Richard III - Ian McKellen Makes Shakespeare Accessible to All
analytical Essay
439 words
Richard III - Ian McKellen Makes Shakespeare Accessible to All
Shakespeare at the time and even now still seems like a foreign language to many minds. From its deep and complicated plot development, and the archaic English that was its makeup, to the strange and old-fashioned medieval settings and costumes, a Shakespeare film of that time was not something very appealing to the public. McKellen’s approach to making the film Richard III eliminated many of these prejudices people had of Shakespeare movies.
The historical “authenticity” of costume and setting was something that was removed from McKellen’s Richard III. To many, the authenticity of costume and setting made it confusing, old fashioned, and distant. It made the story seem like a history lesson, rather than the drama Shakespeare intended. By placing the story of Richard III in a modern setting of the 1930s, it eliminates many of these problems and allows the public to relate the film to their era. (i.e. Hitler, Hussein) It also made the story much more clear as you could recognize who was royalty, aristocrat, etc.
The choice of the 1930s setting helped set up the background information needed to understand the political turmoil. The general populace would not have much knowledge of the period preceding the play, which is vital to understand the actions and decisions of various characters. McKellen used the period preceding WWII where a tyrant like Richard III could have overtaken Britain and gave Richard parallel motives to Hitler, Mussolini, etc.
Another problem McKellen had to fix was the length of the actual script and the number of characters. To make it appeal to the public, you couldn’t make the film the several hours that was needed to perform the whole script. The fast paced life of today doesn’t allow enough time for that Besides this problem, the original script of Richard III is very slow moving and not very action packed, which is one of the reasons why so many complain that Shakespeare is “boring.” . McKellen therefore cut irrelevant scenes out, cut out many pages of speeches and was left with an accelerated, quality, and much more compacted Richard III.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ian mckellen's approach to making richard iii eliminated many of the prejudices people had about shakespeare movies.
- Analyzes how mckellen's "richard iii" removed the historical "authenticity" of costume and setting, making it confusing, old-fashioned, and distant. by placing the story of richard iii in a modern setting of the 1930s, it eliminates many of these problems.
- Analyzes how mckellen used the 1930s setting to set up the background information needed to understand the political turmoil.
- Explains that mckellen had to fix the length of the script and the number of characters to make it appeal to the public.
- Explains that mckellen sought to revive interest in the great works of shakespeare. he understood the problems facing shakespeare plays and was one of many that sparked the large demand for shakespeare films today.
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- Biblical Figures and Ideals in Shakespeare's Richard IIanalytical essayAlthough not as advanced in its stagecraft as many of Shakespeare's other plays, the intricate web of metaphor and poetry in Richard II makes it perhaps the most meaningful and intense of the historical plays. Richard is not the sniveling villain a lesser playwright might have made him, but a philosopher and a poet whose ideas of majesty have been c...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare's richard ii is a series of quietly dignified ruminations on the nature of majesty. the outrage felt by richard and his fellow royalists is not due to modern sense of personal loss.
- Analyzes how the intricate web of metaphor and poetry in richard ii makes it perhaps the most meaningful and intense of the historical plays.
- Analyzes how shakespeare utilizes both the actual language in the play and the events that take place on stage to create a vast and moving religious parallel. the poetry of richard ii serves to bolster this parallel to unignorable heights.
- Analyzes how the vision of blood spilling onto the soil of england, from act one to act five, appears again and again until it culminates in the death of richard, the king.
- Analyzes how the horror of blood on the soil stems back to the biblical tale of cain and abel. the famous old testament story is alluded to directly in richard ii.
- Analyzes how bullingbrook accuses mowbray of murdering the duke of gloucester, and suggests richard's involvement in the death.
- Analyzes how richard, as king of england, mismanages the country, murders those who stand in his way, and exclaims to the soil that he does "thee favors with my royal hands."
- Analyzes how john of gaunt warns richard of england's sickness and the inevitable consequences when he says, "thy death-bed is no lesser than thy land."
