"richard 3" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cliff Notes)

As Richard's chief ally, the greedy Buckingham does much of Richard's dirty work, while Richard flatters him and plays the naive pupil. Raised higher and higher by his expectations of wealth and land, Buckingham is stunned when Richard refuses to reward him. Shakespeare underscores Buckingham's shock and Richard's contempt with the chilling but almost casual denial: "I am not in the giving vein today" (IV, ii, 115). As Buckingham goes to his execution, he remembers Margaret's prophecy and reflects on the price that one pays for falseness.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: QUEEN ELIZABETH

Historically, the wife of Edward IV was a powerful political force in her own right and had reinforced her position through patronage. But when we meet her, she arrives on a weak note as she bemoans the king's illness and her own danger. She does, however, demonstrate intelligence in her fear of Richard. Still, she lacks the resources to resist him. Unlike Margaret, Queen Elizabeth cannot rally an army to her side.

Elizabeth is a survivor, and though her losses are great, she never becomes one of Richard's victims. In the prolonged proxy courtship scene, where Richard asks Elizabeth for her daughter, she tolerates his clever and skillful arguments longer than Lady Anne had earlier. Even her apparent surrender to Richard's wishes leaves room for doubt. Indeed, as you later discover, the final victory is hers.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: LADY ANNE (NEVILLE)

The first great contest between the determined Richard and a formidable opposition takes place quickly with Lady Anne, daughter of the powerful Duke of Warwick and the widow of Henry VI's son, the former Prince of Wales. It is one of Shakespeare's finest scenes and demonstrates the playwright's genius. Lady Anne's collapse might serve as fair warning of Richard's uncanny ability to exploit other people's weaknesses. Occurring early in the play, it should put you on alert for subsequent encounters with other enemies.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: HENRY TUDOR, EARL OF RICHMOND

Richard is such a compelling character that Shakespeare probably knew he was in a "no win" situation when it came to presenting his successor. To build a proper case for Richmond as a hero would require more space than was available in this play. But this was one bit of history Shakespeare would not dare to alter. The grandfather of his own monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, must emerge as the glorious victor and peacemaker. To minimize the problem, Richmond is not introduced until the latter stages of the play. After a brief introduction, he is shown only in direct contrast to Richard. The parallel is reinforced by the bold presentation of the two tents--the two camps on stage. Further differences in personality are clarified in their dealings with their attendants and by their responses to their dreams. The final differences are shown in their individual orations to their troops. Notice how Richmond stresses the justice of their cause and invokes God throughout his speech. It serves not only to inspire his warriors, but to prop him up as the "chosen" champion.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE (BROTHER OF RICHARD AND EDWARD IV)

Like Lady Anne, Clarence becomes one of Richard's first victims--forerunner of what will take place again and again. His first mistake is to trust his brother Richard. Clarence, we later discover, has committed a number of crimes in the name of Yorkist power and deserves punishment by any standard. But unlike Lady Anne, Clarence does not get to confront his enemy or to struggle for his life with Richard. Instead, he wrestles with his own crimes in the terrible dream before his assassination by Richard's henchmen. In his death you will find the pattern of prophecy and retribution (Nemesis) that will be repeated throughout the play--the prediction of doom (in his dream), the irony (of trusting Richard), and the final awareness that he deserves punishment by the very God whose mercy he invokes.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: EDWARD IV

In his opening soliloquy, Richard draws attention to his brother, King Edward IV, as being lazy, lecherous, and gullible. This might seem like a narrow-minded opinion of a monarch who had twice triumphed over the Lancaster enemy and had ruled England peacefully for more than two decades. But when you do get to meet him during his one appearance on stage, is there any reason to disagree with Richard's evaluation? Is this anyone's picture of what the head of government should be? Shakespeare never suggests that Richard's criminal acts should be sanctioned. Instead, he shows you an alternative view of a king and lets you reach your own judgments. You can't help but compare the two men who occupy the throne during the play. Perhaps the lack of choice between these two "unfit" rulers helps create the need for an ideal monarch who will appear in the end.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: DUCHESS OF YORK

The mother of two kings (Edward IV and Richard III) and their brother (the Duke of Clarence), the Duchess of York reveals a great deal in her statements about her children. She can snarl at Queen Margaret and defend every vicious deed committed by her husband and sons. Yet nowhere does she approve of her son Richard. She denies him even the courtesy of a mother's blessing, and at the earliest opportunity she denounces him. To offset any claim to goodness that Richard might have from his effective administration in the North or his courage in battle, she laces with contempt her recollections of his childhood. She can still stand up to him, but lacks the force of Queen Margaret.

Richard is clever enough to realize the political danger of implicating her as an adulteress in establishing the illegitimacy of Edward IV's lineage.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: LORD HASTINGS

The Lord Chamberlain seems to be a typical Shakespearean gull, a fool whose end is predictable from the start. Beneath his naive trust lurks an ugly lust for revenge that leads to his downfall. Shakespeare uses him as another victim whom Richard lulls into an unwarranted sense of security, then crushes in an instant. Notice how the Nemesis pattern--prophecy, irony, and recognition--applies to Hastings as he meets his Fate.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: LORD STANLEY, EARL OF DERBY

Stanley is a difficult figure to follow as he winds cautiously through the play. He is established as a decent man in his first appearance when he pleads for one of his servant's lives. He shows caution when he sends his messenger to Hastings with the story of his dream. And he personally warns Hastings of the mounting danger which Richard represents.

But Stanley is careful with his words and never defies a prophecy, nor does he trust an enemy. Though Richard suspects he is disloyal, he cannot detect a vulnerable spot in Stanley. Even the holding of Stanley's son as hostage is a sign of weakness rather than power.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: LORD MAYOR

A civil functionary of importance, the Lord Mayor is depicted in this play as a man so gullible that one wonders why he doesn't join Richard's list of victims. He gives in easily to Richard and Buckingham's schemes. According to some critics, Shakespeare may be pointing a finger at the weakness of a system which permits major changes in government to be influenced by such incompetent officials.

1ST MURDERER AND 2ND MURDERER

Notice Richard's ease in dealing with this lower element of society. What does that tell you about his willingness to soil his own hands? And does this ever change? These murderers represent a certain type of commoner in England and were easily identified by the Elizabethan audience. As they speak with Clarence, they are clearly aware of the goings-on in high places. Yet they do differ with one another. In their separate positions regarding the bloody act of murder, they exemplify the two strong attitudes toward a Higher Authority that run through the play--defiance and fear.

^^^^^^^^^^RICHARD III: THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE DUKE OF YORK (SONS OF EDWARD IV)