-1-
Richard III
By
William Shakespeare
Set scenes 2008
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
-2-
Assessment Focuses
Your response to Shakespeare in the SAT exam will
be assessed according to the following criteria:
AF2
Can I find and quote information effectively?
AF3
Can I read and interpret meaning beyond the obvious?
AF4
Can I explain why writers choose to shape their work in a
particular way?
AF5
Can I explain why writers choose to use particular words
and sentences?
AF6
Can I explain the writer’s purpose, and how it achieved?
The question on the SAT paper will focus on one of
the following:




Character and motivation
Ideas, themes and issues
The language of the text
The text in performance
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
-3-
Could you be as devious as Richard of Gloucester?
To understand the scenes; we need to understand what kind of a
person Richard is. Richard manipulates people, sometimes to gain
power, sometimes to get his own way and sometimes for cruel fun.
Imagine you want to be friends with a popular person (A) at school;
not because you like them, but because you think that being seen
with them will increase your own popularity.
How far will you go to get what you want?
Below is a questionnaire, put a tick next to the answer you think
suits your personality!
You know you will bump into (A) in the dinning hall at dinner.
Will you:
1. Invent some stories in advance to tell (A) to impress them.
2. Stand close to them and hope they notice you.
3. Make it up as you go along.
Once you are talking to them would you:
1. Tell (A) bad things about their friends to upset them.
2. Tell (A) how lucky they are to have such good mates.
3. Tell them how much you want to be their friend.
If (A) becomes worried about something will you:
1. Pretend to be concerned about (A) and offer your support.
2. Let their oldest friends look after them.
3. Tell them some jokes.
(A) comes to you unexpectedly with a problem will you:
1. Act as if you are deeply interested to gain their trust.
2. Listen politely to them and do nothing else.
3. Tell them not to worry there’s pizza for dinner.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
-4-
(A) is very angry and threatening to punch someone do you:
1. Calm them down and tell them what to do.
2. Go and warn the other person.
3. Go to the gym and get some boxing gloves.
(A) seems to think you’re up to something do you:
1. Act upset at their lack of trust to gain their sympathy.
2. Admit you only want to know them for your own gain.
3. Tell them you never liked them anyway.
(A) asks why do you like them anyway? Do you.
1. Throw a hissy fit to make (A) feel guilty for asking the
question.
2. Tell them how great it is to be around them.
3. Say it’s because they smell of custard and it’s your favourite.
You want to impress (A) with a story about your hols. Do you:
1. Invent the biggest most fantastic story ever.
2. Tell them the truth, you went to Skeggi.
3. Inform them school is the best holiday and you want to stay
forever
Add up how many of each number you got.
Mainly 1- You are an excellent manipulator! You know what you want and how far you
have to go to get it. Your friends really need to watch out. I would expect you would
make an excellent King of Medieval England.
Mainly 2- You are a little too kind to make it in the dangerous world of manipulation.
However, you would probably make a good second in command to a real trickster.
Although I still think your friends should keep an eye on you!
Mainly 3- What a wimp! You are far too nice to survive in this manipulative world; you
will be better off carrying out charity work and saving the planet. You are trustworthy
and kind, not really cut out to be King or Queen.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
-5-
Act 1, Scene 2, lines 33 to 186
In this extract from RICHARD III, Richard, here called Gloucester, has
decided he needs an acceptable wife to further his chances of becoming
King.
His choice of wife is LADY ANNE; unfortunately for him Richard has
killed her husband and her father in law. This does not stop Richard who
uses his skills of manipulation to pay court to Lady Anne.
Oh, and just to make it more of a challenge, Richard chats her up as she
takes her father-in-law’s body to be buried.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
-6-
Act 1, Scene 2, lines 33 to 186
Enter GLOUCESTER
GLOUCESTER
Stay, you that bear the corse, and set it down. 33
LADY ANNE
What black magician conjures up this fiend,
To stop devoted charitable deeds?
GLOUCESTER
Villains, set down the corse; or, by Saint Paul,
I'll make a corse of him that disobeys.
