STUDY QUESTIONS FOR RICHARD III
Introduction
1. Beside Shakespeare’s, the reputation of what other person was established by the success of this play on stage?
2. How did the defeat of the Spanish Armada affect the English theater?
3. What was the “Tudor Myth” and why was Richard III such a pivotal part of it?
4. What was the purpose of studying history in the Elizabethan age?
5. Who were Tito Livio, Sir Thomas More and Edward Hall, and what do they have to do with the composition of this play?
6. Why was Raphael Holinshed so important in Shakespeare’s career?
7. What were two consistent themes in all the histories written by the Tudor historians?
8. What is a tetralogy and what were the elements of Shakespeare’s first one?
9. What was the “original sin” that caused all the trouble in the 1400’s, according to the Tudor Myth?
10. What did it mean in England when land was “enclosed,” and what were the social consequences?
11. How did the end of the Hundred Years War lead to the War of the Roses, according to the lecture?
12. How did the figure of Vice in the old morality plays affect the character of Richard in Shakespeare’s play?
13. Who is Richard’s closest confidant throughout the play? How?
14. What is the connection between Machiavelli and Richard III?
Act I, Scene 1
15. What significant change takes place in the middle of Richard’s initial speech?
16. How is Richard able to fan distrust between King Edward and their brother Clarence?
17. How does Richard use women as scapegoats in this scene? Cite some examples of Richard’s use of sarcasm in referring to women.
18. Why does Richard decide to marry Lady Anne? What are the obstacles to this marriage?
Act I, Scene 2
19. What is ironic about the curse Anne places on any woman who marries Richard?
20. Show two ways Richard throws Anne off balance psychologically.
21. Why doesn’t Anne recognize Richard’s sexual advances at first?
22. According to Richard why did he kill Anne’s husband and father-in-law?
23. What two actions by Richard shake up Anne’s absolute hatred of him?
24. Why physical action signals that Richard has won Anne’s heart?
25. What are Richard’s reactions to having triumphed over Anne’s hatred?
Act I, Scene 3
26. What is the source of tension between the Queen and her family and the rest of the court?
27. How does Richard picture himself in his argument with the Queen’s relatives? Why?
28. Who is Richard trying to sway throughout this scene? Why?
29. What is the dramatic function of Queen Margaret throughout the play?
30. Why does Shakespeare have Richard openly admit his evil designs in the soliloquy at the end of the scene?
Act I, Scene 4
31. How does Clarence’s dream foreshadow his death? Why does Shakespeare go into so much poetic detail in describing the dream?
32. What is the source of Clarence’s guilt? Why is he concerned for his family?
33. Why is the Second Murderer reluctant to go ahead with the killing? What changes his mind the first time?
34. What is ironic about Clarence’s attempts to dissuade his murderers?
Act II, Scene 1
35. How is Richard able to undermine the peace accord King Edward has brought about among the members of the court?
36. Whom does Richard blame for Clarence’s death? Why?
Act II, Scene 2
37. Why does Richard go to the trouble of manipulating the children of Clarence?
38. Who is the first person in the play to recognize the full extent of Richard’s evil?
39. Following the death of King Edward, what is Richard’s first political priority? Who helps him achieve it? Why?
Act II, Scene 3
40. What is the purpose of this scene in the overall scheme of the play?
Act II, Scene 4
41. Explain the comic relief in this scene, and explain its purpose?
42. What event prompts the Queen to seek sanctuary? Who else joins her and why?
Act III, Scene 1
43. How does Buckingham aid Richard’s political agenda here?
44. What kind of a ruler would the young prince have made if he had survived to rule?
45. Cite two examples of Richard’s sinister asides foreshadowing the death of the boys.
46. How does Richard advise Catesby to win over Hastings to the plan for Richard to rule?
47. What does Richard offer Buckingham to gain his continued support?
48. What is Richard’s startling suggestion of what to do with Hastings if he doesn’t agree to the plot for Richard to rule?
Act III, Scene 2
49. How many warning signs does Hastings ignore or miss in this scene?
Act III, Scene 3
50. Why did Queen Margaret curse Rivers, Grey and Vaughan?
Act III, Scene 4
51. How does Richard disguise his intentions when he enters the Council meeting?
52. What does Richard accuse Queen Elizabeth and Jane Shore of doing to him? Why is this charge false?
53. What are the grounds for Hastings being condemned to death?
54. What important lesson does Hastings tell us he has learned, just before he is taken off to be beheaded?
Act III, Scene 5
55. Why do Richard and Buckingham pretend they are under attack? Specifically what do they do and whom are they trying to impress?
