KING RICHARD III  BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

SUMMARY

"Richard III" was written by Shakespeare as the 3. part of the York trilogy in 1592/93. The play tells us something about Richard's way to power.

Richard sends two murderers to Clarence (his brother) , who was arrested in the tower. Also Edward and King Henry VI were killed by him. Richard loves Anna, who should have been Edward's wife. Queen Margaret, King Henry's wife, curses him. Edward IV, his other brother, died, because he stands in the way of Richard for getting more power. Richard executes other important persons in England. After he received the crown of England, he kills the two Princes for saving his rule. Richard fights against some lords who would not acknowledges him being king. His former friend Buckingham deserts to the enemies and so Richard kills him. Shakespeare shows us a great final in the last act, when Richard fights against Richmond for the crown of England. All persons, who were killed by Richard, return as ghosts and wish Richmond to win and say to Richard, that he will loose the battle. The play ends with a monologue of Richmond, now King Henry VII. about the future of England and how the past was. 

Some facts about the war between the red and the white rose

The House of the Plantagenet was divided in two lines, the red and the white rose. The war between the red rose (House of  Lancaster) an the white rose (House of York) started in 1455. They fought all the time a war of succession, which was won in 1484 by Henry VII. King Henry, a descended from the House of York married Elisabeth, who descended from Clarence, and so he united the two houses again.

Who is who

House of Clarence                             House of Lancaster House of York

Henry VI. & Margaret           

Edward IV    Clarence Richard III& Anna Henry VII

Elisabeth &

Henry VII      

Characterisation:

Richard: cruel, loves power, does everything for winning the crown, disloyal

Clarence: naiv

Richmond: peaceful, helpful

Margaret: vindictive

Text example

act V. scene V.             

Richmond:     

() And then, as we have ta'en the sacrament,  

We will unite the white rose and the red.                               

Smile, heaven, upon this fair conjunction,         

that longer have frown'd upon their enmity. ()