GENTLEMAN
My lord, stand back, and let the coffin pass.
GLOUCESTER
Unmanner'd dog! stand thou, when I command:
Advance thy halbert higher than my breast,
40
Or, by Saint Paul, I'll strike thee to my foot,
And spurn upon thee, beggar, for thy boldness.
LADY ANNE
What, do you tremble? are you all afraid?
Alas, I blame you not; for you are mortal,
And mortal eyes cannot endure the devil.
Avaunt, thou dreadful minister of hell!
Thou hadst but power over his mortal body,
His soul thou canst not have; therefore be gone.
Corse = corpse,
which is a…..?
_______________
Halbert = spear
Richard threatens to make a “corse” of the coffin
bearers. What does he mean?
________________________________________
________________________________________
Richard then makes a second threat,
Write it in your own words.
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Lady Anne is talking to several people in her next
two speeches.
 Text mark with a * the lines that are
directed to the different characters.
 Identify who she is talking to.
1___________________2___________________
_
What tone of voice do you think Gloucester
GLOUCESTER
(Richard) adopts here? Why?
Sweet saint, for charity, be not so curst.
____________________________________
____________________________________
LADY ANNE
Foul devil, for God's sake, hence, and trouble us not; 50 ____________________________________
____________________________________
For thou hast made the happy earth thy hell,
Fill'd it with cursing cries and deep exclaims.
Lady Anne hates Richard and curses him.
If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds,
Underline and draw an arrow to words that
Behold this pattern of thy butcheries.
show us:
O, gentlemen, see, see! dead Henry's wounds
Lady Anne thinks that:
Open their congeal'd mouths and bleed afresh!
o Richard should be ashamed of
Blush, Blush, thou lump of foul deformity;
himself.
For 'tis thy presence that exhales this blood
o Richard likes to see suffering.
From cold and empty veins, where no blood dwells;
Thy deed, inhuman and unnatural, 60
o The body has started to bleed.
Provokes this deluge most unnatural.
o Richard makes the world a nasty
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
place.
o Richard is ugly
o Evil things happen when he is
around
-7O God, which this blood madest, revenge his death!
O earth, which this blood drink'st revenge his death!
Either heaven with lightning strike the
murderer dead,
Or earth, gape open wide and eat him quick,
As thou dost swallow up this good king's blood
Which his hell-govern'd arm hath butchered!
GLOUCESTER
Lady, you know no rules of charity, 68
Which renders good for bad, blessings for curses.
LADY ANNE
Villain, thou know'st no law of God nor man: 70
No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity.
GLOUCESTER
But I know none, and therefore am no beast.
LADY ANNE
O wonderful, when devils tell the truth!
GLOUCESTER
More wonderful, when angels are so angry.
Vouchsafe, divine perfection of a woman,
Of these supposed-evils, to give me leave,
By circumstance, but to acquit myself.
LADY ANNE
Vouchsafe, defused infection of a man,
For these known evils, but to give me leave,
By circumstance, to curse thy cursed self. 80
GLOUCESTER
Fairer than tongue can name thee, let me have
Some patient leisure to excuse myself.
LADY ANNE
Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make
No excuse current, but to hang thyself.
GLOUCESTER
By such despair, I should accuse myself.
LADY ANNE
And, by despairing, shouldst thou stand excused;
For doing worthy vengeance on thyself,
Which didst unworthy slaughter upon others. 88
Super important !!!
Did Gloucester kill her husband, brother and
father-in-law? Yes / No
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
What two things does Anne hope will happen
to Richard?
1_______________________________
________________________________
2_______________________________
________________________________
What feature of Richard’s appearance does she
draw attention to?
_____________________________________
Vouch safe =
To accept or believe.
Charity =
forgiveness
Acquit =
prove innocent
Richard attempts to confuse Lady Anne to allow
him to manipulate her. While she says horrid
things to him; he says complimentary things to
her.
