Richard III – Tragedy In Isolation Essay, Research Paper

“The tragedy of Richard III lies in the progressive isolation of its

protagonist”. Discuss.

From the very opening of the play when Richard III enters

“solus”, the protagonist’s isolation is made clear. Richard’s

isolation progresses as he separates himself from the other characters

and breaks the natural bonds between Man and nature through his

efforts to gain power.

The first scene of the play begins with a soliloquy, which

emphasizes Richard’s physical isolation as he appears alone as he

speaks to the audience. This idea of physical isolation is heightened

by his references to his deformity, such as “rudely stamp’d…Cheated

of feature by Dissembling Nature, deformed, unfinished. This deformity

would be an outward indication to the audience of the disharmony from

Nature and viciousness of his spirit. As he hates “the idle pleasures

of these days” and speaks of his plots to set one brother against

another, Richard seems socially apart from the figures around him, and

perhaps regarded as an outsider or ostracized because of his

deformity. His separation from is family is emphasized when he says

“Dive, thought’s down to my soul” when he sees his brother

approaching. He is unable to share his thought with his own family as

he is plotting against them. Thus, we are given hints of his physical,

social and spiritual isolation which is developed throughout the

play. But despite these hints, he still refers to himself as part of

the House of York, shown in the repeated use of “Our”.

The concept of Richard’s physical isolation is reinforced in his

dealings with Anne in Act I scene ii. She calls him “thou lump of

foul deformity” and “fouler toad” during their exchange. Despite these

insults, she still makes time to talk to Richard, and by the end of

their exchange, she has taken his ring and been “woo’d” by him. After

Richard has successfully gained the throne, he isolates himself when

he asks the crowd to “stand all apart” in Act IV scene ii. And later,

when Richard dreams, he is completely alone. Physical isolation in

Richard’s deformity wins sympathy from the audience as we pity his

condition. But Richard uses his deformity as a tool against the other

characters, to portray them as victimizing Richard. Thus the sense of

tragedy is lessened by his own actions, even though his isolation may

become greater as the play progresses.

Richard’s psychological isolation is conveyed through his lack

of conscience in his murderous acts. Nowhere does he feel remorse for

his murders, until Act V scene iii when he exclaims “Have mercy Jesu!”

and “O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!”. In this turning

point, Richard’s division from his own self is made clear from “I and

I”, and “Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am!” He has conflicting

views of himself and realizes that “no creature” loves him, not even

himself. We also never the “real” mind of Richard, for he is always

playing a role, of a loving brother to Clarence, a lover to Anne or a

victim to the others. We feel sympathy for Richard as he awakes in a

vulnerable position and for the first time acknowledges the evil that

he has done. But as he only reveals his feelings of guilt in the last

act of the play, we do not see him in internal turmoil and thus

the sense of psychological tragedy cannot be built upon.

Socially, Richard is isolated from both the upper and lower

classes of society. In Act I scene iii, Richard sarcastically calls

Elizabeth “sister”, and she contemptuously calls him “Brother of

Gloucester” making a mockery of familial bonds. Margaret calls

him “cacodemon” and “devil”, and any unity that the characters have on

stage is temporary and superficial. In act III, the citizens

are said to be “mum” and “deadly pale”, which gives a sense of quiet

opposition to Richard’s activities. Richard is thus separated from all

around him. Temporarily, we see Richard and Buckingham share a kind of

bond, as Richard calls him “My other self”, “My Oracle” and “My

prophet”. But they part when Buckingham hesitates to kill the young

princes when Richard says “I wish the bastards dead”. This is the only

time the audience sees Richard act with any other man, but we realize

that it is for purely political purposes and that the union exists

only while Buckingham remains useful to him. Our sympathy for Richard

is limited as we see that he has no true friendships, and does not

genuinely care for his family or friends. Thus even in his

increasing isolation the sense of tragedy upon his death is not really

saddening to the audience as there is no real sense of waste

at his loss.

Richard isolates himself from God, as he claims to be above

God’s law and only uses religion as a tool to appear holy before he

is King. But ironically, although he breaks the bonds between man and

Nature, he is a tool of Divine Justice as he kill those who were

sinners, for example Clarence who recalls his horrible dream and

realizes his guilt early in the play. As the murders accumulate so

does his separation from God, and the need for his death increases.

But being closer to his death brings him closer and closer to being

with God. Thus although Richard may not realize it, he is never too

far from God.

But Richard does not increasingly isolate himself from the

audience. From our omniscient position, we share in Richard’s wit,

sarcasm, and the dramatic irony brought about when other characters

are not fully aware of the implication of his words. Richard also

shares his feelings with us, although he is not always truthful. But

the fact that he enjoys his villainy to such a great extent, and feels

no remorse for his murders reduces him to a figure of Vice, and is not

really seen to be a tragic figure of great proportions.

In his killing, we see the guilt of Clarence, King Edward,

Rivers, Hastings Buckingham and Lady Anne exposed before their

deaths, along with all those who die. Thus their deaths are necessary

and the audience remembers that. Also, the deaths appear off-stage,

which lessens the impact of their deaths.

The most poignant part of the play occurs in seeing the young

princes talk happily and innocently to their uncle and “Lord

Protector”. York says “I shall not sleep quiet in the Tower”, and we

pity them, as they are young and afraid, and are forced to go there

because, as the Prince says, “My Lord Protector needs will have it

so”. The children had appeared happy , and the Prince had shown wit

and intelligence in his conversation with his uncle. This appears to

be the greatest tragic loss in the play, which is heightened because

of their youth and innocence. The tragedy of the protagonist is felt

because of his attractiveness as a villain and as someone who is not

constrained by the rules of society. However, the audience never

forgets that he is wicked and therefore we cannot feel a sense of

great loss of potential or waste in his death.