82 Questions
What is the commonly referred name of the genre of Richard III?
History
When was Richard III likely written?
1592-1594
What is the name of the tetralogy that Richard III concludes?
Shakespeare's First Tetralogy
What is the reason for Richard III's abridgment in some productions?
To take into account the audience's familiarity with the Henry VI plays
What is the name of the king that Richard III rises to power from?
King Edward IV
Which character is held hostage by Richard prior to the Battle of Bosworth Field?
George Stanley
Who does Richard have his eye on in the story?
Elizabeth of York
What does Queen Elizabeth ask Queen Margaret for help with?
A way to curse someone
Who is captured and executed by Richard?
Buckingham
What does Richard cry out for during the Battle of Bosworth Field?
A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse
Who kills Richard and claims the throne as Henry VII?
Richmond
What is believed to be the approximate time period when Richard III was written?
1592-1594
What is the name of the bookseller who published the first Quarto of Richard III?
Andrew Wise
What is the name of the play that is thought to have been influenced by Richard III?
Edward II
What is Richard of Gloucester's physical appearance?
Ugly and hunchbacked
What is the prophecy mentioned in the play?
G of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be
What is the likely source of the Quarto edition of Richard III?
A memorial reconstruction by actors
What is the relation of Lord Stanley to Richmond?
Stepfather
Who does Richard blame for Clarence's imprisonment?
The queen
What is Lady Anne doing at the beginning of the play?
Mourning Henry VI's death
What is Richard's plan for Lady Anne?
To discard her once she has served his purpose
What is the atmosphere at court?
Poisonous and tense
Who warns the nobles about Richard?
Queen Margaret
What happens to Clarence?
He is stabbed and drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine
What happens to Edward IV?
He becomes ill and dies
What is Richard's plan to gain the throne?
To present himself as a modest and devout man
What is unique about the demonstration of physical violence in Richard III compared to Titus Andronicus?
Only Richard and Clarence are shown being stabbed on-stage.
What type of material does Shakespeare infuse into the action in Richard III?
Comedic elements
What is the source of much of the humor in Richard III?
The dichotomy between Richard's character and how he tries to appear
What literary device is well-represented in the scene where Richard tries to persuade Queen Elizabeth to woo her daughter on his behalf?
Puns
What is a central theme of Richard III?
Free will and fatalism
What is the likely influence on Shakespeare's rendering of Richard III?
Sir Thomas More's account of Richard III as a criminal and tyrant
What is Margaret's role in the play?
To give voice to the belief in divine punishment
What interpretation of Richard III is presented by Irving Ribner?
Richard is the final curse of God on England in punishment for the deposition of Richard II
What is Richard's method of manipulating those around him, according to Victor Kiernan?
By cloaking his 'naked villainy' with bits of Scripture
What is the contrast between Richard's character and how he tries to appear?
He is evil, but tries to appear good
What is the main argument made by Lull regarding Richard's statement 'I am determinèd to prove a villain'?
Richard views himself as completely in control of his destiny.
What is the significance of the word 'joy' in Act I, Scene III?
It is used to show 'deliberate emotional effect'.
How does Haeffner describe Richmond's speech in comparison to Richard's?
Formal and dignified vs. slangy and impetuous.
What is the significance of the mourning women's speech in the play?
It showcases their association with figures of repetition, such as anaphora and epistrophe.
What is the effect of Richard's opening monologue on the audience?
It establishes a connection between Richard and the audience as co-conspirators.
What is the significance of Richard's interactions with Lady Anne and Clarence in Act I?
It highlights Richard's wit and rhetorical skill.
What is the main argument made by Haeffner regarding Shakespeare's use of language?
Shakespeare's use of language is masterful and nuanced.
What is the thematic division reinforced by the difference in speech between the women and Richard?
Social group vs. individualism.
What is the effect of Richard's asides and soliloquies on the audience?
It makes the audience feel like co-conspirators in Richard's plotting.
What is the significance of Richard's character development throughout the play?
It shows his constant changes and shifts, altering the dramatic structure of the story.
What is the function of Richard's asides to the audience in Act I?
To keep him in control of the dramatic action and to present himself in a positive light
What is the significance of Richard's character in the context of medieval morality plays?
He embodies the character of Vice
How does Richard's interaction with the audience change throughout the play?
He decreases his asides to the audience significantly after Act I
What is the role of the character of Margaret in Act I?
She is the old Lancastrian queen and is manipulated by Richard
What is the effect of Richard's soliloquies on the audience's perception of him?
They make the audience see him in a positive light
What is the significance of the character of Richmond in Act V?
He is the new protagonist of the play
How does Richard's character change by the end of Act IV?
He loses his vivacity and playfulness
What is the significance of Richard's statement 'I am the formal Vice, Iniquity'?
It informs the audience of his function as Vice in the play
What is the significance of the women's gathering in Act IV?
It is a moment of mourning and cursing Richard
What is the significance of Richard's movement in and out of the dramatic action?
It allows him to communicate with the audience
What is the title of the manga that depicts Richard III as intersex instead of hunchbacked?
Requiem of the Rose King
What is the inspiration behind the title of the Alistair MacLean film?
Richard's complaint in Act I, Scene III
What is notable about Richard III in the context of US President Abraham Lincoln's assassination?
Lincoln was a renowned lover of Shakespeare, especially Richard III
In the film Freaked, what is a character's deformity used for?
To perform a soliloquy
What is the context in which Richard III is referenced in The Goodbye Girl?