With a partner re write line 68- 88 in your own
words. (It has been started for you)
G – Lady you don’t know how to forgive. When
someone hurts you, you should be nice to them.
L.A- Pig! You don’t know any rules; even
dangerous animals show some pity.
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
-8What does “say” mean in this context? (Note the
question mark) We still use this term today.
GLOUCESTER
Say that I slew them not?
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________
LADY ANNE
Why, then they are not dead:
But dead they are, and devilish slave, by thee. 90
GLOUCESTER
I did not kill your husband.
LADY ANNE
Why, then he is alive.
GLOUCESTER
Nay, he is dead; and slain by Edward's hand.
LADY ANNE
In thy foul throat thou liest: Queen Margaret saw
Thy murderous falchion smoking in his blood;
The which thou once didst bend against her breast,
But that thy brothers beat aside the point.
GLOUCESTER
I was provoked by her slanderous tongue,
which laid their guilt upon my guiltless shoulders.
LADY ANNE
Thou wast provoked by thy bloody mind. 100
Which never dreamt on aught but butcheries:
Didst thou not kill this king?
What is Gloucester’s version of the murder?
_____________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
_________________________
Lady Anne’s version.
o You were going to stab the
Queen.
o You killed him because you
are a psycho who dreams
about killing people.
o Your brothers stopped you
killing the queen
o Queen Margaret caught you
stabbing him with your
sword.
Text mark the lines that correspond to
these.
Draw arrows to them.
GLOUCESTER
I grant ye.
LADY ANNE
Dost grant me, hedgehog? then, God grant me too
Thou mayst be damned for that wicked deed!
O, he was gentle, mild, and virtuous!
GLOUCESTER
The fitter for the King of heaven, that hath him.
LADY ANNE
He is in heaven, where thou shalt never come.
GLOUCESTER
Let him thank me, that holp to send him thither;
For he was fitter for that place than earth.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
Copy and explain Lady Anne’s insult.
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
-9LADY ANNE
And thou unfit for any place but hell.
GLOUCESTER
Yes, one place else, if you will hear me name it. 110
LADY ANNE
Some dungeon.
GLOUCESTER
Your bed-chamber.
LADY ANNE
I'll rest betide the chamber where thou liest!
GLOUCESTER
So will it, madam till I lie with you.
Plantagenet
= the Royal
family
name
LADY ANNE
I hope so.
GLOUCESTER
I know so. But, gentle Lady Anne,
To leave this keen encounter of our wits,
And fall somewhat into a slower method,
Is not the causer of the timeless deaths
Of these Plantagenets, Henry and Edward,
As blameful as the executioner?
What two lines reveal Richard’s intention?
Underline and draw arrows to them.
What is Richard’s intention?
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Richard has confused Lady Anne. What
does she think Richard is talking about?
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Richard thinks they should stop arguing
and calm down. Y/ N
Richard enjoys arguing with Anne and
wishes to continue Y/N
Which of these interpretations is
correct?
Text mark the lines that show this.
LADY ANNE
Thou art the cause, and most accursed effect. 120
GLOUCESTER
Your beauty was the cause of that effect;
Your beauty: which did haunt me in my sleep
To undertake the death of all the world,
So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom.
Do Not Forget-
Gloucester and Richard
III are the same person.
Whose fault is it that Richard killed Henry
and Edward?
____________________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
What made him do it?
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
For HWK find out what a Basilisk is.
How did it kill people?
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 10 -
Imagine you are Richard writing a Valentine’s card
LADY ANNE
to Lady Anne.
If I thought that, I tell thee, homicide,
Look at the lines below the love hearts.
These nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks. write them In your own words as message in the
card. ( A start has been made for you)
GLOUCESTER
These eyes could never endure sweet beauty's wreck;
You should not blemish it, if I stood by:
As all the world is cheered by the sun,
So I by that; it is my day, my life. 130
LADY ANNE
Black night o'ershade thy day, and death thy life!
GLOUCESTER
Curse not thyself, fair creature thou art both.
LADY ANNE
I would I were, to be revenged on thee.
