Richard III Scene by Scene analysis
Summary Characters Q Notes Themes Q
A1 Richard long soliloquy in the Cheated of feature by dissembling Women / Misogyny: 'This is it
S1 beginning, being transparent and nature. Deformed, unfinished. (Richard). when men are ruled by
opening up. Clarence taken away Since I cannot prove a lover… I am Ironic. Christening uses water as a women.' Richard telling
to the Tower and Richard determined to prove a villain. - R symbol of rebirth, but Clarence will Clarence why he got sent to
plotting his death. That you should new be christened in the shortly be drowned in a casket of Tower.
tower- R to Clarence wine. More irony in 'prophecy which Calling Queen Elizabeth 'Well
'Well, your imprisonment shall not be says that 'G' of Edward's heirs the struck in years.' R also
long' R to Cl. Double meaning, going to kill murderer shall be.' George Jealously towards Woodvilles.
him. Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence but also 'Mistress Shore' (Jane Shore
Again… 'I do love thee so that I will Richard Duke of Gloucester. mistress of both Hastings and
shortly send thy soul to heaven.' R to Cl. of Edward IV.' R
Richard also wants to marry Anne
Neville, daughter of (Richard) Earl of
Warwick, nicknamed the 'kingmaker.'
A1 Anne at Henry VI body, Richard 'Cursed be the hand that made these Anne giving out these curses to
S2 arrives, Anne hates him and hole' Anne Richard, however she is going to marry
detests him. Richard keeps trying 'if ever he have child, abortive be it' A him later, so effectively this is a 'self-
to woo her but is failing as she 'if ever he have wife, let her be made curse'
spits at him. Richard was the one more miserable by the death of him.' A
who murdered her father in law Anne called Richard 'The Devil' and 'villain'
and Edward, her husband. In the and 'hedgehog.' She later also spits at
end, somehow, he manages to him. It was believed that when a dead
woo her and then has a corpse was approached by its
egotistical and vain episode. 'Dead Henry's wounds open their murderer, the wounds would open
congealed mouths and bleed afresh.' again and the corpse would bleed.
Anne Here, Richard approaches.
, Stichomythia- Richard: 'vouchsafe, divine
perfection of a woman'.
Anne: 'vouchsafe,
diffused infection of a man.'
Richard 'I'll have her, but I will not keep
her long'
'Was ever a woman in this humour
wooed? Was ever a woman in this
humour won?
A1 King Edward beginning to die. 'I had rather be a country servant maid 'Since every jack became a
S3 Massive family feud outbreak than a great queen with this condition.' gentleman' R to Woodvilles
between Richard and the Elizabeth to R. and Elizabeth. Saying how
Woodvilles. Then Margaret Margaret calls Richard a 'murderous they are underserving of their
begins to be roasted by Richard villain' and 'cacodemon' and 'bottled noble titles.
for her doings at Wakefield. She spider'
follows by cursing everyone Richard playing innocent card 'I am too Margaret went up to Duke of
(except Buckingham whom she childish-foolish for this world.' York (Richard's father) in the
warns about Richard). Everyone Richard claims 'I had rather be a pedlar' battle of Wakefield and
leaves, Richard boasts about than a king. Pretending he doesn't want it. 'crown his warlike brows with
being a dick, and meets the two paper' (crowned the defeated
murderers meant to kill Richard: 'I clothe my naked villainy…. and York with a paper crown). She
Clarence. seem a saint when most I play the devil.' then 'gav'st the duke a clout
steeped in the faultless blood
of pretty Rutland' (gave him a
cloth soaked in his son's blood
(Rutland)). After this everyone
turns on Margaret, then she
curses everyone.
Summary Characters Q Notes Themes Q
A1 Richard long soliloquy in the Cheated of feature by dissembling Women / Misogyny: 'This is it
S1 beginning, being transparent and nature. Deformed, unfinished. (Richard). when men are ruled by
opening up. Clarence taken away Since I cannot prove a lover… I am Ironic. Christening uses water as a women.' Richard telling
to the Tower and Richard determined to prove a villain. - R symbol of rebirth, but Clarence will Clarence why he got sent to
plotting his death. That you should new be christened in the shortly be drowned in a casket of Tower.
tower- R to Clarence wine. More irony in 'prophecy which Calling Queen Elizabeth 'Well
'Well, your imprisonment shall not be says that 'G' of Edward's heirs the struck in years.' R also
long' R to Cl. Double meaning, going to kill murderer shall be.' George Jealously towards Woodvilles.
him. Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence but also 'Mistress Shore' (Jane Shore
Again… 'I do love thee so that I will Richard Duke of Gloucester. mistress of both Hastings and
shortly send thy soul to heaven.' R to Cl. of Edward IV.' R
Richard also wants to marry Anne
Neville, daughter of (Richard) Earl of
Warwick, nicknamed the 'kingmaker.'
A1 Anne at Henry VI body, Richard 'Cursed be the hand that made these Anne giving out these curses to
S2 arrives, Anne hates him and hole' Anne Richard, however she is going to marry
detests him. Richard keeps trying 'if ever he have child, abortive be it' A him later, so effectively this is a 'self-
to woo her but is failing as she 'if ever he have wife, let her be made curse'
spits at him. Richard was the one more miserable by the death of him.' A
who murdered her father in law Anne called Richard 'The Devil' and 'villain'
and Edward, her husband. In the and 'hedgehog.' She later also spits at
end, somehow, he manages to him. It was believed that when a dead
woo her and then has a corpse was approached by its
egotistical and vain episode. 'Dead Henry's wounds open their murderer, the wounds would open
congealed mouths and bleed afresh.' again and the corpse would bleed.
Anne Here, Richard approaches.
, Stichomythia- Richard: 'vouchsafe, divine
perfection of a woman'.
Anne: 'vouchsafe,
diffused infection of a man.'
Richard 'I'll have her, but I will not keep
her long'
'Was ever a woman in this humour
wooed? Was ever a woman in this
humour won?
A1 King Edward beginning to die. 'I had rather be a country servant maid 'Since every jack became a
S3 Massive family feud outbreak than a great queen with this condition.' gentleman' R to Woodvilles
between Richard and the Elizabeth to R. and Elizabeth. Saying how
Woodvilles. Then Margaret Margaret calls Richard a 'murderous they are underserving of their
begins to be roasted by Richard villain' and 'cacodemon' and 'bottled noble titles.
for her doings at Wakefield. She spider'
follows by cursing everyone Richard playing innocent card 'I am too Margaret went up to Duke of
(except Buckingham whom she childish-foolish for this world.' York (Richard's father) in the
warns about Richard). Everyone Richard claims 'I had rather be a pedlar' battle of Wakefield and
leaves, Richard boasts about than a king. Pretending he doesn't want it. 'crown his warlike brows with
being a dick, and meets the two paper' (crowned the defeated
murderers meant to kill Richard: 'I clothe my naked villainy…. and York with a paper crown). She
Clarence. seem a saint when most I play the devil.' then 'gav'st the duke a clout
steeped in the faultless blood
of pretty Rutland' (gave him a
cloth soaked in his son's blood
(Rutland)). After this everyone
turns on Margaret, then she
curses everyone.
