I. Greenblatt introduction in Norton Shakespeare

A. Political, psychological, and metaphysical explanations from Thos. More’s History

B. theme of “politician”—Machiavellism—cf. Last part of HVI quote, connect to White Devil

1. He’ll “set the murdrous Machiavel to school”

2. Conscience is but a word that cowards use/Devised at first to keep the strong in awe

C. Psychology: he’s internalized the loathing he’s inspired in those around him

D. Play offers some validation of curses and ghosts

E. Atmosphere of ritual; reality of hell and devils—the Vice, like Flamineo—play is like Exorcism

F. Three causalities/perspectives limit and contradict each other

G. Gusto of evil characters—allure of Richard is allure of theatre—eros of performance and illusion

H. Politics and sexuality are both transgressive—like that of the rapist—desire intensified by barriers to overcome

I. Richards erotic theatricality and that of the rest of the play—anecdote—sado-masochism

II. Discussion topics

A. Burbage and William—SIL scene with Rosaline

1. "Upon a time when Burbage played Richard III there was a citizen grew so far in liking with him, that before she went from the play she appointed him to come that night unto her by the name of Richard III. Shakespeare, overhearing their conclusion, went before, was entertained and at his game ere Burbage came. The message being brought that Richard III was at the door, Shakespeare caused return to be made that William the Conqueror was before Richard III."

2. Mistress Rosaline Sh.'s first muse gets the bracelet [RJ--Romeo's first love]; she loves him but sleeps with Burbage her boss; he sleeps with her but doesnt love her

B. She wants Burbage as RIII—shows his attraction

C. Tudor myth makes him a monster, conveniently

1. Other view: http://www.richardiii.net/

D. Relation to White Devil and Titus—cruelty; revenge—direct address to audience; Villains; theological element

E. Relation to Tamburlaine—the strong man--HV

1. This is outcome of Henry V’s and Katharine’s legacy

2. Another final play of tetralogy—earlier concept

3. Relate this religious hypocrisy to Henry’s

4. *Richmond prays 5.5—a much simpler prayer than Henry V

F. History and tragedy…

1. Life is serious; life is tough

2. spectacle of violence, suffering, cruelty, death, grandeur

3. how people die; last words

4. what’s most horrible incident?

G. Themes:

1. Woes of royals

a) Elizabeth’s complaints about the pains of royalty; Margaret’s continued complaints and curses of all of them; lots of rehash of previous intrigues—all turn on her with reproaches—pain and unrelieved hatred—see last lines of Vittoria in White Devil 1.3.185 fff

b) The royals; Princess Diana

2. Dynamics of tyranny

a) Buckingham

b) The cardinal

c) Citizens 2.3 and Scrivener 3.6

3. Inner conflict of character [conscience]—psychomachia in Richard 5.5.135 and Flamineo 5.4.123

H. Best scenes?

I. Margaret on the structure of plot: “so now prosperity begins to mellow/and drop into the rotten mouth of death./Here in these confines slyly have I lurked/to watch the waning of mine enemies./a dire induction am I witness to/And will to France, hoping the consequence/Will prove as bitter, black and tragical.

· Act 1.1 Richard’s self introduction; Clarence arrested

· War to peace; self revelation: unsuccessful lover to villain; bragging of villainy

· Encounter with Clarence, his misfortune blamed on the queen; R creating paranoia – “rule of women”: misogyny, hypocrisy toward Clarence

· Act 1.2 Seduction of Anne

· Anne at funeral of her father in law; lengthy curse of Richard, who interrupts her grieving and asserts fierce authority with soldiers

· She calls him devil and curses her while he cajoles and teases with ironic sanctity

· The trade lines—stychomathia; his outrageous answers always top hers—“keen encounter of wits”—thatrical contest

· Starts to blame her with love talk and flattery; she spits

· Offers her his sword, she backs down

· Far enough not even to tell him to kill himself—“I would I knew thy heart”—she’s conquered: power encounter—cf. Tamburlaine’s beginning

· Conquest of women

· Takes his ring—to take is not to give

· His perverse triumph

· Act 1.3 Queens E and Margaret—chaos in court and Richard’s rise in power

· Queen Elizabeth worried about her husband’s illness and what will happen when she loses his protection—see previous scene with Anne who needs protection from Richard, who is ironically called Protector – at this point after what we’ve scene of his protection of Clarence and Anne.

· Emphasis on youth and vulnerability of princes

· Atmosphere of fear and forboding and of being closed in by Richard

· She and Stanley try to conciliate despite rivalry between his wife and Eliz.