- Analyzes how the pitiful murder of pitiable richard takes place before the audience. exton, richard's murderer, becomes cain at the end of the play.
- Analyzes how richard's blood is shed to help restore england to health. while alive and in power, richard did little to aid his country or his brothers, but in death serves them quite well.
- Analyzes how herschel baker states that king richard speaks in tropes that state, restate, and amplify the major motifs of the action in ways almost symphonic. the sun symbolizes the rising and falling action and helps elucidate the biblical themes within the play.
- Analyzes how king richard returns from ireland to find henry bullingbrook making claims to english lands. his self-image is so strongly engaged in his royal title that he is the sun of england.
- Explains that richard is yet the king, the light of his country, and believes so in his anointed power that anyone who dares face it will skulk back to the ranks of mere night marauders.
- Analyzes how richard's metaphors change dramatically to make bullingbrook the sun; he mourns the passing of his night to his fair day and unconvincingly asks god to send him many years of sunshine days.
- Analyzes how shakespeare makes an interesting religious parallel with richard falling and henry ascending. richard is the christ-figure who is sacrificed for mankind.
- Analyzes how bullingbrook divides the character of christ in the play and adds an interesting dynamic to the sun imagery. richard is not only the falling sun, he is the fallen son.
- Analyzes how bullingbrook's ascension to the throne makes him the new light of england, similar to christ taking the place of the sun and illuminating the world.
- Analyzes how the relationships explored in richard ii are helpful in elucidating the religious parallel. the father-son relationship is perhaps the most important one in the play.
- Analyzes how henry bullingbrook's return to england is based on the misuse of the belongings of another important "father" in the play.
- Explains that there are three major father-son dramas in the play, two that play out with physical characters and serve to represent and foreshadow the most important one, the one between god and his chosen steward, king richard.
- Analyzes the integral relationship between john of gaunt and his son, henry, wherein his duty as a statesman and servant of his country requires that he advise the king to punish henry.
- Analyzes the father-son drama between lord aumerle and his father, the duke of york, when york discovers his son's plan to mutiny against the crown.
- Analyzes how king richard firmly believes that the breath of worldly men cannot depose the deputy elected by the lord. he asks his turn-coat subjects to "show us the hand of god that hath dismissed us from our stewardship."
- Opines that while earthly betrayal may facilitate man's downfall, it is god who sacrifices man to better serve his grand creation, the world.
- Analyzes how gaunt asserts that more men's ends are marked than their lives before, and that the setting sun and music at the close, as the last taste of sweets, is sweetest last.
- Analyzes how richard's reaction to music may be incriminating evidence of his insanity, but it is likely that either there is really music for the king to respond to or that he himself knows it not really there.
- Analyzes how richard is imprisoned in a castle and can hear music in his cell or the groom, who enters presently, is providing this serenade.
- Analyzes how shakespeare created richard ii, a complex and intriguing character with rich religious implications. the sympathy of the reader slowly attaches itself to the fallen king, while henry bullingbrook redeems the land.
- Analyzes how richard ii is a play about betrayal, dignity, sacrifice, and redemption. the biblical figures and ideals enrich the play, allowing it to speak to its readers no matter their location in time and space.
4165 wordsRead More - Déjà Vu: Motifs of Hitler in Richard III(1995) and How They Help Modern Audience to Understand Shakespeare’s Richardanalytical essayIt is not terribly odd to see directors adapt Shakespearian plays to a different era. In fact, contemporary elements in films like Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet and the most recent Much Ado About Nothing by Joss Whedon have definitely bring valuable new readings to the text. Embracing this trend, Richard III (1995) by Richard Loncraine shifts its background to 1930s Britain. Starring Ian McKellen as Richard, the movie makes an undeniable connection to Nazi Germany; very details include costume design, set and prop, and cinematography choices all closely relate Richard to Hitler, an equivalent villain from modern history. The choice of blending Hitler into Richard puts viewers now into the shoes of audience from Shakespeare’s time to better understand Richard’s evil; although Richard III is quite ancient, Hitler is still a new scar.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the similarities between richard and hitler are interpreted explicitly through ian mckellen's acting.
