Richard II - Character
CHARACTER QUOTE ANALYSIS
Richard ‘Why uncle, thou hast many years to live’ Flippant and unemotional - no sympathy
‘Not all the water in the rough rude sea Hyperbole, emphasising the importance of
can wash the balm off from an annointed divinity (divine right of kings), showing his
king’ naivity and entitled nature
‘Must he submit? The king shall do it’ Giving up, lack of courage, third person
‘With mine own tears I wash away my Repetition, emphasising his sadness to evoke
balm’ pity and empathy
‘Doth time waste me’ Regret, realisation of his actions
‘Help him to his grave immediately’ Flippancy, self centered
‘Pray we come too late’ Flippancy, self centered, signs of evil
‘Deputy elected by the Lord’ Emphasising the importance of divinity (divine
right of kings)
‘I must nothing be’ Loss of identity, powerlessness
‘I have no name, no title’ Loss of identity, powerlessness
‘Tell sad stories of the death of kings’ Evoking pity and empathy
Bolingbroke ‘Condemns you to the death’ Ignorance and arrogance, authoritative
‘Reverence he did throw away on Kidness and generosity, showing that he
slaves’ [Richard] cares about the people
‘The sun of Bolingbroke’ [Richard] Seen as light and goodness
‘God shall pardon me’ Showing guilt and remorse
‘I hate the murd’er, love him murdered’ Regret and guilt, manipulative
‘A deed of slander … above my head’ Realisation of his actions
‘My body shall make good upon this Showing his kindness, promising to himself -
earth’ does he though?
Women ‘’Tis not the trial of a womans’ war’ Seen as petty, cannot be political
‘Where … may I complain myself’ Ignored, unimportant, emotional
‘Weep not … ’tis with false sorrow’s eye’ Shows emotion and a caring nature
‘Believe not this hard hearted man’ Putting family before kingship and religion
‘Am I last that knows it’ Showing the queen’s unimportance
‘Wash him fresh again with true love tears’ Importance of love and emotion
‘Some love but little policy’ Women are seen as domestic, not political
‘Some unborn sorrow … is coming The queen is intuitive, she knows what is
towards me’ about to happen
‘Wilt thou pluck my fair son from mine Putting family before kingship and religion,
age’ does not understand the seriousness
CHARACTER QUOTE ANALYSIS
Richard ‘Why uncle, thou hast many years to live’ Flippant and unemotional - no sympathy
‘Not all the water in the rough rude sea Hyperbole, emphasising the importance of
can wash the balm off from an annointed divinity (divine right of kings), showing his
king’ naivity and entitled nature
‘Must he submit? The king shall do it’ Giving up, lack of courage, third person
‘With mine own tears I wash away my Repetition, emphasising his sadness to evoke
balm’ pity and empathy
‘Doth time waste me’ Regret, realisation of his actions
‘Help him to his grave immediately’ Flippancy, self centered
‘Pray we come too late’ Flippancy, self centered, signs of evil
‘Deputy elected by the Lord’ Emphasising the importance of divinity (divine
right of kings)
‘I must nothing be’ Loss of identity, powerlessness
‘I have no name, no title’ Loss of identity, powerlessness
‘Tell sad stories of the death of kings’ Evoking pity and empathy
Bolingbroke ‘Condemns you to the death’ Ignorance and arrogance, authoritative
‘Reverence he did throw away on Kidness and generosity, showing that he
slaves’ [Richard] cares about the people
‘The sun of Bolingbroke’ [Richard] Seen as light and goodness
‘God shall pardon me’ Showing guilt and remorse
‘I hate the murd’er, love him murdered’ Regret and guilt, manipulative
‘A deed of slander … above my head’ Realisation of his actions
‘My body shall make good upon this Showing his kindness, promising to himself -
earth’ does he though?
Women ‘’Tis not the trial of a womans’ war’ Seen as petty, cannot be political
‘Where … may I complain myself’ Ignored, unimportant, emotional
‘Weep not … ’tis with false sorrow’s eye’ Shows emotion and a caring nature
‘Believe not this hard hearted man’ Putting family before kingship and religion
‘Am I last that knows it’ Showing the queen’s unimportance
‘Wash him fresh again with true love tears’ Importance of love and emotion
‘Some love but little policy’ Women are seen as domestic, not political
‘Some unborn sorrow … is coming The queen is intuitive, she knows what is
towards me’ about to happen
‘Wilt thou pluck my fair son from mine Putting family before kingship and religion,
age’ does not understand the seriousness
