Friday, September 5, 2014

Why is Richard shown to be more than a one-dimensional evil man in Richard III?Please just some main areas to know which direction I need to go,...

I am going to assume that your question is really
"How is Richard shown to be more..." rather than
"Why."  We can find examples in the text to support "how"
something is shown, but "why" is a trickier question that involves a lot of
supposition.  Here are some places to look for more to Richard than his evil
schemes.


In Act I, scene ii, he shows a nice seductive
quality that adds dimension to his character in his wooing of Lady Anne.  He woos her
with flattery, saying that he fought for love of her:


readability="13">

Your beauty was the cause of that
effect


Your beauty, which did haunt my
sleep


To undertake the death of all the
world,


So I might lie one hour in your sweet
bosom.



It is the sort of line
a character like Romeo might utter.


The other moment that
stands out for me is the fear and vulnerability he shows in Act V, scene iii after his
is visited by the ghosts:


readability="16">

Have mercy, Jesu!  Soft, I did but
dream.


O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict
me!


The lights burn blue.  It is now dead
midnight.


Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling
flesh.


What do I fear?  Myself?  There's none else
by...



And the speech goes on
in self-examination that belies the sort of unthinking murderer, blind to everything but
his own ambition, that Richard has been up to this
point.


These two moments stand out most strongly to me as
departures from Richard's evil deeds and schemes.

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