GLOUCESTER
It is a quarrel most unnatural,
To be revenged on him that loveth you.
LADY ANNE
It is a quarrel just and reasonable,
To be revenged on him that slew my husband.
GLOUCESTER
He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband,
Did it to help thee to a better husband.
LADY ANNE
His better doth not breathe upon the earth. 140
GLOUCESTER
He lives that loves thee better than he could.
LADY ANNE
Name him.
GLOUCESTER
Plantagenet.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
Darling Anne,
My eyes couldn’t stand to see your face spoiled, you
would not mark it if I was there!
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Now write lady Anne’s reply in your own words.
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
- 11 LADY ANNE
Why, that was he.
GLOUCESTER
The selfsame name, but one of better nature.
LADY ANNE
Where is he?
On this page Shakespeare uses language to show how
Richard/Gloucester manipulates Lady Anne by slowly
twisting her words.
Follow the numbered text and in each box illustrate
how Richard slowly turns insults into positive words.
(1)
GLOUCESTER
Here.
(She spitteth at him)
Why dost thou spit at me?
LADY ANNE (1)
Would it were mortal poison, for thy sake!
(2)
GLOUCESTER (2)
Never came poison from so sweet a place.
LADY ANNE
(3)
Never hung poison on a fouler toad.
Out of my sight! thou dost infect my eyes.
GLOUCESTER (4)
Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine. 150
(3)
LADY ANNE
(5)
Would they were basilisks, to strike thee dead!
Shakespeare uses images about eye sight in this
section find them, highlight and explain themHint one refers to a previous HWK.
1. ____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
2. ______________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
3. ______________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
(4)
(5)
- 12 GLOUCESTER
I would they were, that I might die at once;
For now they kill me with a living death.
Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears,
Shamed their aspect with store of childish drops:
These eyes that never shed remorseful tear,
No, when my father York and Edward wept,
To hear the piteous moan that Rutland made
When black-faced Clifford shook his sword at him;
Nor when thy warlike father, like a child
160
Told the sad story of my father's death,
And twenty times made pause to sob and weep,
That all the standers-by had wet their cheeks
Like trees bedash'd with rain: in that sad time
My manly eyes did scorn an humble tear;
And what these sorrows could not thence exhale,
Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping.
I never sued to friend nor enemy;
My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing word;
But now thy beauty is proposed my fee, 170
My proud heart sues, and prompts my tongue to speak.
(She looks scornfully at him)
Teach not thy lips such scorn, for they were made
For kissing, lady, not for such contempt.
If thy revengeful heart cannot forgive,
Lo, here I lend thee this sharp-pointed sword;
Which if thou please to hide in this true bosom.
And let the soul forth that adoreth thee,
I lay it naked to the deadly stroke,
And humbly beg the death upon my knee. 180
(He lays his breast open: she offers at it with his sword)
Nay, do not pause; for I did kill King Henry,
But 'twas thy beauty that provoked me.
Nay, now dispatch; 'twas I that stabb'd young Edward,
But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on.
Here she lets fall the sword
Underline all the references to tears and crying
in this speech.
Find two adjectives to describe crying.
1_______________________________
2_______________________________
Find the simile Shakespeare uses and label it.
Richard tries to get sympathy by explaining
two occasions when he could not cry, what
were they?
1)_______________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
____________________
2)______________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
_____________________
Text mark the lines that correspond to
these interpretations.
 I killed the King because of your
beauty.
 Don’t make your lips look like
that.
 I killed your husband as well
 If you can’t forgive me stab me in
the heart.
 Kill me or marry me.
Take up the sword again, or take up me.
LADY ANNE
Arise, dissembler: though I wish thy death,
I will not be the executioner. 186
Richard loves Anne
4 eva 100%
?
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 13 Task 1
Richard uses the opposites of the insults Lady Anne uses to confuse
her and make her see him in a better light.
Find the words Richard uses after the following insults and explain
what Richard’s reply means,
Insult: No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity.
Quotation 1
“_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________”
Explanation____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Insult: Black night o'ershade thy day, and death thy life!
