few history plays such written in England--- England history was told in verse and prose chronicles (239)”. It’s considered that Richard II is one of the early “historical plays”. The play became so iconic that even Queen Elizabeth said that she was “Richard the second, know ye not that”. Richard II tells the story about a king’s downfall. Richard II is not your average king. He is useless with his power and does not know how to use it. He is the king of England when the play begins but shortly
The Deposition of Richard II in Richard II by William Shakespeare Richard II is the first play of Shakespeare's four-part History Tetraology. It tells the story of Richard II's deposition and Bolingbroke's rise to power. There are numerous reasons for Richard's fall. He went off to war and left his kingdom vaulnerable. Richard disregarded the advice of his elders. He even went so far as to steal Bolingbroke's inheritance. As Richard lost the support of the nobles and lords, Bolingbroke
in important and dramatic events both in England and Europe and, in his capacity as a soldier, statesman, and diplomat he appears as one of the dominant figures of his time. Evidence of his greatness is found in the work of chroniclers like Chaucer, a good friend and patron, and Troissart. John was born on March 4, 1340, in Ghent (hence Gaunt) in the city of Flanders, England at a turning point in the social and cultural expansion of Europe and England. Gaunt lived nearly sixty years against
Biblical Figures and Ideals in William Shakespeare's Richard II 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
Richard II - The Rape of a Nation By bowing down to the needs of his subjects, a king allows others to dictate his actions and hence compromises the essence of his power. Paradoxically, failing to heed the desires of his subjects transforms a king into a self-indulgent tyrant and propels his kingdom towards ruin and decay. Can a sovereign rule his subjects without considering their general welfare? If a king rules unconscionably, do his subjects have the right to replace him? William Shakespeare's
The Tragedy of King Richard the Second: The Garden of England In Act 3, Scene 4 of The Tragedy of King Richard the Second by Shakespeare, the Queen finds that she is unhappy due to an unexplained intuition. While in the Duke of York’s palace, the Queen’s waiting-women try to comfort her until the gardeners interrupt the failed attempts to reach a happiness. As the Queen secretly listens into the gardener’s conversation, she hears that they are speaking about binding the apricots and plucking the
A successful monarchy relies upon a stable leader who is concerned with the satisfaction of those he rules over. Henry Bolingbroke the IV in Shakespeare's Henry the IV Part I follows a trend set by his predecessor in Richard II of self-indulgence and neglect of his kingdom. These leaders worry about the possibility of losing their kingdom or their soldiers to other nobles who were also concerned more with obtaining a higher position rather than governing. The king must also be wary of his own life
The idea of England as a second paradise in a postlapsarian world was a popular thought in Shakespeare's day. Not only did Englanders compare their land the to Biblical Eden, but also to Classical legends that would have flourished in the Renaissance era. The fact that Britain is an island isolated from the rest of the world invited the comparison of England to mythical islands such as the Islands of the Blest and Homer's Ogygia (Mackenzie 319). Such comparisons surely originated in the strong
the years of 1100-1400 and beyond, England has shown itself to be the best representation of a national monarchy. During this time period it begins to do so with the Plantagenet rulers. The name “Plantagenet” originated from the broom plant that Geoffrey, count of Anjou, used as a personal emblem (Hamilton, 1). This plant was called Planta genesta (Hamilton, 1). Geoffrey’s son Henry II is considered to be the first Plantagenet king, however, he and his sons Richard I and John are more commonly referred
Defective Rulers in Henry IV and Richard II It has been shown again and again throughout history and literature that if there is a perfect human he is not also the perfect ruler. Those traits which we hold as good, such as the following of some sort of moral code, interfere with the necessity of detachment in a ruler. In both Henry IV and Richard II, Shakespeare explores what properties must be present in a good ruler. Those who are imperfect morally, who take into account only self-interest
