Richard III Good And Evil

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Based on Sir Thomas More’s History of Richard III, Shakespeare’s Richard III, on the one hand, reproduces Richard’s plots and wicked acts from the moral and ethical perspectives. On the other hand, however, Shakespeare introduced new dimension of the writing by overcoming the moral obstacle that was forced by the contemporary society, which was the Middle Ages Renaissance era. It is that this ‘murderer’, Richard, is presented more interesting and fascinating than any other virtuous and kindness protagonists are depicted in the play. Audiences, although might not fully agree with Richard’s evil plots, somewhat understand Richard intellectually. Therefore Shakespeare deliberately creates intellectual complicity relationships between audiences…show more content…
Moral integrity plays an important role in Richard III. Richard is a complicated man. He’s a wicked man but he’s also funny and sophisticated. So what made him evil? Unlike other characters in the playwrights including even Shakespeare’s characters in the other plays such as Hamlet or Macbeth are at least feel guilty about what they have done, Richard is completely shameless of what he has done saying “conscience is but a word that cowards use” (5.3.327). Shakespeare made relentless portrayal of Richard’s physical deformity to highlight his scandalous character, even saying that he was “born with a full set of teeth” in the History of Henry VI. Richard describes himself as the monster as he considers himself to be, “not shaped for sportive tricks Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass, [...] so lamely and unfashionable That dogs bark at me as I halt by them” (1.1.14-15,22-23). Shakespeare also refers that Richard’s appearance as a hunchback and every characters in the play either makes fun of him or curses on him of his physical appearance. Richard was born “cheated of feature by dissembling nature, deformed, unfinished, sent before my time into this breathing world scare half made up” (1.1.20). It is possible that his deformity could be the reason of his evil nature but, on the other hand, it can be just seen as a sign of his immoral…show more content…
He covers up his grotesque appearance with the ambition to do any terrible things in order to gain the throne. Alone with the audiences provide a function of a mirror, Richard presents himself as an actor who “cannot prove a lover… I am determined to prove a villain” (1.1.28). Unlike modern antiheroes, villains of Shakespeare, including Richard reveal their hatred through elaborate monologues and dialogues. This unique rhetorical strategy is evident from Richard’s opening soliloquy with this unique rhetorical strategy is evident from “Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York, and all the clouds that loured upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried” (1.1.1) indicates that Richard is also a convincing speaker. Richard’s immorality come into blossom when he confesses the Lady Anne, even though having killed her husband and father in law. Richard adulates her, saying that it was her beauty that “did haunt me in my sleep To undertake the death of all the world So that I might rest one hour in your sweet bosom” ( 1.2.120-122). Moreover, he takes her insults and even tolerates being spat by her, saying “never came poison from so sweet a place” (1.2.144). However Shakespeare concludes that power earned through false means flees. In the play’s finishing act, Richard says, “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”(5.4.8), Shakespeare tells that the value of things can

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