An ambitious actor is forced to play Richard III as a caricature of a homosexual
What is the context in which Richard III is referenced in the 1975 film L'important c'est d'aimer?
A production of Richard III is a mise en abyme for the drama enveloping the characters
Which actor played Richard III in a 1955 film version?
Laurence Olivier
What is unique about the 1995 film adaptation of Richard III?
It is set in a fictional fascist England in the 1930s
Who directed a 2016 BBC adaptation of Richard III?
Sam Mendes
What is the title of the 1965 TV special that parodied Laurence Olivier's Richard III?
A Hard Day's Night
What is the title of the 1912 film starring Frederick Warde as Richard III?
Richard III
Who played Richard III in a 1983 BBC production?
Ron Cook
What is the setting of the 1995 film adaptation of Richard III?
Fictional fascist England in the 1930s
Who played the Duke of Buckingham in the Pacino film?
Kevin Spacey
What is the title of the 1996 film directed by Al Pacino?
Looking for Richard
What is the title of the 2017 musical drama film inspired by Shakespeare's Richard III?
Bloody Richard
What is the phrase that Richard III exclaims after being knocked from his steed during the climactic battle?
A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!
What is the title of the novel by John Steinbeck that uses the opening line of Richard III?
The Winter of Our Discontent
In the 2010 film The King's Speech, what role does Lionel Logue audition for?
Richard III
What is the phrase that is used as a code phrase in the 1967 film Billion Dollar Brain?
Now is the winter of our discontent
Who plays the role of Richard III in the 2011 film Jack and Jill?
Al Pacino
What is the name of the commentator who notes that the film The King's Speech sets up its main character as an antithesis to Richard III?
Noah Millman
What is the name of the Shakespeare critic who believes that the film The King's Speech sets up its main character as an antithesis to Richard III?
Keith Jones
What is the name of the Red Dwarf episode where Rimmer quotes from Richard III?
Marooned
What is the title of the song by Noël Coward that includes a lyric referring to Colonel Montmorency and Richard III?
Could You Please Oblige Us with a Bren Gun?
What is the name of the Looney Tunes cartoon where the dog actor says Catesby and Richard III's lines?
A Ham in a Role
Study Notes
Richard III: A Shakespearean History Play
Written by William Shakespeare, probably between 1592-1594
- Classified as a history play, but sometimes considered a tragedy
- Concludes Shakespeare's first tetralogy, including Henry VI, Part 1, Henry VI, Part 2, and Henry VI, Part 3
Plot Overview
- Depicts the rise to power and short reign of King Richard III of England
- Richard, a Machiavellian character, ascends to the throne through murder and deceit
- Play explores themes of fate, free will, and divine punishment
Characters and Subplots
- Richard III: The protagonist, a ruthless and cunning prince who will stop at nothing to become king
- Lady Anne: Richard's love interest, who is eventually won over by his charms
- Clarence: Richard's brother, who is murdered on Richard's orders
- King Edward IV: Richard's brother, who is already king but is eventually killed by Richard
- Queen Margaret: Henry VI's widow, who returns to curse Richard and warn the nobles about his ambition
Themes
- Fate vs. Free Will: Richard's actions are driven by his own free will, but also seem to be part of a larger, predetermined plan
- Divine Punishment: Richard's rise to power is seen as a form of divine punishment for the sins of the past
- Comedic Elements: Despite the dark subject matter, the play contains comedic moments, often achieved through Richard's witty banter and irony
Language and Style
- Richard's speeches are often slangy and impetuous, while other characters, like Richmond, use more formal language
- Women in the play, like Margaret and the Duchess of York, use formal language to reinforce their identification with the social group
- Anaphora and epistrophe are used to create a sense of mourning and repetition, particularly in Margaret's speeches
Historical Context
- The play is believed to have been written before 1594, and was likely influenced by Sir Thomas More's account of Richard III
- The play reflects the growing Calvinism of the Elizabethan era, with a focus on divine punishment and predestination### Richard III's Character
- Richard III occupies a "figural position" where he moves in and out of the dramatic action, talking to the audience and interacting with other characters on another level.
- Richard embodies the dramatic character of "Vice" from medieval morality plays, rendering ugly and evil thoughts into charming and amusing dialogue for the audience.
Richard's Relationship with the Audience
- Richard directly addresses the audience at the beginning and end of each scene in Act I, keeping him in control of the dramatic action and influencing how the audience sees him.
- After Act I, the number and quality of Richard's asides to the audience decrease significantly, allowing the audience to evaluate the dramatic action independently.
The Play's Structure
- The play's structure changes after Act I, with Richard's interactions with the audience decreasing and multiple scenes not including Richard.
- The women in the play (Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess of York, and Margaret) gather to mourn and curse Richard in Act IV, Scene IV, making it difficult for the audience not to sympathize with them.
Richard's Decline
- By Act IV, Richard's vivacity and playfulness have declined, and he is no longer the same man.
- Richard's role as the protagonist diminishes, and he becomes the antagonist, stuck within the world of the play.
- Richmond enters in Act V to overthrow Richard and save the state, becoming the new protagonist.
Adaptations and Influences
- The play has been adapted into numerous forms, including film, television, and stage productions, influencing popular culture.
- References to Richard III can be found in films, TV shows, and literature, demonstrating the play's continued relevance and influence.
Test your knowledge of Shakespeare's play Richard III, which tells the story of King Richard III of England's rise to power and short reign. Explore the characters, plot, and themes of this famous history play. How well do you know Richard III?
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