Quotation 2
“_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________”
Explanation____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Insult: Out of my sight! thou dost infect my eyes.
Quotation 3
“_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________”
Explanation____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 14 -
Task 2
Essay style question.
In this scene Gloucester manipulates and confuses Lady Anne so that she
will marry him.
Explain how Shakespeare builds the tension in this scene. Consider:





What is happening at the start of the scene.
How Gloucester uses the opposite of what Anne says to confuse her.
Dramatic techniques used by Shakespeare.
The things that Richard has done to Lady Anne’s family.
The excuses he makes up.
TASK 3
Imagine that you are creating a film production of this scene. Draw a storyboard to
show how you would film the wooing of Lady Anne. Think about how you would
use camera angles, sound effects, costume, setting and lighting to create a tense
atmosphere. Write a paragraph explaining your ideas.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 15 -
Act 4, Scene 4, lines 199 to 342
In the next extract GLOUCESTER is now RICHARD III,
his wife, LADY ANNE has died in mysterious
circumstances.
Richard is at war to protect his crown
Richard now needs another suitable wife to help him
maintain his hold on the throne, he selects his niece Princess
Elizabeth and sets about manipulating her mother, QUEEN
ELIZABETH, to help him.
Once more Richard has problems; he has murdered Queen
Elizabeth’s two young sons, he has murdered her brotherin-law, his own brother! And he has murdered most of her
friends.
Once more Richard loves a challenge!
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 16 -
Act 4, Scene 4, lines 199 to 342
KING RICHARD III
Stay, madam; I must speak a word with you.
What do you think Elizabeth thinks Richard
intends to do?
____________________________________
QUEEN ELIZABETH
I have no more sons of the royal blood
For thee to murder: for my daughters, Richard, 200
They shall be praying nuns, not weeping queens;
And therefore level not to hit their lives.
KING RICHARD III
You have a daughter call'd Elizabeth,
Virtuous and fair, royal and gracious.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
And must she die for this? O, let her live,
And I'll corrupt her manners, stain her beauty;
Slander myself as false to Edward's bed;
Throw over her the veil of infamy:
So she may live unscarr'd of bleeding slaughter,
I will confess she was not Edward's daughter.
KING RICHARD III
Wrong not her birth, she is of royal blood. 211
QUEEN ELIZABETH
To save her life, I'll say she is not so.
KING RICHARD III
Her life is only safest in her birth.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
And only in that safety died her brothers.
KING RICHARD III
Lo, at their births good stars were opposite.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
No, to their lives bad friends were contrary.
KING RICHARD III
All unavoided is the doom of destiny.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
True, when avoided grace makes destiny:
My babes were destined to a fairer death,
If grace had bless'd thee with a fairer life. 220
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
____________________________________
Corrupt-spoil / damage.
Slander-tell lies about
someone or something
Identify the things Elizabeth will do to protect her
daughter. Underline them. Then write them in your
own words.
1)__________________________________
____________________________________
2)__________________________________
____________________________________
3)__________________________________
____________________________________
Elizabeth cannot accuse Richard of killing her Sons
out right, or She would be in danger.
How does she use the word safety to hint that her sons
were killed to stop them becoming Kings of England.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
- 17 KING RICHARD III
You speak as if that I had slain my cousins.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Cousins, indeed; and by their uncle cozen'd
Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life.
Whose hand soever lanced their tender hearts,
Thy head, all indirectly, gave direction:
No doubt the murderous knife was dull and blunt
Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart,
To revel in the entrails of my lambs.
But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame,
My tongue should to thy ears not name my boys 230
Till that my nails were anchor'd in thine eyes;
And I, in such a desperate bay of death,
Like a poor bark, of sails and tackling reft,
Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom.
Cozen-an
archaic(old) word
for cheat.
Whetted-sharpened
Elizabeth uses a metaphor to say that no one
wanted to harm her children till Richard
came along.
 Underline and draw a line to it.