- Analyzes how ian mckellen's richard iii kisses queen elisabeth to increase his legitimacy. hitler also experienced a love story with his niece, geli.
- Analyzes how the melancholic childhood of richard and hitler may play a major role in their adult psychopathy.
- Analyzes how richard loncraine's richard iii shifts its background to 1930s britain. the movie makes an undeniable connection to nazi germany.
- Analyzes how richard's mouth in this shot becomes more striking when think about hitler as a talented speaker.
- Argues that loncraine and mckellen are bending richard towards hitler to entertain wider audience for better box office credit.
1615 wordsRead More - Shakespeare, William. Richard III. The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1997)
In this essay, the author
- Compares macbeth to richard iii in that it's more complex than the first half of the play, which features the disintegration of his world.
- Opines that macbeth is a profoundly religious play, but it does not deliver an explicitly christian message.
- Analyzes how shakesperae's play macbeth follows a standard conventional form: the rise and fall of the great man.
- Compares the vision of evil in shakespeare's play macbeth with that in richard iii. the witches are a permanent threat to individuals and the human community.
- Opines that polanski's interpretation of macbeth shows the fragile nature of social institutions. the witches are still around and have not been dealt with.
- Describes shakespeare, william, richard iii, and macbeth in the norton shakespeare.
1426 wordsRead More - The Effectiveness of William Shakespeare's Use of Supernatural in the Final Act of Richard IIIanalytical essayThe Effectiveness of William Shakespeare's Use of Supernatural in the Final Act of Richard III
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the effectiveness of william shakespeare's use of supernatural in the final act of richard iii.
- Analyzes how shakespeare may have used supernatural events to entertain his audience who would have believed in ghosts.
- Explains that shakespeare's audience believed in the supernatural much more. ghosts, curses and prophecies were believed when they told something about the future.
- Explains that shakespeare's audiences would have seen the supernatural as evil spirits to curse richard and make him feel guilty for what he has done to his family. the paranormal still interests the modern audiences.
- Explains how the paranormal is used in contemporary plays and films to make the play more theatrical, exhilarating and more lively.
- Analyzes how the ghosts make richard feel responsible, but he sees it differently. margaret's curse reminds him that the worm of conscience still begnaws his soul forever.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's use of supernatural is effective because it reminds us of the members of family killed by richard to become king.
- Analyzes how richard deserves to die as his punishment and people will be punished if they commit vile things. this makes the scene look more theatrical and stimulating, enabling the audience to see what is going on inside richard's head.
- Analyzes how the imagery of richard's animal is a significant reference to the elizabethan audience who interpreted animal imagery with interest.
- Analyzes how stanley fears stanley's death, which enables us to see the personality of richard. anne curses richard because of what he did to her husband.
- Analyzes shakespeare's use of the supernatural when buckingham remembers margaret’s curse on richard.
- Analyzes how supernatural curses were used to punish people for what they did to them and their families. margaret warns buckingham to be careful of richard.
- Explains that a curse was an act of punishment and has the same effect as the ghosts saying it as well: "despair and die." buckingham recognises his must pay for his part.
- Analyzes how richard's curses were used to warn richard that they were in great danger in the near future and to make audiences believe it was happening to buckingham.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's use of supernatural may seem surprising in a play like richard iii, because the play contains historical events and shakespeare tries to let the audience make up their own decision.
- Analyzes how richard is a villain because he generates malevolence and violence in the play, being efficient, imaginative, persuasive, intelligent, and in control. the play tells the audience about the events that took place.
- Opines that the use of paranormal is effective because it allows the audience to get into the character's minds and see what they are thinking.
