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Shakespeare: Richard III
Purpose
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Explores the consequences of the individual’s
relentless pursuit of power.
Affirm to the Elizabethan audience the House of
Tudor’s legitimate right to the throne, through the birth
of the House of Tudor after Richmond wins at The
Battle of Bosworth and is consequently king.
Explores the role of conscience in moral decisionmaking.
Pacino: Looking for Richard
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Quotes
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Influences
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Protestant/Christian religious: faith beliefsmonotheism, theocentricism, providentialism,
retribution, salvation, soul, conscience, judgement,
spirit presence, after life, chain being
Monarchy supreme- renaissance influence- of questioning
free will/ responsible for one’s destiny
Monarchy controlled, monitored all written work
including theatre
Machiavellian influence
Clear class structure-includes examples from entire
spectrum, past morality plays
Political situation- Elizabeth I great-granddaughter of
Richmond & Elizabeth- which is where the play ends,
with the birth of the House of Tudor.
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“It has always been a dream of mine to communicate how I feel about
Shakespeare to others”.
To connect Shakespeare’s universal themes and the powerful language
with the everyday public.
To present a Shakespeare about how we think and feel today.
“we’re peddling him on the streets”
Explore why Richard III is still popular and appealing to a modern
audience.
Shakespeare should be enjoyed by all.
“Our main goal with this project is to reach an audience that would not
normally participate in this kind of language and world. .
Multicultural religious influence
influence of secularism- permeates throughout society
lack of or loss of power of the monarchy
existential belief- that man is responsible for his own destiny
Method acting- his style –Pacino uses this, where the actor becomes the
character
Character roles that Pacino has played in the past.
Some stereotyping of PAcino as a thug/villain
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Context
 Political unrest and persecution of Catholics. Richard
III written during Elizabethan period- Elizabeth
experienced many threats to her reign. Shakespeare
has composed a politically- correct piece of theatre
because it supports Elizabeth’s right to the throne- she
is a direct descendant of Richmond (Henry Tudor
Great grandfather of Eliz.)
 1558 Elizabeth sets about to control performance
plays-censorship. Her spymaster established a group
“The Queen’s Men” who were her political
mouthpiece. Shakespeare was a member of this group
as a young actor. This play therefore presents Richard
III in a negative light and in so doing makes Richmond
look the hero- good(Richmond) v evil(Richard)
 Machiavellian politics- Machiavelli asserts that an
effective ruler should abandon the traditional idea of
virtue and morality and rather maximise personal
power to ensure his own survival at any cost.
Therefore for Machiavelli, there is no relationship
between morals and politics. This view when seen
through the play Richard III, presents a Richard who
conducts himself in this way, and therefore is not in
keeping with earlier ideology of the Divine Right of
Kings- that the King was God’s representative on earth
and that your right to the throne was determined by
your birth/parentage. This view represents a more
secular view of Kingship and leadership thus rejecting
traditional Christian (theocentric) values. Richard
pursues power at any cost. Richard exercises free will
and so too does Richmond. This ideology creates a
tension between Secularism and Providentialism
within the play.
 Judgements were usually made from a moral
perspective rather than the Machiavellian idea of
expediency.
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Social and cultural post-modern exploration of how a post-modern
audience can connect with Shakespeare.
Takes Shakespeare to the streets.
Released in 1996 for an American audience/culture.
Compares the difference of reception, performance and criticism of
Shakespeare between the British and the American actors and public.
A public that is largely ignorant of and bored by Shakespeare.
Promotes method acting as having a closer relationship to
Shakespearean style of acting than any other.
A world where Shakespeare is largely within the domain of academics
as opposed to the general public. Therefore Pacino attempts to show that
Shakespeare has a wider popularity and relevance than merely the
academic world. Therefore he tries to establish the universal relevance
of Shakespeare and Richard III.
Reinforces the universality of the audience of Shakespeare hence the
insertion of vox pops and interviews.
An egalitarian world- where all people are supposedly equal.
A world of empathy for others
Perseverance- determination and never giving up.
A world where people make no connection with Shakespeare and it is
taught “rather dully”. “An English teacher brought us to a local
production of King Lear and after ten minutes of people doing
Shakespeareean acting: I tuned out…left at intermission”.
A society that needs to learn empathy and feeling for others, as
expressed by the African American.
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Quotes
Themes
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The allure of evil –Richard engaged in evil
words and deeds
Lust for power- Richard’s use of
Machievellian ideas to attain the goal of the
crown. Richard not the only character who lies
and manipulates to obtain power and control.
The birth of the House of Tudor-represents
change and the new world order and hope, after
many years of instability(War of the Roses).
The Supernatural- Margaret’s curses,
Clarence and Richard’s dreams.
Good vs Evil- Richard does many evil deeds
and is surrounded by ineffectual and gullible
males, like Hastings. The women are more
aware of how dangerous he is.
Role of Women- The women are presented as
weak and powerless yet they are the intuitive
and perceptive characters of the drama. They
foresee the future and play a role in instigating
his downfall. There is an irony here in that they
are not so weak after all.
Morality and Conscience- gives shape to the
Renaissance idea of free will and moral
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“We have no feelings
Power of Language-“if we think words are things and we have no
feelings in our words then we say things to each other that don’t mean
anything. But if we felt what we said, we would say less and mean
more.”
 Lust for Power- The actors in Pacino’s text are fascinated by the battle
for power and the hatred that is so obvious, “They are clawing at each
other for the throne.” Comparisons are made to the film “The
Godfather-the gathering of the Dons in this room.” This connection
between Shakespearean lust for power with contemporary lust for power
shows that there will always be those who desire power and are willing
to go to great lengths to achieve this goal.
