Concepts And Themes Flashcards
(11 cards)
How is the theme of power explored in both texts?
Richard III shows power as corrupt and God-ordained, while LFR shows power as performative and psychologically driven, questioning legitimacy.
Fate vs. free will – how is this shown differently?
In RIII, fate (through curses and divine justice) punishes Richard. In LFR, Pacino explores Richard’s psychology and suggests personal choice matters more.
How do the texts use performance and manipulation?
RIII: Richard performs for other characters and the audience.
LFR: Shows both actors performing Shakespeare and questioning the act of performance itself—layers of truth and artifice.
What role do women play in each text?
In RIII, women are victims, mourners, and moral voices.
In LFR, their roles are minimal—highlighting marginalisation even in retellings.
How does each text interrogate the nature of identity?
Richard III: Identity is manipulated—Richard shapes how others see him and performs villainy.
LFR: Identity is layered—actors explore the self through role-playing, blurring actor/character boundaries.
What does each text suggest about truth and subjectivity?
RIII presents truth as manipulable—what’s seen isn’t always true.
LFR embraces postmodern subjectivity—truth is filtered through performance, interpretation, and editing.
How do the texts explore the relationship between language and power?
RIII: Richard wields language as a weapon—he seduces, deceives, dominates through rhetoric.
LFR: Highlights how Shakespeare’s language shapes perception of power; actors struggle with and are empowered by it.
How is morality represented in both texts?
RIII: Clear moral order—evil punished, divine justice prevails.
LFR: Morality is ambiguous—focus is on understanding rather than judging Richard.
What does each text reveal about performance in public life?
RIII: Politics is performative—Richard adopts roles to gain power.
LFR: Breaks the fourth wall to show that all identity (including acting and leadership) involves performance.
In what ways are the texts self-reflective?
RIII: Uses metatheatrical devices—soliloquies, dramatic irony—to show manipulation of audience.
LFR: Explicitly self-reflective—actors question what Shakespeare means, what it means to perform, and how audiences connect.
How do the texts depict ambition?
RIII: Ambition is ruthless and destructive—Richard will stop at nothing.
LFR: Ambition is both Richard’s flaw and Pacino’s drive—his ambition is to revive the play and make it matter again.