· King trying to make peace between Richard and her brothers

· Richard protests his honesty and love 43—picks a fight with Elizabeth and her friends, invoking his high station; accuses her of getting Clarence in trouble

· Richard attacks her as Lancaster, and so does Margaret who also attacks Richard; mentions Clarence’s temporary switch to Lancaster side and killing of his father Warwick

· Elizabeth’s complaints about the pains of royalty; Margaret’s continued complaints and curses of all of them; lots of rehash of previous intrigues—all turn on her with reproaches—pain and unrelieved hatred—see last lines of Vittoria in White Devil 1.3.185 ff

· Ongoing conflict—like a bloody boxing match—they call her lunatic and say enough after 300 lines

· *Richards confession: with a piece of scripture/tell them that god bids us do good for evil…332-6

· Great switch to the murderers: my executioners…do not hear him plead…I like you lads

· Murderers: talkers are no good doers [Macbeth and White Devil]

· Act 1.4 Murder of Clarence

· *Terrible dreams—Clarence’s guilt: dream of drowning by Richard, the deeps; agony inability to die…more water, the ferryman…tormented by his victims’ revenge in hell; repentance; Brackenbury sympathetic; Clarence sleeps—is vulnerable; they show commission and B. backs off.

· Conflict of conscience—cf. Flamineo—in second murderer, but he acceeds after four vacillations…it makes a man a coward. Inner conflict; internal drama—psychomachia…then they make fun of it—[to chase it away]

· All this takes place in front of the sleeping Clarence…what must his dreams be like

· Clarence’s fear and effort to dissuade them—a cruel moment of victimization—cf. Lavinia and Vittoria

§ Religious appeals—the commandment against murder and threat of God’s vengeance vs. their commissions, accusations that his death is vengeance for his murders; they reveal to Clarence that Richard has commanded his death

§ More begging for life…look behind you

§ Second murderer repents—mentions Pilate—one saved the other damned, as at Calvary [theme of repentance…cf. Henry V, Flamineo, etc….it’s always possible: doctrine of freedom; interest in conversion and will/choice, but cf. Flamineo in Act 5: Lovers oaths are like mariners prayers, uttered in extremity; but when the tempest is oer, and that the vessel leaves tumbling, they fall from protesting to drinking.”]

· Act 2.1 Richard disrupts Edward’s reconciliation efforts

· King Edward: sees himself, complacently, as blessed peacemaker about to go to heaven…constant appeal to religion—a love fest among old enemies[contrast to 1.3]

· Richard joins in and then brings news of Clarence’s death to throw them off—he intercepted the reversal of the King’s pardon; Edward, sick and vulnerable like Clarence asleep, takes on guilt for C’s death … [Everyone feels guilt but Richard

· Act 2.2The young princes and their mother and grandmother falling into Richard’s clutches

· Children and Grandmother York, Richard’s mother—pathos of children—pretty cousins; they’ve been deceived by Richard to blame the King for the their fathers death—family love and hatred; mother love soured on monstrous child

· Queen E. mourns Edward the King’s death; the children wont mourn for her because she didn’t mourn for Clarence; Duchess of York mourns for two good sons, Richard all that’s left—formal choruses of competitive mourning.

· Richard enters with allies; kneels to mother who gives him blessing [!] Buckingham after rhetorical speech of comfort, suggests bringing Edwards sons—next in line for throne—to London “with small train”

· Richard and Buckingham plot to separate princes from their mother and family

· Act 2.3Public anxiety

· Three citizens compare news and expect coming disaster, attributable to effort to rule by children

· Act 2.4Elizabeth’s family arrested

· Talk with young York, Duchess York and Elizabeth about taunting Richard, providing background about Richard growing fast in childhood

· News that Eizabeth’s relatives and allies have been arrested by Richard; she prophecies destruction and takes her son to sanctuary

· Act 3.1 Young princes tease Richard, he “complots”

· Richard tells young Prince Edward about treachery of his uncles, but Prince doesn’t believe him

· Hastings report queen and his brother are in sanctuary and wont come to greet him

· *Buckingham gives specious argument that Cardinal accepts to force Edward’s brother, York, out of sanctuary, violating church doctrine

· Conversation between Edward, Buckingham and Richard re Julius Caesar, showing young Edward’s virtue and their vice

· Lots of teasing byplay—Young York teases Edward and Richard; the two princes go to the Tower at Richard’s behest, but reluctantly, recalling Clarence’s death there

· Richard and Buckingham talk about the boys predaciously—Well, let them rest—then ask Catesby to sound out Hastings and Stanley about the coronation of Richard