Redgrave says, “The truth is that those in power have total contempt for
everything they promise, everything they pledge and this is really what
Shakespeare’s great play is really about.”
 The Allure of Evil-Villainy- Richard portrayed as a villain who will do
anything to attain greatness, Pacino uses the quote from Twelfth Night,
“some are born great/some achieve greatness and some have greatness
thrust upon them.”
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Life and Death
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
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judgement. Where characters must choose to
act either justly or according to their own will.
It makes the audience think about the
consequences of our actions, see the murders
of Clarence scene before they kill him AND
Richard’s scene before he goes to battle against
Richmond.
 Illusion vs Reality- Richard makes himself out
to be good and loyal to everyone at court, yet
he has ulterior motives all the time. He accuses
Elizabeth, Hastings and Clarence of many
deeds that he himself is responsible for. He
employs duplicity as a fine form of art.
 Vengeance and Retribution- The idea that
under the Christian moral law, you will
eventually pay for your evil deeds in order to
access salvation. Richard does not repent in
any way and therefore meets his fateful end.
Shakespeare shows the extreme consequences
of suppressing your humanity for power,
through Richard’s demise. “There is no
creature loves me,/And if I die no soul shall
pity me.” (V,iii)
 Connection between Ruler and State- see
Act II Sc 3. The citizens realise that the Duke
of Gloucester is dangerous. They foresee that it
will “prove a giddy world”. When there is
instability at court there is instability in society.
“By divine instinct…leave it all to God.”
 Power of Language- Richard conforms to the
Machiavellian idea that a leader should be
eloquent and have a way with words in order to
manipulate and inspire thus ensuring that he
achieves his own ends and the end justifies the
means.
And like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd tow'rs, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on; and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. The Tempest Act 4, scene 1, 148–158
The use of this quote perhaps suggests that despite Richard’s desire for- and
achievement of ‘greatness’ he is mortal like the rest of humanity and he too like
all else must die.
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Vengeance and Retribution- Pacino observes that Richard has no
friends and the academic states that Richard “knows that he does not
have his own humanity. He has lost it!” Ricahrd even fails to pity
himself and concludes that there is no creature that loves him.
Morality- as emphasised by the African American the street, who asserts that
we lack morals because we don’t understand and appreciate Shakespeare,
“that’s why it’s easy for us to get a gun and shoot each other. If we were taught
to feel, we wouldn’t be so violent.”
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Quotes
Textual
form and
Structures
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Historical tragedy- conclusion to the historical
tetralogy that began with Richard II.
 A play that focuses on the central character- Richard
of Gloucester, more a product of the Renaissance.
 Richard, as the antagonist, moves beyond the concepts
of the Vice figure and the Machiavel. At times he
portrays characteristics of the hero and at other times
even feigns a humanistic bent. He feigns goodness
when necessary, e.g. before Edward dies, with the
nephews, to Anne, when offered the crown.
 Plays builds to a climax- Richard crowned king, and
then the denouement unravels as his deeds become
darker and lead to his ultimate defeat and death at
Bosworth.
 Conforms to Senecan Tragedy:
-an obsession with crime/wrong doing
-a pre-occupation with torture, mutilation, corpses, incest
-stress on witchcraft and the supernatural
-Existence of vaulting ambition in the prince
- ghost that calls for revenge
- self dramatization of the hero, esp. as he dies
-The frequent use of stichomythia in dialogue
Stichomythia is a technique in drama or poetry, in which
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Pacino almost celebrates Richard’s villainy making him appear as an
anti-hero, possibly to appeal to the contemporary audience which does
not necessarily shun villains.
Pacino observes, “as soon as he gets what he wants…the emptiness”.
Documentary form- play within a documentary- post-modern
blurring of the boundaries of genres.
Stream -of –consciousness docu-drama that uses hand- held camera
to convey a sense of reality, especially with the street scenes, thus
suggests the authenticity of the responses of the people on the streets.
This gives the interviews a sense of spontaneity. This reinforces
Pacino’s dream to bring Shakespeare to the streets- and “peddling him
on the streets”.
Use of close- ups to create a sense of intimacy with the viewers.
Use of camera angles
Shows rehearsals and rehearsal discussions/arguments
Attempts to follow the sequence of Richard III
Pastiche used which enables inclusion of vox pops from street
interviews and interviews with academics, as well as scens that are
performed and rehearsals- cuts jump from rehearsal to performance.
Non- diegetic voiceover used as a form of narration to guide the
viewer.
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alternating lines, or half-lines, are given to alternating
characters e.g. LADY ANNE: I would I knew thy heart.
GLOUCESTER: 'Tis figured in my tongue.
LADY ANNE: I fear me both are false.
GLOUCESTER: Then never man was true.
LADY ANNE: Well, well, put up your sword.
GLOUCESTER: Say, then, my peace is made.
LADY ANNE: That shall you know hereafter.
GLOUCESTER: But shall I live in hope?
LADY ANNE: All men, I hope, live so.
GLOUCESTER: Vouchsafe to wear this ring.
LADY ANNE: To take is not to give.
Language- prose and poetry -varied
Metaphor
Nuances- subtle distinction or variation
LyricismIambic pentameterDramatic irony
Rhetoric- the use of language to persuade
Imagery
Antithesis – when two contrasting ideas are juxtaposed
Iambic pentameter
Expletives
Raised voices
Rich, colourful language mixed with colloquialisms
Redgraves’ lyricism
Formal language of academics
Eloquence of the African American
Humour used by the academics- “I don’t know”, “Irony is really only
hypocrisy with style”
Satire- at time Pacino seems to mock Richard and at other times he celebrates
his villainy
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Quotes