Context Flashcards
(40 cards)
What era was Shakespeare’s Richard III written in?
Elizabethan
What year was Richard III written?
1633
What year was Looking For Richard written?
1996
What is Shakespeare influenced by?
The Tudor Myth
“Shakespeare controversially shares his authorial power with the character Richard, rather than taking on the traditional duty to determine his representation, creating an ambiguity around his endorsement of the humanist polemic.”
What are the beliefs of Machiavelli?
A focus on warfare is important and that rulers should sometimes bend conventional morality or even be cruel to achieve their goal.
“ the ends justify the means “
How does chapters 1-5 in Richard III align with Shakespeare’s tragic structure?
- Protasis
- Epitasis
- Epitasis
- Catastrophe
- Catastrohe
What is the divine right of kings?
divinity ordained by god
Second to god
Richard was not awarded this and killed to become king
What was the treasons act?
Banned all political discussions about succession and the legitimacy of the Tudor family.
Shakespeare upholds this by creating revolution within his narratives
Who is Lady Anne?
Widowed princess
Reluctantly marries Richard, her husbands killer
Who is Queen Margaret?
Anachronistic (dead but still present)
Angry, sorrowful widow
Curses Richard
Who is Queen Elizabeth?
Widowed monarch
Tries to protect her family
Is often pushed aside by men
Who is King Edward IV?
Ailing monarch
Longs for peace
Brother of Rich
Who is George (Duke of Clarence)?
High ranking nobleman
Trusts Richard (his brother) to a fault
Who is Henry VII (Earl of Richmond)?
Heroic rebel army leader
Unites Warring, York and Lancaster houses
Who is Henry Stafford (Duke of Buckingham)?
Immoral seeker of power and wealth
What was the war of the roses?
England has massive family war between the Yorks (white rose) and Lancasters (red rose). They fought over who should be king.
Richard was born from the York family and wanted the throne to himself.
How does the Tudor myth affect Shakespeare’s reliability?
Richard may not have been as bad as the play made him seem.
Shakespeare deploys him as a deformed, scheming villain who murders his way to the throne, but this was likely exaggerated.
What was the name of the last Battle?
Battle of Bosworth Field
Henry Tudor (future Henry VII) kills Richard and becomes, starting the Tudor dynasty.
Does Shakespeare reinforce or dismantle the divine right of kings in his writing?
Reinforce
How does Pacino represent Richard?
More complex and nuanced
As a democratic man
Somewhat admirable
More psychological empathy
how does modern politics reflect similar qualities to Richard?
Rhetoric is used to persuade
“Climbing the ladder” is admirable
Corrupt is the norm
Who is Richard’s parallel in Ginny and Georgia?
Georgia
Who is Buckingham’s parallel in Ginny and Georgia?
Joe