56. Why is the Lord Mayor so important to their plans?
57. Why does Richard order Buckingham to attack the reputations of Edward and his family? Cite three political smears that Richard recommends he use.
58. Who must Richard eliminate or neutralize to hold the throne securely?
Act III, Scene 6
59. What is the purpose of this scene in the play?
Act III, Scene 7
60. When Buckingham addressed the citizens of London about Richard as king, how did they react? Why?
61. Why does Buckingham advise Richard not to meet with the Mayor and citizens?
62. How does Buckingham change the focus of attention of the citizens?
63. Cite three examples of Richard’s false piety.
64. What “sin” does Buckingham accuse Richard of having committed?
65. What are the two major reasons Richard cites for his refusal to accept the crown?
66. How and why does Buckingham attack Queen Elizabeth in his efforts to convince Richard to accept the crown?
67. What is Buckingham’s most compelling argument to “force” Richard to accept?
68. What are Richard’s conditions for accepting the crown? Why are these smart political moves, according to the lecture?
Act IV, Scene 1
69. How does Anne react when she learns she will be queen? Why? How do the others present react?
70. What alternative to Richard’s tyranny is introduced in this scene?
71. What roles do these royal women play in the political struggles?
72. What is a “cockatrice” or a “basilisk”?
73. What’s unusual about the way Elizabeth bids farewell to her sons in the Tower?
74. Why does Anne think her husband will kill her? What is the real reason he will arrange for her to die?
Act IV, Scene 2
75. What is Richard’s first request when he becomes king? How many times does Buckingham avoid or ignore this request?
76. With whom does Richard replace Buckingham?
77. How does Richard propose to neutralize the daughter of Edward? How does he deal with the son and daughter of Clarence?
78. What does Buckingham request, and how many times does Richard ignore him?
79. What’s the connection between Richmond and Stanley?
80. What significant shift in the audience’s attitude toward Richard occurs in this scene and why?
Act IV, Scene 3
81. How do those who kill the princes feel about their murder?
82. How does Richard react to news of their deaths?
83. What is Richard’s philosophy, articulated here, when confronting challenges?
Act IV, Scene 4
84. Over what do Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess of York and Queen Margaret compete?
Who wins the competition?
85. On what point do all the women agree?
86. How does Richard’s mother curse her son? How does he respond to her accusations?
87. What is the larger political purpose of the sequence where Richard’s mother curses him?
88. What earlier scene in the play does Shakespeare have in mind when he writes the sequence where Richard tries to convince Elizabeth to help him?
89. How does Richard now explain the deaths of the young princes?
90. Why does it take so long before Elizabeth finally understands that Richard wants her daughter?
91. How does Elizabeth suggest Richard woo the princess? What does Richard offer to win the favor of the queen?
92. How many different short exchanges occur between the queen and Richard between lines 343 – 367? Who is the “straight man” and who is the “comedian”?
93. What is Richard’s final argument to win Elizabeth’s help? Why is it effective?
94. What does Richard give Elizabeth for her daughter? What’s his opinion of the queen after she leaves?
95. How does Shakespeare show Richard losing his ability to confront the challenges he faces?
96. How does Richard ensure the loyalty of Lord Stanley?
Act IV, Scene 5
97. What important developments take place in this scene that will aid in Richmond’s eventual victory?
Act V, Scene 1
98. How many people does Buckingham identify who were killed because of his support of Richard?
99. How many omens does Buckingham recognize foreshadowing his own death?
Act V, Scene 2
100. Why was Shakespeare reluctant to show us a true picture of the man who would become King Henry VII?
101. What unusual comparison does Richmond use to describe Richard in this scene?
Act V, Scene 3
102. What evidence do we see of Richard’s familiarity with the business of war?
103. What does Richmond do before he sleeps that Richard doesn’t do?
104. How many ghosts appear to the two leaders? What is their message to Richard?What is their message to Richmond?
105. How does Shakespeare show Richard’s self-struggle when he awakes? Why does Richard give way to despair?
106. How do Richard and Ratcliffe test the loyalty of Richard’s army?
107. What is the dramatic purpose of the lengthy orations that precede most of the battle scenes Shakespeare staged?
108. What elements do the orations of Richard and Richmond have in common? What is the primary difference between the two?
109. How do you account for Richard’s attitude at the conclusion of this scene?
Act V, Scene 4
110. What does Richard mean when he says he has already killed five Richmonds?
111. Explain how Richard’s final words demonstrate his heroic quality.
Act V, Scene 5
112. What is Richmond’s primary political goal in this final scene? Why?
113. What is the political significance for Shakespeare’s audience of Richmond’s final speech?