Characters in King Richard III PDF

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analysis of king richard characters...

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Characters in King Richard III by Shakespeare Gloucester, Richard III  Son of the Duke of York, Edward IV and Clarence’s brother (middle child)  Physically deformed, ambitious and embittered character  Drawn from Machiavellian traditions  Described as a “lump of foul deformity’, a ‘poisonous bunchback’d toad”  Villain  Skilful oratory skills consolidate is power  Utilises his disability to gain sympathy from other characters o “…And seem a saint when most I play the devil.” o “…Since I cannot prove a lover … I am determined to prove a villain…” (Act 1, Scene 1, lines 29-31) King Edward  Eldest son of the Duke of York  Aging and unhealthy due to a sinful past  Trusts Richard which led to his downfall  In fear of his own condemnation  His past hurts his kids future, as Richard believes they are not of the blood-line o “Gloucester, we have done deeds of charity, / Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate.” (Act 2, Scene 1, line 50-51) Clarence  Third son of the Duke of York  Changes loyalties and joins the Warwicks but later returns to his father’s house  Richard needs eliminates him to consolidate his power  Framed and murdered under Richards demand due to being gullible and believing Richard has pure intentions  Endures fearful dreams of his past sins o “Your imprisonment shall not be long.” (Act 1, Scene 1, line 114) o ‘quicksand of deceit’ (Act 5, Scene 4) Young Prince Edward  Eldest son of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth, Richards nephew  Intelligent and precocious  Rightful heir to the throne so is a threat to Richard  Mistrusts Richard o ‘God keep me from false friends; but they were none’ o ‘I hope I need not fear’. (Act 3, Scene 1) Duchess of York  Widow of the late duchess of York and mother of Edward, Clarence and Richards  She disowns Richards and curses o “Was never mother had so dear a loss” (Act 2)

Queen Elizabeth

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Widow of Edward IV Maintained allegiance to Richard although Richard attacked the Woodville’s loyalty Encounters great loss due to Richard – her husband and her suns Richard assumes success over Elizabeth by marrying her daughter o “Ay me! I see the ruin of my house. / The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind.” (Act 2, Scene 4, line 52-53) o “The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind; … welcome, destruction, blood and massacre / I see, as in a map, the end of all.” (Act 2, Scene 4, line 53-57)

Rivers  Brother of Queen Elizabeth, represents Woodville family  Strong faith in divine rule and loyalty to Edward IV and Richard  Easily fooled so is captured and murdered o “We follow’d then our lord, our lawful king: so should we you, if you should be our King” Queen Margaret  Cursing, resentful, aged widow of Henry IV  Lost husband, son and rule  Her curses are a prologue- determines the future events of the play o “The time will come when thou shalt wish for me to help thee curse that poisonous bunchback’d toad” (Act 1, Scene 3). o ‘hunger for revenge’ and somewhat bring her comfort Lady Anne  Widow of Margarets son Prince Edward and wife of Richard  First woman we encounter in the play  Initially disrespects Richard but is later won over by his words but soon regrets it  Richard kills her “Anointed let me be with deadly venom / And die ere men can say ‘God save the queen.” (Act 4, Scene 1, line 62-63) o “But with his timorous dreams was still awaked.” (Act 4, Scene 1, line 85)

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Hastings  Loyal and devoted chamberlain of Henry IV  Faith in Richard  Devastated by the slaying of Queen Elizabeth’s family which is a source of his downfall  Richard calls him a traitor and has him beheaded o “O bloody Richard! Miserable England!”

Tyrell

 Henchman for Richard  Organises the murder of the two young princess  ‘The tyrannous and bloody deed is done, the most arch of piteous massacre, that ever yet this land was guilty of.’ Ratcliffe  Loyal and chief supporter of Richard  Responsible for the deaths of Rivers, Grey and Lord Hastings Duke of Buckingham  Skilful politician, kinsmen and support of Richard  Masterfully assists Richard in most of his endeavours  Unwillingly permits to the murder of the princes which causes him to be killed  “… to the block of shame.” (Act 5, Scene 1, line 28) Sir William Catesby  Proficient leader who remains loyal adviser to Richard until his death o ‘Withdraw my Lord, I’ll help you to a horse’. (Act 5, Scene 4) o “[Aside] For they account his head upon the bridge.” (Act 3, Scene 2, line 70) The Bishop of Ely  Appears with several Lords in the debate over the Princes coronation date  Richard strategically removes Ely from the conversation by asking him to get strawberries from his garden  Later on, moves to Richmond’s side and opposes Richard Brakenburyy  Lieutenant of the tower who allows for the killing of Clarence by two murderers.  He is killed at the Battle of Bosworth. Richmond  Richards great enemy  Heroic figure of the play by restoring the divine right  Mostly positioned in Frane throughout the play which was regarded as a place of refuge from those escapibg Richards tyranny  Confronts and defeats Richard at the battle of Bosworth  His newly appointed as King Henry and is final words promise peace o ‘The day is ours, the bloody Dog is dead. I will unite White Rose and the Red’. o “Look on my forces with a gracious eye … Make us thy ministers of chastisement.” (Act 5, Scene 3, line 112-116) o “Now civil wounds are stopped; peace lives again. / That she may long live here, God say amen.” (Act 5, Scene 5, line 40-41).

Lord Mayor

 plays the role of blindly accepting Richard’s claims against Hastings, and confirms and reports unto the citizens that he ‘deserved his death’ Scrivener  Public scribe assigned to write the indictment to Hasting’s execution to post publicly  Mouthpiece for the growing discontent and suspicion arising from the citizens...