Richard III: Machiavellian Villain

In King Richard II, Shakespeare shows corruption through King Richard’s actions. The king did not know how to handle and use his own power. He made irrational decisions without thinking of the consequences, and most importantly he did not care about the people of his kingdom. It was a good thing Bolingbroke came back and took the crown from Richard because things would have gotten worse.

The ambition of the Machiavellian character King Richard III is viewed negatively in the world of Shakespeare compared to Pacino’s modern American society that sees ambition as a positive character trait. In Richard’s time, the idea of free will was questioned due to the belief in a one’ destiny, chosen by God. For this reason, a drive strive for power would have been unnatural and generally limited in Richard’s time. Shakespeare explores the clash between the values of conservative providential society and emerging ideas of free will thrugh the Machiavellian character of Richard This view of history doesn't see any kind of fate involved. Instead, it attributes the events of history to human actions. One of Richard’s first lines, “I am determined to prove a villain” eloquently demonstrates an idea of free will in a

Shakespeare’s plays that deal with historical accounts of kings often show the flaws that the reigning king had. From King John to Henry VIII, Shakespeare paints an image of a king whose flaws lead to their eventual downfall. Shakespeare’s Richard II is no different, in that context, from his other historical plays. He highlights the flaws of the reigning king while he highlights the virtues of an individual that is below the king in terms of status. By highlighting the flaws of the king, Shakespeare aims to dissolve the idea of a perfect king.

This decision is sure to lead to his ruin because it was known to Bolingbroke and his father Gaunt, that the king was involved in the murder of Thomas of Woodstock. Shakespeare shows that a king who is merciful, is not industrious, instead very incompetent for not putting an end to both parties that know of his treachery. Shakespeare goes on the show that Richard does not take counsel from those who have the experience and knowledge to further his rule, much like when he decided to banish Mowbry and Bolingbroke, that decision was done by himself, without hearing any advice or taking heed of what the consequences might be. Even Gaunt had tried to help Richard even on his deathbed he says that his “life’s counsel would not hear” but hoped that his “death’s sad tale may yet undeaf his ear” (II.i pg 401).Machiavelli points out that a prince who inherits the throne, like Richard, is the most enabled to keep and maintain his power, he who has connections and had witnessed those who succeeded him, for it is “a wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme” (Machiavelli 28). Richard’s arrogance and lack of rationality to heed the wise man’s words are predictable, the steady progression of incompetence proves that England needs a Machiavellian rule, instead of one who prefers flatterers advice. This damnation of self that is seen

He dominates the play in a way that no other Shakespearean character has ever dominated. Richard is simply always addressing the audience. So all of the opinions are basically coming from him. With that being said, you can’t help but to recognize with him. This is what makes King Richard III identifiable as the protagonist as you are simply forced into having to recognizing with him in the play.

King Richard iii is a well-known historical play written by William Shakespeare. From 1483 to 1485 Richard ruled over the land of England. Much misconceptions have been noted to actually describe what kind of ruler he was; whether he was a hero or a “tyrant” Shakespeare scrutinized Richard as a killer and a very evil person whose selfish ways got him to reign over his kingdom. Rather than using verifiable facts, his play was very much exaggerated. Shakespeare held up certain crimes against Richard that ruined his reputation.

Shakespeare’s King Richard III examines the nature of villainy. Richard announces himself as a villain in the opening soliloquy, when he declares his intention to be evil “I am determined to prove a villain” due to his “unfished…deformed…rudely stamped nature”. This hyperbolic description of Richards’ deformities exposes the audience to his inner thoughts, while also representing his ‘unnaturalness’ – an outward sign of his inner corruption. This reflects the Elizabethan context in which the play was written. Queen Elizabeth I is the granddaughter of the play’s Richmond, whose supporters lent the Tudor dynasty legitimacy by claiming that not only was Richard a “monster of evil” (Stephen Greenblatt), but that Richmond’s reign as King Henry

Richard is an actor, a fully evil actor, who through his mastery of the stage has come to appreciate his skill. Richard Moulton, in his Shakespeare as a Dramatic Thinker, proclaims Richard's wonder at his own command of the stage: "Richard has become an artist in evil: the natural emotions attending crime-whether of passionate longing, or horror and remorse-have given place to artistic appreciation of masterpieces" (40). And Robert Weimann, comparing Richard Gloucester to a character in Shakespeare's King John states: "Both characters exemplify a strenuous need to perform, 'toiling desperately' to play a role, 'to find out,' and, for better or worse, to take up arms against a thorny world"

