of Richard ignores the complexity of his character

Clarence and Hastings are NOT depicted as evil men in pursuit of power (like in the play), instead portrayed as innocents who fall victim to Richard QUOTE/TECHNIQUE EFFECT High angle shot Emphasising the vulnerability of Clarence Mis-en-scene (white shirt) Clarence is an innocent victim as opposed to an Om itting the admission of guilt/show of equally manipulative man  conscience Ch iaroscuro lighting He is an evil man. Pacino makes Richard out to be a Manichean villain, using shadows to convey the starkness of it.

‘Its confusing…sometimes I wonder why we are doing this…’

‘He’s got the whole world in his hands!’

Pacino over-simplifies the depiction of evil in order to suit the modern audience. It can be seen that the director/main cast are struggling with the concept/play themselves Pacino emphasising the power that Richard has over the nobility

POLITICAL DUPLICITY “Pacino adapts Shakespeare’s depiction of political duplicity for the contemporary American audience, using examples that are applicable to modern society.” -

Adapting to suit a modern audience who has an understanding of corrupt politicians Pacino uses contemporary examples as a way of connecting his modern audience with the Shakespearean theme - The political climate in the US at the time, including a loss of trust in the government, is able to be fully explored through the doco-drama form - Pacino is more interested in the power, politics, manipulation and deceit than of the moral dilemma of embracing power that Shakespeare examines QUOTE EFFECT ‘The truth is that those in power have total Redgrave speaking truth about those who contempt for everything they possess power. promise…everything they pledge’ Shows the continuity and universality of  – Vanessa Redgrave politics, with deceit, duplicity and manipulation remaining throughout out centuries ‘They canvas like politicians…full of lies and Drawing similarities between Shakespearean innuendos’ context and contemporary society. ‘Like the Iran contra affair…doing all the dirty Pacino giving contemporary examples of work for the king’ political duplicity that are able to be understood ‘Like a gathering of the dons’ and related to by his modern audience Priest scene – lighting Pacino uses mis-en-scene (lighting) to show the duplicitous nature of Richard He stands, next to a priest and holding a bible, with stark lighting that reveals his duplicitous intentions

ROLE OF WOMEN ‘Pacino’s depiction of women and their role is reflective of the Hollywood tendency to oversexualise female characters and diminish their characterisation’ -

Pacino addresses the role of women in a different manner to Shakespeare Woman and their role are simplified – both in the actions of ‘characters’ and the actions of Pacino himself The Hollywood style of portraying women as overly sexual

QUOTE/TECHNIQUE ‘I’ll have her, but I will not keep her long’ Repetition ‘young enough to believe Richards rap’

‘She is a hysteric…we have a woman who is way out of control’ extreme close up on Kimball

 hy make them weak…  t hen it is no great deal ‘W on his part ’

Winona Ryder is in a low-cut V-neck white dress. M  is-en-scene

EFFECT Emphasising the power Richard has, with the montage highlighting the sexuality of the scene The casting of Anne again shows Hollywood’s tendency to over sexualise women. Also Pacino being a dick Reveals the intent of Hollywood, where men often speak for women Contrasts with Shakespeare’s depiction of Elizabeth as intelligent and powerful. Without the insight of a female actor, Pacino would have missed an essential aspect of the play. His manipulation of women is a show of power Again, the oversexualisation of women in Hollywood...