She also uses a homophone to accuse
Richard of robbing her sons.
 Underline and draw a line to it.
Highlight all the imagery associated with
Sailing boats used here
What simile does she use to describe herself?
------------------------------------------------------
Shakespeare uses many literary techniques in Queen Elizabeth’s speech. Write a new version of the
speech (line 222 to 234) you must include.
What Richard has done.
What Elizabeth cannot do
What she wants to do.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 18 -
KING RICHARD III
Madam, so thrive I in my enterprise
And dangerous success of bloody wars,
As I intend more good to you and yours,
Than ever you or yours were by me wrong'd!
Which three words hint that Richard’s war is going
well?
1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
QUEEN ELIZABETH
What good is cover'd with the face of heaven,
To be discover'd, that can do me good? 240 A
KING RICHARD III
The advancement of your children, gentle lady. B
Match the statement’s to the correct letter on the
script and write the characters name below it.
A
What could happen now to make me
feel better
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Up to some scaffold, there to lose their heads? C
I love your daughter
KING RICHARD III
No, to the dignity and height of honour
The high imperial type of this earth's glory. D
I can do a lot for your kids.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Flatter my sorrows with report of it; F
Tell me what state, what dignity, what honour,
Canst thou demise to any child of mine? G
KING RICHARD III
Even all I have; yea, and myself and all,
Will I withal endow a child of thine;
H
So in the Lethe of thy angry soul 250
Thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs
Which thou supposest I have done to thee. I
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Be brief, lest that be process of thy kindness
Last longer telling than thy kindness' date. J
KING RICHARD III
Then know, that from my soul I love thy daughter. K
QUEEN ELIZABETH
My daughter's mother thinks it with her soul.
KING RICHARD III
What do you think?
QUEEN ELIZABETH
That thou dost love my daughter from thy soul:
So from thy soul's love didst thou love her brothers;
And from my heart's love I do thank thee for it. 260
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
Be quick, in case your explanation of
your kindness lasts longer than the
actual kindness.
Kill them, you mean?
I can give promote them to the highest
jobs.
Tell me what will you do for my
children?
Cheer me up with your idea.
I will give everything I have to a child
of yours.
Forget everything I am supposed to
have done to you.
Does this line make you think Elizabeth believes
him, if not why not?
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
- 19 -
KING RICHARD III
Be not so hasty to confound my meaning:
I mean, that with my soul I love thy daughter,
And mean to make her queen of England.
Woo- chat up
Sweet talk.
Humour-temperfeelings
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Say then, who dost thou mean shall be her king?
KING RICHARD III
Even he that makes her queen who should be else?
QUEEN ELIZABETH
What, thou?
KING RICHARD III
I, even I: what think you of it, madam?
Line 261 to 270.
What is Richard’s plan?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
What does he want Elizabeth to tell him?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
QUEEN ELIZABETH
How canst thou woo her?
KING RICHARD III
That would I learn of you,
As one that are best acquainted with her humour.
Draw and label pictures of the things Elizabeth tells
him to send to her daughter.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
And wilt thou learn of me?
KING RICHARD III
Madam, with all my heart. 270
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Send to her, by the man that slew her brothers,
A pair of bleeding-hearts; thereon engrave
Edward and York; then haply she will weep:
Therefore present to her--as sometime Margaret
Did to thy father, steep'd in Rutland's blood,-A handkerchief; which, say to her, did drain
The purple sap from her sweet brother's body
And bid her dry her weeping eyes therewith.
If this inducement force her not to love,
Send her a story of thy noble acts; 280
Tell her thou madest away her uncle Clarence,
Her uncle Rivers; yea, and, for her sake,
Madest quick conveyance with her good aunt Anne.
KING RICHARD III
Come, come, you mock me; this is not the way
To win our daughter.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
What is “purple sap” a metaphor for?
_________________________________________
What does she mean by “madest away”?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Who was “aunt Anne”?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Write a modern equivalent for Richard’s reply.
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
- 20 QUEEN ELIZABETH
There is no other way
Unless thou couldst put on some other shape,
And not be Richard that hath done all this.
