Richard III (play)

Richard III is a play by William Shakespeare. It was probably written 1592–1594. It is labelled a history in the First Folio, and is usually considered one, but it is sometimes called a tragedy, as in the quarto edition. Richard III concludes Shakespeare's first tetralogy (also containing Henry VI, Part 1, Henry VI, Part 2, and Henry VI, Part 3) and depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of King Richard III of England. It is the second longest play in the Shakespearean canon and is the longest of the First Folio, whose version of Hamlet, otherwise the longest, is shorter than its quarto counterpart. The play is often abridged for brevity, and peripheral characters removed. In such cases, extra lines are often invented or added from elsewhere to establish the nature of the characters' relationships. A further reason for abridgment is that Shakespeare assumed his audiences' familiarity with his Henry VI plays, frequently referring to these plays. House of York King Edward IV – King of England Richard, Duke of Gloucester – Edward IV's brother; later King Richard III George, Duke of Clarence – Edward IV's brother Duchess of York – Edward, Richard and George's mother Edward, Prince of Wales – Edward IV's eldest son; later King Edward V (never crowned) Richard, Duke of York – Edward IV's younger son Boy – George's son Girl – George's daughter House of Lancaster Queen Margaret – widow of King Henry VI Ghost of King Henry VI Ghost of Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales – Henry VI's son Lady Anne Neville – widow of Edward of Westminster; later wife of King Richard III Tressel and Berkeley – Lady Anne's attendants (non-speaking roles) Woodville family Queen Elizabeth – wife of King Edward IV Earl Rivers – Elizabeth's brother Marquis of Dorset – Elizabeth's son (from a previous marriage) Lord Richard Grey – Elizabeth's son (from a previous marriage) Sir Thomas Vaughan – ally of Rivers and Grey Richard III's group Duke of Buckingham Sir William Catesby Duke of Norfolk Earl of Surrey – Norfolk's son Sir Richard Ratcliffe Sir James Tyrrell – assassin Lord Lovel Two Murderers Richard's page Earl of Richmond's group Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond – Henry VI's nephew; later King Henry VII Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby – Richmond's stepfather Earl of Oxford Sir Walter Herbert Sir James Blunt Sir William Brandon – Richmond's standard-bearer (non-speaking role) Clergy Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop of York Bishop of Ely Sir Christopher – chaplain of Stanley's household John – priest Other characters Lord Hastings – Lord Chamberlain under Edward IV Sir Robert Brackenbury – Lieutenant of the Tower Lord Mayor of London Scrivener Keeper of the Tower Three Citizens Hastings – pursuivant Sheriff of Wiltshire Ghosts of Clarence, Rivers, Grey, Vaughan, Edward (Prince of Wales), Richard (Duke of York), Hastings, Lady Anne and Buckingham Lords, Messengers, Soldiers etc.

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Related concepts (18)

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Titus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were extremely popular with audiences throughout the 16th century. Titus, a general in the Roman army, presents Tamora, Queen of the Goths, as a slave to the new Roman emperor, Saturninus. Saturninus takes her as his wife.

Shakespearean history

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