The making of a martyr is composed of many things, including death. Sir Thomas More only became a martyr recently, but he died over 400 years ago, and did so in much controversy. The dissension over his death has spawned the play A Man for All Seasons, in which the author, Robert Bolt, depicts his view of the tragic progression to More's death. In this play, King Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell, Richard Rich, and Sir Thomas More himself are responsible for the death of More. Although other characters have supporting roles that help in this, none play as important of a part as the four characters above in the bringing of More to his death. In the play King Henry wants to divorce his barren wife to marry a new love. He feels Mores publicized acceptance of the divorce would allow it to proceed without immense public revolt. King Henry promises More, not to pursue me [More] on this matter [the divorce](54), but after More accepted the Chancellor position, King Henry began badgering him to help him with the affair. The badgering and erratic behaviour became more violent towards More as he perpetually declined to comment on the divorce. Despite that King Henry promised again to More, There, you have my word Ill leave you out of it (56), he hired Cromwell to pressure More into making a statement. King Henry became so obsessed with trying to achieve Mores acceptance that it was said he Wants either Sir Thomas More to bless his marriage or Sir Thomas More destroyed (119). King Henry with his lust for new love took his unrelenting iron fist and thrust down Sir Thomas Mores throat his last breath of life. But a King without a council is powerless; there are others who are accountable for Sir Thomas Mores death. Though it may be argued that Thomas Cromwell and Richard Rich are simply pawns for the king to play, every man is responsible to follow his conscious. Cromwell and Rich are responsible for the final prosecution of More. Rich, along side Cromwell, is guilty of letting greed for power enable him to bring down a good man. They knew none could beat More in a court of laws and rules, so instead of trying to fight More with rules, they decided to break them. Rich lied under oath sending More to his deathbed, and he responded, I am sorrier for your perjury than my peril(156). Cromwell, in his quest for power, seen a doorway of opportunity, where he could bring down More and in the process benefit his own social and economical status. As More stated, Silence gives consent (152) and Cromwells silence during Richs perjury makes him an accessory to the crime and just as guilty as Rich. The two together are partners in the crime, whether accomplices with King Henry or for their own reasons, they are still responsible for their actions and the consequences of them. Likewise, Sir Thomas More should not be considered an innocent bystander in his own death. He makes poor choices throughout the play that on put him on thin ice and that much closer to his own death. Mores first mistake is accepting to be chancellor, dispite his answering no(35) when Margaret asked would you want to be Chancellor?(35). He knew what his job would entail when accepted it, moreover, he knew it would conflict with his beliefs. Sir Thomas More chose the path he would walk and, it isnt hard to foresee, that path leads to disaster. Furthermore, More chose to stay in England, when he could have fled to somewhere else. Instead of trying to avoid the problem he stayed and stewed in it. Leaving was certainly a possibility because he later told his family, All of you must leave the country(142). Alice said to her husband, I dont believe this had to happen(144) and it didnt have to happen, if More had chosen his path better. At least twice Sir Thomas More made poor choices and put himself into bad situations in the play, which ultimately progressed him closer and closer to his death. Sir Thomas More never had to die, unfortunately he was the only person that really understood the implications that complying with the Kings desires would cause. Many people caused the death of Sir Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons; those that are most guilty that it came to pass are King Henry, Thomas Cromwell, Richard Rich, and Sir Thomas More himself. Who of these is most guilty is a matter of opinion, but that these people are guilty of ending Sir Thomas Mores life is fact. From King to commoner each of these people played a vital role in the destruction of one mans honest and righteous life.
Oliver Cromwell was a well known military dictator. He helped the Parliamentarians win the First Civil War and was named Lord Protector. He died in 1658 but many people still remember him as one of the best leaders in history although others believe he was a harsh tyrant and always wanted too much power for himself. Throughout the years, numerous historians have changed their views on whether he was a good leader or not. This work will look at three interpretations from different people on who Cromwell was and what he was like and compare them.
Boynick, Matt. "Georg Friedric Handel." Classical Music Pages. 1 Feb. 1996. 13 July 2005 .
In this play of challenge and debate, could it be possibly suggested that King Richard had a part to play in the murder of his uncle the Duke of Gloucester? Could the reader possibly pick up this assumption having known nothing about the play? These are all factors that one must find by reading in between the lines, noticing and understanding the silence that is exchanged. For the silence is just as important as the speech.Why is it assumed that King Richard II has anything to do with the murder? Let us review a scene from the play were Gaunt accuses Richard of being accountable for Gloucester's death.