KING RICHARD III
Say that I did all this for love of her.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Nay, then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee,
Having bought love with such a bloody spoil.
Several words have been removed from Richard’s
speech-use your judgement to replace them with
modern equivalents below.
Fixed your children make mistakes make your
family bigger she’ll give birth trouble
Was banished bad memories paid for
Young beaten stupid my children Lover’s
Look, what is done cannot be now ________:
Men shall ________________ sometimes,
Which after hours give leisure to repent.
If I did take the kingdom from your sons,
KING RICHARD III
To make amends, Ill give it to your daughter.
Look, what is done cannot be now amended: 291
If I have kill'd ______________________,
Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,
To ________________________, I will beget
Which after hours give leisure to repent.
_____________ of your blood upon your daughter
If I did take the kingdom from your sons,
A grandam's name is little less in love
To make amends, Ill give it to your daughter.
Than is the doting title of a mother; 300
If I have kill'd the issue of your womb,
They are as children but one step below,
To quicken your increase, I will beget
Even of your mettle, of your very blood;
Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter
Of an one pain, ____________________________,
A grandam's name is little less in love
for whom you bid like sorrow.
Than is the doting title of a mother; 300
Your children were _____________ to your youth,
They are as children but one step below,
But mine shall be a comfort to your age.
Even of your mettle, of your very blood;
The loss you have is but a son being king,
Of an one pain, save for a night of groans
And by that loss your daughter is made queen.
Endured of her, for whom you bid like sorrow.
I cannot make you what amends I would,
Your children were vexation to your youth,
Therefore accept such kindness as I can.
But mine shall be a comfort to your age.
Dorset your son, that with a fearful soul
The loss you have is but a son being king,
__________________________________________
And by that loss your daughter is made queen.
This fair alliance quickly shall call home
I cannot make you what amends I would,
To high promotions and great dignity:
Therefore accept such kindness as I can. 310
The king, that calls your beauteous daughter wife.
Dorset your son, that with a fearful soul
Familiarly shall call thy Dorset brother;
Leads discontented steps in foreign soil,
Again shall you be mother to a king,
This fair alliance quickly shall call home
And all the ______________________________
To high promotions and great dignity:
with double riches of content.
The king, that calls your beauteous daughter wife. What! we have many goodly days to see:
Familiarly shall call thy Dorset brother;
The liquid drops of tears that you have shed
Again shall you be mother to a king,
Shall come again, transform'd to orient pearl,
And all the ruins of distressful times
_________________________________________
Repair'd with double riches of content.
Of ten times double gain of happiness.
What! we have many goodly days to see: 320
Go, then my mother, to thy daughter go
The liquid drops of tears that you have shed
Make bold her bashful years with your experience;
Shall come again, transform'd to orient pearl,
Prepare her ears to hear a ______________ tale
Advantaging their loan with interest
Put in her ____________heart the aspiring flame
Of ten times double gain of happiness.
Of golden sovereignty; acquaint the princess
Go, then my mother, to thy daughter go
With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys
Make bold her bashful years with your experience; And when this arm of mine hath _______________
Prepare her ears to hear a wooer's tale
The petty rebel, __________________Buckingham,
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 21 Put in her tender heart the aspiring flame
Of golden sovereignty; acquaint the princess
With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys
And when this arm of mine hath chastised 331
The petty rebel, dull-brain'd Buckingham,
Bound with triumphant garlands will I come
And lead thy daughter to a conqueror's bed;
To whom I will retail my conquest won,
And she shall be sole victress, Caesar's Caesar.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
What were I best to say? her father's brother
Would be her lord? or shall I say, her uncle?
Or, he that slew her brothers and her uncles?
Under what title shall I woo for thee, 340
That God, the law, my honour and her love,
Can make seem pleasing to her tender years?
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
In your own words sum up Queen Elizabeth’s
feelings in her final lines.
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
- 22 Task 1
In this scene Queen Elizabeth, unlike Lady Anne, uses very vivid
imagery when talking to Richard.