935 wordsRead More - Comparison of King Richard III and Looking for Richardanalytical essayShakespeare 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...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare's king richard iii (1592) and al pacino’s looking for richard (1996) allow for a greater understanding of composers' respective contexts and intended agendas through the lens of their own societal values.
- Analyzes how shakespeare constructs king richard iii to perform his contextual agenda or perpetrate political propaganda in the light of a historical power struggle.
- Analyzes how pacino's film looking for richard reflects the values of its society as he attempts to create a shakesperean play more accessible to the twentieth century audience.
- Analyzes how shakespeare portrays richard's supreme oratory skill and aptitude for manipulating others, demonstrating the political and moral values of the play’s elizabethan era.
- Analyzes how pacino portrays richard iii's manipulation of his image, highlighting disparate values and concerns of the contemporary era in comparison to the elizabethan age.
- Compares al pacino and william shakespeare's texts to illustrate cultural agendas and present varying interpretations of the same story.
1514 wordsRead More - The Portrayal of Socially Destructive and Over-Ambitious Richard, in Shakespeare's Richard IIIanalytical essayRichard, the main character of the Shakespeare’s play, Richard III is portrayed as socially destructive and politically over-ambitious. His destructive potential is depicted by the way he relates with the other protagonists in the play and also by what he confesses as his intentions.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how richard, the main character of the shakespeare's play, is portrayed as socially destructive and politically over-ambitious.
- Analyzes how the character of richard is depicted as amiss in thomas more's account of king richard.
- Analyzes how shakespeare portrays richard as an evil character, unreliable as a son, brother, godfather, friend, and even worse as king.
- Analyzes how shakespeare introduces to us a character who is evil according to the moral judgement of the moment. he does not respect the social values and norms.
2911 wordsRead More - A Hero, a King, and a Daemonanalytical essay... bloody pathway to kingship. Filled with scorn against a society that rejects him and nature that curses him with a weakened body, Richard decides to take revenge and ultimately declares a war between himself and the world. By achieving goals for the mere sake of self-advancement, a self-made hero, an ambitious king, and an atrocious villain were created. Richard assumes that love forms a bond which men can break, but fear is supported by the dread of ever-present pain (Machiavelli ch. XXIV); thus, for true success the hero must be a villain too. Richard III becomes one of literature’s most recognized anti-heroes under the hands of Shakespeare as he has no objective or thought to take up any other profession than the art of hatred; however, ironically being a representative of a heroic ruler sent by God, he is made to commit murder to redeem society of their sins.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare's richard iii displays his anti-hero traits afflicted with thorns of villains. he possesses the idealism and ambition of a heroic figure that is destined to great achievements and power.
- Analyzes how richard's disdain for humane beliefs and customs labels him as a demon of indiscipline and rebellion. he sees virtues as contrary to his power-thirsty nature and aim.
- Analyzes how the manipulative richard is shunned by society, and his deformity is a factor to his inner corruption of loneliness and self-love
- Analyzes how richard celebrates his misshapen body by becoming a self-centered individual.
- Analyzes how richard, a corrupted, yet charming character, is the hateful protagonist and soul of shakespeare's richard iii. he fulfills his promised objective with guiltless sins, which lack moral ethics and tradition.
1163 wordsRead More - Comparing the Defective Rulers in Henry IV and Richard IIanalytical essayShakespeare, William. Richard II. Shakespeare: The Complete Works. Ed. G. B. Harrison. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1948. 430-67.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare explores what properties must be present in a good ruler in henry iv and richard ii.
- Analyzes how bolingbroke is a morally void opportunist who ignores morality and proclaims what is right when he can save his crown.
- Analyzes how bolingbroke is the superior ruler because he combines richard's total lack of morality with deception.
- Analyzes how the slip that nearly cost bolingbroke his crown in henry iv is a violation of the principle that got henry the crown.
- Analyzes how richard is defeated by bolingbroke who is imperfect in both his deception and his lack of morality. hotspur, who keeps up appearances with both deceptiveness and a flaunted sense of honor, cannot challenge him because of his need for honor.
