berlaine, or Faustus, or Barabas, monopolizes the whole action of the Drama; (b) the characters of this play of passion seem intended, for the most part, merely to set off the hero's "ideal villainy"; (c) the absence of evolution of character in the hero; (d) the hero's consciousness and avowal of his villainy; (e) the tone of the play is often lyrical or epical rather than dramatic (e.g. the lamentation of the women, II. ii.; IV. i.); (f) blank verse is used throughout, while prose and the lyrical forms found in the earlier plays are conspicuously absent. The play of Richard III was evidently Shakespeare's experiment-his only experiment-in the Marlowan method of tragedy, but in one respect, at least, Shakespeare shows himself no blind follower of Marlowe; he weaves Nemesis into the play and shows its consummation in Richard's fall, hence the significance of Margaret's fateful presence, haunting the scenes like some prophetic Chorus of ancient Drama. In John Weever's Epigrammes, printed in 1599, but written in 1595, the 22nd Epigram, addressed Ad Gulielmum Shakespeare, mention is made of Romeo and Richard as well-known characters, and the reference is evidently to Richard III, and not to Richard II.1 Possibly, too, the wooing of Estrild in the the old play of Locrine is imitated, as Mr. Fleay (Shakespeare Manual) has suggested, from Richard III, I. ii.; Locrine was first printed in 1595. THE SOURCE OF THE PLOT Sir Thomas More's Life of Richard the Third, incorporated by Hall & Holinshed in their histories, is the ultimate source of the play. Shakespeare evidently used the second edition of Holinshed, copying a mistake which occurs only in that edition. The wooing of Queen Anne, as well as Queen Margaret's part, are, however, purely imaginary (cp. Courtenay's Commentaries on the Historical Plays, II. 60–117). Possibly Shakespeare borrowed a few hints from an 1 "Romeo, Richard; more, whose names I know not.” earlier play written before 1588, and published in 1594,The True Tragedie of Richard the Third," 1 etc. To Dr. Legge's Latin play (acted at Cambridge before 1583) he certainly owed nothing. There were several other plays on this subject, probably one, wholly or in part, by Ben Jonson (vide Henslowe's Diary, June 22, 1602), called Richard Crookback, and another, now lost, perhaps more intimately connected with Shakespeare's. DURATION OF ACTION The time of Richard III, as analyzed by Mr. Daniel (New Shakespeare Society Trans. 1877-79), covers eleven days represented on the stage; with intervals. The total dramatic time is probably within one month. Day 1. Act I. Sc. i., ii. Interval. Act I. Sc. iii., iv.; Act. II. Sc. i., ii. Act II. Sc. iii. Interval; for the journey to Day 2. Day 3. Day 8. Act IV. Sc. ii.-v. Interval; Richard's march to Salisbury. Day 9. Act V. Sc. i. Interval; Richard's march from Salisbury to Leicester. Day 10. Act V. Sc. ii., and first half of Sc. iii. Day 11. Act V., second half of Sc. iii. Day 11. Act V., second half of Sc. iii., and Sc. iv., v. The historic time is from about the date of Henry VI's obsequies, May 1471 to the Battle of Bosworth Field, 22nd August 1485. 1 Reprinted by Shakespeare Society, 1844, from the only perfect copy extant.-N. B.-In the old play we find "A horse, a horse, a fresh horse," also, Richard's reference to the ghosts of his victims "crying for revenge." The same Society printed Richard's Vision, a seventeenth century poem founded on Shakespeare's play, containing an interesting reference thereto. DRAMATIS PERSONE KING EDWARD the Fourth. EDWARD, Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward V,{ RICHARD, Duke of York, RICHARD, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King Richard III, A young son of Clarence Jbrothers HENRY, Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII THOMAS ROTHERHAM, Archbishop of York JOHN MORTON, Bishop of Ely DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM DUKE OF NORFOLK EARL OF SURREY, his son EARL RIVERS, brother to Elizabeth MARQUIS OF DORSET and LORD GREY, sons to Elizabeth EARL OF OXFORD LORD HASTINGS LORD STANLEY, called also EARL OF DERBY LORD LOVEL SIR THOMAS VAUGHAN SIR RICHARD RATCLIFF SIR WILLIAM CATESBY SIR JAMES TYRREL SIR JAMES BLOUNT SIR WALTER HERBERT SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY, Lieutenant of the Tower CHRISTOPHER URSWICK, a priest. Another Priest sons to the King to the King TRESSEL and BERKELEY, gentlemen attending on the Lady Anne ELIZABETH, queen to King Edward IV MARGARET, widow of King Henry VI DUCHESS OF YORK, mother to King Edward IV LADY ANNE, widow of Edward Prince of Wales, son to King Henry VI; afterwards married to Richard A young daughter of Clarence (MARGARET PLANTAGENET) Ghosts of those murdered by Richard III, Lords and other Attendants, a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Soldiers, &c. SCENE: England |