· Richard adds information about killing Hastings’ rivals at Pomfret and his affair with mistress Shore

· R. promises Buckingham the Earldom of Hereford and all the movables

· Act 3.2 Hastings entrapped

· Stanley sends to Hastings with dream the boar will cut off his head; Hastings is convinced that Catesby is providing intelligence on his side and that they are in no danger

· *Language of head chopping in several places; Catesby tests him and finds him hostile to Richard. Hastings vainly glories in the death of Rivers, Vaughan and Gray, the queens kinsmen—he’s a comic gull here—all excited about his good fortune and eager to go to the tower

· Act 3.3 Rivers Gray and Gaughan led to execution

· Act 3.4 Hastings’ fall

· Meeting to select the king presided by Hastings

· *Buckingham on who knows the mind of another

· Hastings promises to vote for Richard

· Richard and Buckingham get Bishop to leave for strawberries and then step out

· Hastings again foolishly proclaims he can read Richard’s face—after Buckingham has said no man can

· Their unease—cf. Clarence and Anne

· Richard says his arms bewitched by Elizabeth and Jane Shore—Hastings’ mistress

· “If they have done this deed…” Richard quickly and savagely says off with his head, and “by Saint Paul.”

· Hastings gets it and regrets his folly and remembers Margaret’s curse

· Cruelty: “the Duke would be at dinner…he longs to see your head”

· He prophecies doom for others

· Act 3.5 The big PR campaign

· *Richard gives Buckingham acting instructions: “Canst thou quake and change thy colour/Murder thy breath in middle of a word…ghastly looks…like enforced smiles…are ready in their offices…to grace my strategems.” [Politics and theatre cf. 1.1]—

· Richard creating the illusion of an attack on the walls and then of mourning for Hastings whose head is brought in front of the Lord Mayor, who is told that H. had plotted against Richard and Hastings—extreme peril of the case, peace of England…adds the affair with Shore; Mayor falls for it and is persuaded to tell that to the citizens—eagerly; more big lies about the bastardy of Edwards children—sex scandal—for sake of coup detat

· Buckingham: I’ll play the orator

· Delight in plotting

· Richard will draw the brats of Clarence out of sight

· Act 3.6 The scrivener—part of the campaign; writing out the indictment of Hastings

· *Who is so gross/That cannot see this palapable device/yet who so bold but says he sees it not. [Contrast to next scene—nobody taken in, but everybody scared]

· Act 3.7 Buckingham’s pageant—play within play

· *Buckingham’s report of his manipulation of the citizens ending “I bid them that did love their country’s good/Cry ‘God save Richard, England’s royal king!”

· Citizens don’t respond, only Buckinghams followers.

· Buckingham coaches Richard to “play the maid” stand between Churchmen, be hard to get

· Farcical holy masquerade—he’s busy praying—opposite to the character of lechery given to Edward

· Buckingham now speaking for the Lord Mayor

· Appears between two clergymen—two props of virtue for a Christian Prince

· B. begs Richard to take throne [cf. Tamburlaine]

· Richard in long speech refuses, among other reasons being the young princes ahead of him

· Buck. Disputes their legitimacy and threatens rebellion if Richard doesn’t agree

· R. insists he has no desire for this—they insist he become king [the height of hypocrisy and delight]

· Act 4.1 Coronation approaches; opposition begins

· Elizabeth, Duchess of York and Anne want to go visit princes in the tower, but Brackenbury wont let them.

· First word that Richmond is in france; Dorset sent to join him by Stanley—opposition formed

· Anne doesn’t want to be queen, but is summoned to coronation; remembers her own curse, regrets the “womanish heart” that yielded to him and expects to be killed

· Act 4.2 Ascent and decline: Killing the princes, Buckingham’s defection

· *R. ascends the throne. [no time for enjoyment] Asks B. to read his mind about killing the young prince, B resists, R. angry, says “to be plain, I wish the bastards dead.” Buckingham refuses to give immediate answer.

