The play is dominated by Richard the hunchback Duke of Gloucester who becomes King Richard III but only through a series of horrible acts, killing off his enemies, his kinsmen, his wife and most of his supporters before reaching the Battle of Bosworth and crying out "My kingdom for a horse." Richard is portrayed as a pure, self-professed villain of monstrous proportions. His evil drives the plot, and until his final defeat by the Duke of Richmond (who became Henry VII) in the play's last act, the good forces opposing him are weak, splintered, and easy prey for his schemes.�
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Richard III
Historical Image
Reconstructed Image
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Sources of Richard III
The History of King Richard the Third by Master Thomas More. Undersheriff of London c. 1513.
Holinshed’s Chronicles
As critics suppose, they created “Tudor Myth” of Richard III depreciating him as a tyrant.
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Main issue: Power as God
In the play Richard acts as a maniac of power . His atrocity to others, can be partly explained by his physical disability being lame and ugly, as Shakespeare depicts his appearance.
Richard is over sarcastic on his and others earthly wished. His only truth and pleasure is in ruling and dictating others.
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Will to Power
Richard’s love of power sounds with Nietzsche(1844-1900) “will to power” as absolute instinct and value of human beings.
Richard is not moralistic play, it is more on power and its labyrinth.
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Richard as Diminished Humanity
Richard is a symbol of human degradation. He acknowledges this but takes pleasure in his revenge to humanity and himself. Richard does this for he knows, no one will pity him, if he, as a political leader shows weakness. He is a disbeliever of human grace. For Richard, power is the primary instrument to destruct his wretched life.