Comparing the Opening Scene of the Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann Film Versions of Romeo and Juliet
5 scene 3 is the climax of the play as Romeo and Juliet commit suicide
While Shakespeare was writing Richard III, he was limited in options of sources that depicted the history of Richard III. In regards to the nature in which the playwright portrayed the king, “Shakespeare borrowed these negative details from other sources such as Thomas More and enemies of Richard who dishonestly wrote the majority of his history” (“Historiography”). According to the University of Michigan, “Sir Thomas More had been born in 1478, seven years before the Battle at Bosworth, too young to remember anything first hand. More spent a portion of his youth in the household of Dr. John Morton. We may assume that More’s writings were based on what he heard and learned while there. Morton was one of Richard III’s bitterest enemies and we must view his recollections as tainted and biased” (“Historiography”). With this information, it is evident that More’s writing was heavily influenced by Tudor propaganda. His historical accounts of Richard III in his 1513 publication of The History of King Richard the Third portrays him in a light very similar to Shakespeare’s. More, describi...
“This conduct to convey me to the Tower. Upon what cause? Because my name is George.” This logically folly of a wizard telling you to lock those under the letter G is abhorrent and unthoughtful. This is not the way of a king but that of a gullible fool who has no place ruling anything. Richard wants to remove the false king from a throne he does not deserve. When in the king's halls edward tries to amend feuds “Rivers and Hastings, take each other's hand;Dissemble not your hatred, swear your love. By heaven, my heart is purged from grudging hate:And with my hand I seal my true heart's love. So thrive I, as I truly swear the like!”(II.I 7-11). This quote shows how shallow the current ruler of england is he sees a long running feud and assumes that by telling them to shake and say sorry that all will be amended, that however is not the case they only do this to humor the king. And yet the Edward takes no notice and instead tries to make a holiday of sorts based on a fraudulent handshake. So by killing a line of lesser fit kings richard is doing england a favor, he is saving by hurting
Shakespeare constructs King Richard III to perform his contextual agenda, or to perpetrate political propaganda in the light of a historical power struggle, mirroring the political concerns of his era through his adaptation and selection of source material. Shakespeare’s influences include Thomas More’s The History of King Richard the Third, both constructing a certain historical perspective of the play. The negative perspective of Richard III’s character is a perpetuation of established Tudor history, where Vergil constructed a history intermixed with Tudor history, and More’s connection to John Morton affected the villainous image of the tyrannous king. This negative image is accentuated through the antithesis of Richards treachery in juxtaposition of Richmond’s devotion, exemplified in the parallelism of ‘God and Saint George! Richmond and victory.’ The need to legitimize Elizabeth’s reign influenced Shakespeare’s portra...
Romeo and Juliet is a famous play that was first performed between 1594 and 1595, it was first printed in 1597. Romeo and Juliet is not entirely fictional as it is based on two lovers who lived in Verona. The Montague’s and Capulet’s are also real. Romeo and Juliet is one of the ten tragedies that William Shakespeare wrote. In this essay, I aim to investigate what act 1, scene1 makes you expect about the rest of the play.
had Clarence killed so that he could have an uncontested line to the throne. Shakespeare also said that Richard killed young
A Comparison of Two Film Versions of Act 3 Scene 5 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
After exiling Henry, Richard takes the opportunity to criticize his "courtship to the common people." His speech at first seems to merit Henry for his sociability, but it quickly becomes clear that, to Richard, commoners are not fit for royal consumption:
For my essay I' am going to take one scene from the play 'Romeo +
The dramatic impact of Act 3, Scene 1 of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is quite a
...n moral and royal principles. By the end of this play, it’s clear that Richard has completely questioned the concept of divine right and when he has to shed his crown and turn over England to his enemy, he dramatically states “Throw away respect, Tradition, form, and ceremonious duty; For you have but mistook me all this while. I live with bread like you, feel want, Taste grief, need friends. (3.3.172-76). Just because Richard as a divine right to be the King doesn’t mean that he is the right choice to accomplished the requirement of what it takes to be a great king. Richard was lacking on the will power of a leader. His downfall was his fault in the sense that he couldn’t concentrate to see what he was doing to his region as a ruler. He failed as a leader but at the same time he gain sometime much better than a crown, Richard gain the understanding of who he is.