· Richard substitutes Tyrell for Buckingham as henchman; decides to kill Anne and marry Elizabeth

· Encounter with Tyrell—resembles scene with murderers in 1.3

· *Buckingham comes back asking for his promised earldom; Richard ignores him and threatens Stanley about his wife’s son Richmond. Buckingham importunes further and Richard blows him off: I’m not in the giving vein today

· Made I him king for this

· Act 4.3 Remorse among murderers; opposition grows

· tyrrell: the most arch deed of piteous massacre/that ever yet this land was guilty of (good superlative)—climactic

· pity and remorse of the enlisted murderers reported—contrast to murderers of Clarence; here “conscience and remorse” begins to gain instead of lose—like Dorset to France, Lucius to the goths

· news of Ely and Buckingham taking to field against Richard; he is eager to fight

· Act 4.4 The queens chorus; Richard’s inconclusive attempt on Elizabeth; civil war

· Margaret on the structure of plot: “so now prosperity begins to mellow/and drop into the rotten mouth of death./Here in these confines slyly have I lurked/to watch the waning of mine enemies./a dire induction am I witness to/And will to France, hoping the consequence/Will prove as bitter, black and tragical.

· The queens—slow paced section

§ Tedious chorus of queens again proclaiming woes

§ They interrupt Richard on his urgent way to battle; mother and son squabble; she leaves with a curse

§ Stichomythia with Elizabeth about courting her daughter; reprise of 1.2 She quibbles with word “from” and mocks his sincere efforts. States he has regrets and will make amends by making young Elizabeth a queen. He makes a powerful appeal to her self interest and that of her family

§ She finds her voice—perhaps taken from departed Margaret—draws him out and dominates the exchange

§ He pleads forget the past –“let’s move on”—and think of a new future

§ She equivocates and he kisses her, sure he’s convinced her—“relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman” 363

· The civil war—fast paced section

§ Richard losing it in giving commands to Ratcliffe and Catesby; doesn’t flatter but abuses—[rather than hiding his intentions and emotions, he is overcome by them]

§ Richard demands Stanley’s son as hostage

§ Messengers bring bad news and he strikes one who brings news of Buckingham’s dispersal and then regrets doing so

§ Richmond’s landing and Buckingham’s capture

· Act 4.5 Richmond’s betrothal

· Stanley conveys he cant join Richmond because of son being hostage and that Elizabeth consents to Richmond marrying her daughter Elizabeth

· Act 5.1 Buckingham repents

· *Buckingham repents—morality play—looking back at his false vow and projections: the spirits of the dead and God take vengeance and repay transgression: “That high all-seer which I dallied with/Hath turned my feigned prayer on myhead,/And given in earnest what I begged in jest.” Also quotes Margaret’s prophecies. True repentance for a really jolly time.

· Act 5.2 Richmond’s camp

· Richmond characterizing the boar—strong imagery of wild pigs destructiveness

· Every man’s conscience is a thousand swords

· God’s on their side

· Act 5.3 Richard’s camp

· He’s high morale too, relying on numbers and loyalty to king

· Act 5.4 Richmond and Stanley

· Richmond sends note to Stanley and retires in tent with generals

· Act 5.5 Night before battle: Richard’s inner conflict, Richmond’s peace, the curse and blessing of ghosts

· Richard sends to Stanley to bring his regiment close in or lose his son

· Wants to write; asks for wine because he lacks “alacrity of spirit”

· Richmond enters with Stanley while Richard sleeps—two tents now on same stage—Stanley wishes him luck and returns

· *Richmond prays—a much simpler prayer than Henry V—and sleeps

· Ghosts come in to curse and bless—hieratic structure and supernatural framework—Tudor myth—despair and die over and over—beget a happy race of kings

· Richard: O Coward conscience how thou dost afflict me

· *Inner conflict 135[meaning of damnation]—cf. Flamineo; questioning of self; fractioning of self—what do I fear? Myself…Richard loves Richard—Narcissistic Personality Disorder—Fly from myself? Great Reason. Why? Lest I revenge Myself upon myself? Alack I love myself…I rather hate myself…I am a villain. Yet I le: I am not. Fool of thyself speak well. Fool, do not flatter….I shall despair. There is no creature loves me…I myself/find in myself no pity to myself.

· To Radcliffe: I fear, I fear [a moment of humanity]

· Alternating with Richmonds peaceful sleep

· His speech: god on our side; Richard is god’s enemy

· Act 5.6 Richards speech to troops

· Richard looking for encouragement about Richmond’s weakness; sun not shining as expected in calendar

· *“Conscience is but a word that cowards use/Devised at first to keep the strong in awe/Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law”

· His speech—no appeal to God but just a put down of the beggarly opponents

· Stanley escapes and its too late to kill his son

· Act 5.7 Richard in battle; his death

· A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse—stated twice—his last lines

· his superhuman battle energy and desperation—I have set my life upon a cast/And will stand the hazard of the die

· Act 5.8 Order and prophecy

· Now civil wounds are stopped; peace lives again/That she may long live here, God say Amen