Find three quotations that demonstrate Queen Elizabeth’s distrust of
Richard.
Give a short explanation of why you have chosen each quote.
Quotation 1
“_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________”
Explanation____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Quotation 2
“_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________”
Explanation____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Quotation 3
“_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________”
Explanation____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 23 Task 2.
Using quotations from the script, explain what happens in this
scene.
Include;
 The reasons the characters have for what they say.
 What way do you think the lines would be said e.g.
“Richard spoke as if he did not care about anything”
 How has Richard changed from the first scene.
 How different Elizabeth is to Anne.
Task 3.
How has Gloucester’s character changed since he became Richard III?
Give evidence to back up your ideas.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 24 SATs practice questions.
Task 1 – Text in performance
Act 1, Scene 2, lines 33 to 186
Act 4, Scene 4, lines 199 to 342
Once Richard has started to twist the truth he cannot stop.
In the first extract he tries to convince lady Anne he loves her; in the second he tries
to convince Queen Elizabeth to make her daughter marry him.
Imagine you are directing a class performance of these extracts.
What advice would you give to the actors playing Gloucester/Richard III, Lady Anne
and Queen Elizabeth to help them show the difference in relationship between them in
the two extracts?
Support your ideas by referring to both extracts.
18 marks
Task 2 – Character and motivation
Act 1, Scene 2, lines 33 to 186
Act 4, Scene 4, lines 199 to 342
Once Richard has started to twist the truth he cannot stop.
In the first extract he tries to convince lady Anne he loves her; in the second he tries
to convince Queen Elizabeth to make her daughter marry him.
Explain how the relationship between Gloucester and Lady Anne is different to that
between Richard III and Queen Elizabeth in these extracts.
Support your ideas by referring to both extracts.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
18 marks
- 25 -
Top Tips - How to Write a Successful SATs answer on
Richard III
DO . . .
 Read the question carefully: highlight key words and use them to plan
your answer
 Look back at the scenes quickly – SCAN them and highlight useful
quotations that you will use.
 Plan your answer – use a brainstorm or bullet
points to plan your key points. Number them in
the order you will do them.
 Write a brief opening where you start to answer
the question with a BIG IDEA –
 Use POINT – EVIDENCE – EXPLORE- LINK
every time you make a point.
 Make sure you balance you time so that you
don’t say too much about one scene and then
don’t have enough time to write about the later
scenes.

Check your spelling and punctuation carefully.
DON’T . . .
 Re-tell the story of Richard III
 When you use a quotation don’t use your
explanation to rewrite it in your own words –
instead explain what the quotation reveals about
the character, how it builds drama or how it uses
interesting language.
 Don’t try to write about all the scenes – you haven’t
got enough time!!! Pick out details that help you
write a good answer to your question – ignore the rest.
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 26 -
Marking criteria for reading Shakespeare.
Band
Reading Criteria
Marks Available
1
A few simple facts and opinions about what characters say or do
in these extracts, though some misunderstanding may be evident.
Parts of the extracts are retold or copied and answers may be only
partly relevant.
1,2,3
2
A little explanation showing some awareness. Comments
relevant, but mainly at the level of plot. Some broad references to
how the characters speak. A few words or phrases are mentioned
although the selection is not always appropriate.
4,5,6
3
Some general understanding, although points may be
undeveloped. Some limited awareness of the language used, with
points illustrated by relevant references to the text.
4
Some discussion though the same quality may not be evident
throughout. Awareness of characters’ use of language and its
effects, with ideas developed by relevant references to the text.
10,11,12
5
Clear focus on the given question. An understanding of use of
language. Well-chosen references to the text justify comments as
part of overall argument.
13,14,15
6
Coherent analysis. Appreciation of the effects of language to
explore ideas. Comments and precisely selected references to the
text integrated into well-developed argument.
16,17,18
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
7,8,9
- 27 -
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 28 -
G.Mounsey 2007/8.
- 29 -
G.Mounsey 2007/8.