As we had seen, in the play of Richard the third how Richard is treated throughout the play either by alliances or foes we see the many reasons why that they seem to effect Richard. Either in his rule or treatment of others, the treatment from himself and the treatment he receives from other, and how he acts towards himself and others for his wants and needs. Throughout the play, Richard had always found ways to get rid of those in his way and manipulate due to not only power but for revenge. From the very begging in Richard’s speech he speaks about his deformities, mistreatment from his family and others, and his poor sufferings. In His speech in act 1 scene 1 he said (Shakespeare, William. Richard the Third. “Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace, have no delight to pass away the time, unless to see my shadow in the sun and descant on mine own deformity.”) Here in this statement we see how Richard starts to plan his attack on those around him not only in the play we see this, also countless other things. Like in such stories like The Hungry Artist and The Old Man with Enormous Wings the reader is given a sort of feeling of sympathy for the man characters as they are often mistreated and jeered at, at the most part don’t really have a choice to be the way that they are (except for the story of The Hungry Artist, although it was a way of “living”), and how the characters find ways to

He allies himself with Buckingham, who proves to be a valuable right-hand man. Throughout his rise to power, Richard uses his keen ability (“keep [his] friends close, but [his] enemies closer”) to knock off Clarence and Hastings. As he comes closer and closer to the throne, it is his mental superiority, confidence, underdog status and his honest view of his own ugliness that earn him the sympathy of the audience.

From the very beginning of the play, Richard III expresses how he desires the throne and he would accomplish anything to achieve it. Richard III was only known as a villain for being able to manipulate many people and for his terrible

In William Shakespeare’s play, Richard II, England is ruled by the profligate king, King Richard. He has spent all his father’s money and has fallen out of favor with his subjects. Henry Bolingbroke overthrows Richard and takes his crown. As this occurs Richard undergoes a change. Before his usurpation Richard would not listen to anyone, was selfish, and did not care about the well being of anyone else. When Richard realizes that he has lost everything and is now at the mercy of Bolingbroke, he reflects on his life and becomes a more aware and caring person.

William Shakespeare’s, Richard III explores the idea of power. It’s shown how power corrupts and controls characters throughout the play. There are many comparisons that could be drawn between Richard III as Machiavellian leader as alluded to in the transformative piece. The main reason for this is the extremes that Richard would go to, to assert himself in power. The transformative piece aimed to explore how this influenced Richard’s reception when elected into power. One of the main motivations behind the characterisations of Richard in this transformative piece, is drawn from when Richard announces in the original play, “And therefore, — since I cannot prove a lover, To entertain these fair well-spoken days, —I am determined to prove a villain, And hate the idle pleasures of these days.” (1.1.??) From this quote the character of Richard had to be created to be cruel with no regard for the things that make us human, this was done through how widely known his behaviour is in the article. The Machiavellian idea is also drawn from Richard as he “cannot prove a lover”, which leads him to draw on fear as a method of control. This speech is sinister yet incredibly determined, it acted as the driving hand behind many of Richard’s brutal actions, because whilst his actions are morally wrong, he is working towards a goal. This idea laid the grounds for the investigation Richards’s determination.

As the play continues, Richard II continues to fail at being a just king. Through Bolingbroke’s father, John of Gaunt, the audience discovers that Richard has spent all of England’s money and has been leasing out royal land. Gaunt dies while Bolingbroke is banished, and Richard II neglects the fact that Bolingbroke is the legal heir to Gaunt’s possessions and takes all of Gaunt’s land to fund his army. The Duke of York warns Richard II about this decision and tells him that it is illegal, but Richard II is an arrogant king who thinks he can do what he wants since he is divinely appointed. At this point in the play, Richard II is more unjust than he was at the beginning of the play, and he has committed actions that make it easy for the audience to side with Bolingbroke.

William Shakespeare's Richard II tells the story of one monarch's fall from the throne and the ascension of another, Henry Bullingbrook, later to become Henry IV. There is no battle fought between the factions, nor does the process take long. The play is not action-packed, nor does it keep readers in any form of suspense, but rather is comprised of a series of quietly dignified ruminations on the nature of majesty. Thus, the drama lies not in the historical facts, but in the effects of the situation on the major characters and the parallels drawn by Shakespeare to other tales. The outrage felt by Richard and his fellow royalists is not due from a modern sense of personal