Wednesday, 6 January 2016

King Richard the Third Act 1 Summary

Act one begins with Richard’s soliloquy. This where Richard speaks about King Edward Iv starting a war that was finally over restoring peace, as well as himself being dealt a bad hand in life. The most important part of the soliloquy is when Richard revealed his ultimate goal was to prove himself to be a villain and commit dangerous acts to become King. He hates his brothers tell his plans to murder them.
 His brother Clarence then enters the room and Richard pretends to be concerned. Clarence is being sentenced to prison by their older brother King Edward Iv who is ill and paranoid because his name is “George.” Further pretending his concern Richard assures Clarence that he would try everything in his power to get Clarence released from prison. After he leaves, Richard then beings promising his death. Hastings enters and Richards speaks to him asking about his imprisonment telling Clarence is too be sentenced too. He is then told about his brother to which he finds out is very ill, weak and melancholy.
 Scene two Richard complains that he is ugly and deformed and incapable to be happy or love and have anyone to love him. Also, Lady Anne comes in cursing death upon. Telling him how evil he is because she thinks that Richard killed her recently deceased husband son of King Henry VI and him as well. In speaking to Lady Anne Richard both denies and admits that he killed King Henry. She expresses her hate for him and he retorts by telling her she is no better than anyone else. He then begins to court her by giving her compliments to which she reacts angered but seemingly like it. Also he gives her the opportunity to kill him which she did not.
King Edward is more ill and everyone is gathered in his room. They are concerned that the king is growing sicker and is aiming towards his death bed. Elizabeth had also been complain about Richards hostile behavior which is unfitting of a king Richard then enters and causes a ruckus. He accuses Elizabeth of putting in the king’s head suspicions of their brother who in now in jail. Margret then hopes to Elizabeth that she see her family die in front of her by Richard as he did her family
Lastly, Clarence has a dream in prison that Richard killed him. He woke up telling his guard about the dream. Not too long after murderers that were hired by Richard appeared and told the guard to leave and proceeded to kill Clarence. Clarence told them that Richard would find out it was them just to be told that Richard was the one who sent them.


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