Qualities Of Character That Enabled Richard Iii To Ascend The Throne Essay, Research Paper

Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Richard III exemplified

Through the Senecan Tyrant, the Vice Figure, and the Machiavel

To accomplish goals, in one’s life, one must be determined and must have certain characteristics that avenge to one’s aspirations. In the play Richard III, Richard III’s goal is to ascend the throne. There are two ways that one can claim the throne: by birthright, or might. Since Richard III cannot claim the throne by right he must therefore take it by might. To accomplish this goal Richard, Duke of Gloucester, must be determined to achieve his goal at all costs. Also he must have the characteristics to meet his determination. Kings are generally thought to be beautiful, God-like humans from a certain genealogy. They are placed at the throne due to whom they were born to and/or who they marry. Richard is born of the royal family but, he does not possess the qualities of a King to be legitimate according to Shakespeare’s Richard III.

In order to comprehend why such a high level of fear and insecurity can be brought about, a look at the upbringing and personal life of Richard should be brought into discussion. One of three brothers, Richard was in constant competition of who would succeed in gaining the throne of England. Richard, like his other brothers, wanted the title of king quite badly. As time pressed on, it seemed less likely that Richard would succeed in gaining the throne. His shrewd attitude and a physical deformity, that left him nearly paralyzed, were two of the many reasons why Richard would be kept of the throne. Richard quickly became aware of this and he therefore began his rampage to insure himself the throne. After killing off his brothers and many others, who were eligible to succeed, Richard finally became King of England. This title did not bring comfort, and Richard continued to kill anybody who posed a threat in keeping him from remaining king. Richard’s reign as king lasted only two years, and during this two year period Richard was never once happy, thus showing how the unjust soul will never be happy. His insecurities and fears worsened as he gained more and more power.

The first scene of the play, Richard declares in a soliloquy, his plan to become king. In which he shows us for the first time a perfect example of the vice character. Richard clearly states that he is, “Deformed, Unfinished, and sent before my time./Into this breathing world scarce half made up”(1.1.19-20). As a villain Richard must be heartless, he cannot let his emotions interfere with his actions. Also he must be well organized and intelligent; a villain must know exactly how to act when the time calls for it. He must never let his emotions interfere with his actions. A villain must also be manipulative and persuasive so that if he is charged of a crime or if he finds himself in an unavoidable predicament he is able to talk his way out or assure people that he did not commit the crimes that are in question. A villain must also have scapegoats to use if he is discovered or if he is in a dangerous situation. Richard devised an awesome plan to become the King of England.

Brilliantly, he executed his plan. Heartlessly, he executed his family, friends, and subjects. Richard did indeed display these characteristics and therefore fulfilled his goal to ascend the throne.

With Richard’s elder brother, King Edward IV, dying, Richard believes himself to be the most qualified person to rule. Him thinking that he is the most qualified to be king shows arrogance and boastfulness which thrives deep inside Richard. He sets his plan to ascend to the throne into action. First, he locked up the rightful heir, his own brother George, Duke of Clarence, in his quarters. Then he demonstrated his manipulation skills and began to fulfill his scheme. He tells Clarence that it is not the king that is locking him up in the tower, “Tis the lady Grey his wife that tempers him to that extremity” (1.1.63-65). This is a statement that turns out to be false, instead Richard hires two murderers to kill Clarence, which was executed perfectly. Once again Richard deceives his family and friends for his own well-being showing the evil and unbelievable thoughts that dash through his mind. His next step in his plan to claim the throne was to collect a bride. He had one woman in mind; a widow named Anne Neville. Anne who was formerly married to Edward, Prince of Wales, Henry VI’s son, both of whom Richard had already murdered. He once more demonstrates his wonderful manipulative, and persuasive abilities to woo Anne to Marry him. This again being a perfect example of the vice character, Richard takes in great amounts of atonement in agitating the peace. In this he succeeded and he married Anne even though he killed her husband and her father.

Why does Richard believe that he should be king? He seems to possess only one quality which his brother have: to be born of Royalty. One other quality exists in his favor, but is questionable. Richard possesses the qualities of a good leader! Yet, he leads through fear. For example, in Act V Richard demands that Stanley bring him an army or he will decapitate his son. Another way he leads is through manipulation. For example he manipulates his brother Clarence into believing he was going to help free him from prison, though he was responsible for putting him there in the first place. He tells Clarence as he is escorted to the tower, “Well, your imprisonment shall not be long./I will deliver you or lie for you./Meantime, have patience.(1.1.115-117). These are all perfect examples of how fraudulent Richard really was. He lived his whole life in a lie. No matter what the circumstances were, he would find some little hole or way to better his fortune.

A perfect example of how Shakespeare uses Machiaveli in his play Richard III appears in Act III Scene 7 when Richard enters on stage with two Bishops appearing to be good and kind. Richard’s brilliant scheme is to try and increase his public support for his own claim to the crown. Richard, who is assisted by Buckingham, administers shows of allegiance, kindness, religiousness and many other virtues, which recommend him to the citizenry and especially to the Lord Mayor and aldermen of London. After some false persuasion by the Duke of Buckingham, Richard finally accepts the “golden yoke of sovereignty(3.7.146). He does a tremendous job of making the people think that he is a man of religion with good intentions. But in all actuality we the readers know exactly what kind of villain he really is..

There are several examples of the Senecan Tyrant throughout the play of Richard III As mentioned before, one perfect example appears in Act I Scene 4 when Clarence realizes that it was his own brother that had locked him in the towers and hired him for the dead.

“It cannot be, for he bewept my fortune,/and hugged me in his arms and swore with sobs/That he would labor my delivery”(1.4.247-249). This event shows the Senecan influence where an atmospheric state of feebleness and evil are created. It is here that Clarence realizes that he cannot escape his fate, and is bewildered by the fact that his own brother could be so cold hearted.

The reverence of ghosts and supernatural forces is typically Senecan as well. 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 3 when he exclaims, “Have mercy Jesu!/O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!”(5.3.178-179). In this turning point, Richard’s division from his own self is made clear from “I and I./Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am!”(5.3.183-184). He has conflicting views of himself and realizes that “no creature”(5.3.200) loves him, not even himself. We also never see the real mind of Richard. 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.Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Richard III. Ed. David Bevington. 1980. Rpt. New York: Bantam, 1988.