to King Richard in Richard II, he illustrates many characters throughout his works whom undergo similar personal growth. Oftentimes these personal changes occur when a character suffers great loss in life. In this particular play these changes give the readers a chance to develop a bit of fondness in the once ignorant king. Most readers would normally accept positive changes within the mind and soul of characters. In Richard II, Shakespeare depicts the personal stages of King Richard. Ultimately
The most serious revolt upon all the revolts that Medieval England has experienced is the Peasants’ Revolt, which erupted in June 1381. Despite being described as the first step towards democracy, the demerits of the Peasants' Revolt overcome its merits (that are overemphasized.) Peasants did not achieve all their rightful demands at the time and it is not certain that its effect is ongoing till this day. When the Black Death spread in Europe from 1348 to 1351,about 30% of the population died and
The Characters of Bolingbroke and Richard II "What tongue speaks my right drawn sword may prove" is the sentence which concludes a short speech delivered by Henry Bolingbroke to King Richard II (1.1.6). These words are but the first demonstration of the marked difference between the above-mentioned characters in The Tragedy of Richard II. The line presents a man intent on action, a foil to the title character, a man of words. When Bolingbroke first appears in the play, he is accusing Thomas Mowbray
Ambiguities Answered in Derek Jacobi's Richard II The plain text of a script does not live and breathe as a visual performance must. Both director and actors have to make choices in a production, to interpret and make clear the plot and purpose of the play. The Derek Jacobi Richard II uses the capabilities of film to remove many of the ambiguities that plague interpretation of that text. In doing so, it creates a passionate yet ineffective King Richard who, between his own insecurity and Northumberland's
also the fact that he killed the previous king makes him feel guilty throughout the play. Most important Henry Iv is trying to get Mortimer out of the picture because he was assigned from Richard II to take the throne. As Hotspur was having a conversation with his dad and worcester he discovered that “ King Richard then Proclaim my brother Edmund Mortimer Heir to the crown” (act 1). For one reason why henry IV should not be the ruler was because it was not assigned for him and also as long as the people
makes a good monarch?’ has arose. There are certain standards that Kings and Queens are held to and many have fallen short in these departments, one being King Richard III. However, there are a few that have exceeded the expectations, followed the standards, and ruled with dignity and honor. King Edward III and his brother-in-law, King Harold II are two examples of worthy monarchs. The traits that makes them so noble and distinguished are their legitimacy, fairness, leadership, protection of the realm
Although William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 depicts Henry Bolingbroke's troubles following the usurpation of England's thrown, the more consequential plot concerns the transformation of Prince Hal from a tavern crony into the next King of England. This is a play of contrast where Prince Hal is caught between two father figures who represent contradicting ideals. The figure most notable in the Prince's youth is Falstaff, a materialist who rejects responsibility and has a childish demeanor
wants to be a successful king. Henry IV, Part 1 by Shakespeare deals with the struggle of King Henry IV to maintain his control of the English throne which he usurped from Richard II. The play deals with the conflict between King Henry IV and his son, Prince Harry, and their tense relationship. King Henry is the ruling king of England. He is worn down by worries and guilty feelings about having won his throne through a civil war. Hal, the Prince of Wales who demonstrates his ability to manipulate others
V Henry V, written by William Shakespeare, is by far one of his more historically accurate plays. This play is the life of young King Henry V, who ascended to the throne after his father, Henry IV's death. These times were much different for England, as Henry V was a noble lord whom everyone loved, whereas angry factions haunted his father's reign. Shakespeare portrays a fairly accurate account of the historical Henry V, but certain parts are either inflated"deflated, or conflated to dramatize
can see that each play in the Great Tetralogy is inherently political. In terms of plot, the action of each play revolves around the concept of succession, the passing of political power from one king to the next. Henry IV wrests the crown from Richard II, then is forced to defend it against enemies who would in turn take it from him. Prince Hal inherits the throne from his father, becoming Henry V, then goes on to seize the throne of France for himself. At the end of Henry V, we are told that