- Analyzes dean, leonard f., "richard ii: the state and the image of the theatre." pmla 67.
- Describes shakespeare, william, and richard ii. shakespeare: the complete works.
833 wordsRead More - The Rise and Fall of Richard the Thirdanalytical essay	Much debate and controversy surround the rise and fall of Richard the Third. It is hard to ignore such subjects due to the bonds and hidden reasons that many of the authors of the middle ages had towards Richard. In keeping an objective approach towards Richard III, the study of his rise and fall will be taken in the perspective of his royal acts and administration of England. Public sentiment over such things as the scandal surrounding the princes did have an effect over the rule of Richard, but there are many other underlying aspects that could have extended Richards rule, and changed the way history looks back on him.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that richard was named protector of the prince and the country in edward's will because edward was in his minority.
- Analyzes how richard gained public support for his part in fighting scotland and used this support in his next step of a move for the throne
- Analyzes how richard iii pushed for royal benevolence, financial reform, and a line of succession to ensure the stability of england when he died. he realized the influence of the rising middle class throughout england.
- Opines that the rise and fall of richard the third is based on his royal acts and administration of england.
- Analyzes how richard positioned himself to claim the throne as if he had no intentions in the first place.
- Analyzes how richard was determined to bring england to the forefront of world power, but he also realized that england needed time to heal from the situation they were in.
2543 wordsRead More - Richard IIIanalytical essayIn The Daughter of Time Tey’s character Grant points out that, Shakespeare’s play was written based on the accounts of John Morton who was the Archbishop of Canterbury under Henry VII; neither Henry VII nor Morton liked Richard III (p.95). Due to their dislike of Richard, it is possible that they wrote a history of his that is not true in order to make Henry VII look like a better choice to be king. When analyzing the two stories, there are differences in...
In this essay, the author
- Opines that there are more than subjective differences in shakespeare's "richard iii" and josephine tey’s the daughter of time representation of who richard iii was as a person and the way that he became king.
- Compares shakespeare's play "richard iii" and josephine tey’s book, the daughter of time, to show the viewer their side of the story.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's play was written based on the accounts of john morton who was the archbishop of canterbury under henry vii.
- Compares shakespeare's depiction of richard iii as a hunchback, withered arm, and his deformities in tey’s story.
- Analyzes how richard disliked his brother george because he was not deformed like richard was. in shakespeare's play, richard makes up a rumor and tells king edward who has george imprisoned.
- Analyzes how richard was a loyal and loving person according to tey; his motto was "loyalty blinds me." he traveled to london from the scotland borders and took an oath of allegiance to his nephews.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's richard had buckingham say that edward’s children were illegitimate and there for they were not the successors to the throne.
- Analyzes how in tey's version, the only mention of the missing boys was in two accounts that were in areas that john morton was using for cover. shakespeare has a scene where richard asks buckingham to have someone kill the boys.
- Analyzes how tey describes henry tudor as the hero that saved them from richard. he married edward’s daughter elizabeth to become the king.
- Analyzes how tey uses evidence in her story to show that the richard iii that shakespeare presents is a fake.
- Explains that the titulus regius was an actual parliamentary document that made richard iii the hire to the throne and edward iv children illegitimate.
- Explains that richard had no reason to be concerned for, his spot on, the thrown because he had become the net hire. henry tudor became king by a thin thread after his victory over richard.
- Compares the physical depiction of richard with tey's version of what he may have looked like. there is no withered arm and a curve to the spine.
- Opines that there is no evidence that richard was the wicked person described in shakespeare’s play. there seems to be a division in history on whether he was great loyal leader or tyrant.
- Opines that when studying history, it is important to understand that there are contradictory documents. critically evaluating the source and where the information originally came from can make a source useful or useless.
- Explains that it is essential to come up with more questions to try to answer to further understand and clarify a topic. the contradictions between two sources may become clearer if you have developed problems that you are trying to solve.
1506 wordsRead More