The Shakespeare Book

56

T

he long and bloody civil

war between the houses

of York and Lancaster has

ended with the murder, in prison,

of the Lancastrian King Henry VI.

Edward IV of York now reigns, and

England can rejoice in peace. This

is what Edward’s brother Richard

tells us at the opening of the play.

He then invites us to watch as,

with devious skill, he takes the

throne for himself.

Initially, we are intrigued

by Richard’s daring. He woos

and wins Lady Anne as she

escorts the funeral procession of

RICHARD III

her father-in-law, Henry VI.

Then Richard plots against family

and friends. He engineers the

imprisonment and death of his

brother Clarence, news of which

sends his eldest brother, King

Edward IV, to an early grave.

Helped by the Duke of

Buckingham, Richard sends

Edward’s sons—the young

Edward V and Richard, Duke

of York—to the Tower of London.

When their mother’s family objects,

he has her male relatives executed.

All of this is predicted by Henry

VI’s widow, old Queen Margaret

DRAMATIS

PERSONAE

Richard, Duke of

Gloucester Later Richard III.

King Edward IV and

George, Duke of Clarence

Richard’s brothers.

Duchess of York

Their mother.

Queen Elizabeth

Wife of Edward IV and mother

of Edward, Prince of Wales,

Richard, Duke of York, and

Princess Elizabeth.

Edward, Prince of Wales

and Richard, Duke of York

Young sons of Edward IV and

Queen Elizabeth.

Duke of Buckingham

Trusted confidant who assists

Richard to the throne.

Lord Hastings Lord

Chamberlain to Edward IV.

Lord Stanley Earl of Derby

and stepfather to Richmond.

Rivers, Grey, and Dorset

Queen Elizabeth’s brother, and

her sons by her first marriage.

Queen Margaret Widow

of Henry VI, the last of the

Lancastrians, who prophesies

against the House of York.

Lady Anne Widow of Henry

VI’s son, Edward.

Henry, Earl of Richmond

Stepson to Stanley, and later

Henry VII.

Tyrrel An assassin employed

by Richard.

Act 1

1.3

1.3

1.1

1.2

1.4

At court, Richard

angers Queen

Elizabeth and her

family by accusing

them of ambitious

plotting.

Richard describes the

transition from war-torn past

to Edward’s present sunny

reign, and confides to us

his destructive plans.

Richard woos Lady

Anne across the coffin of

her father-in-law, Henry VI.

Although Clarence

believes that his brother

Richard loves him, he is

murdered in prison

by Richard’s assassins.

Old Queen Margaret

curses the whole

court, predicting that

Richard will bring

each of them down.