RICHARD III by W. Shakespeare

1. Give the historical background of the play.

2. Comment on the period in Shakespeare’s life when the play was written.

3. Comment on the influence of Seneca on Shakespeare’s work.

4. Speak about Shakespeare’s use of blank verse in Richard III.

5. Answer the following questions:

1. How does Richard Gloucester manage to gain the throne?

2. What does the Duke of Clarence understand just before his death?

3. How does he win the hand of Lady Anne?

4. What is the role of Buckingham in making Richard the King?

5. Why are the princes lodged in the Tower?

6. What makes the citizens of London offer Richard the crown?

7. What happens to Buckingham?

8. What kind of visions does Richard have on the night before the battle?

9. Why is the marriage of Richmond and Elizabeth of York symbolic?

10. What are Richard’s last words?

6. Comment on the following quotations:

1. Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this son of York;

And all the clouds that loured upon our house

In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths,

Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings,

Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.

Grim-visaged war hath smoothed his wrinkled front,

...

He capers nimbly in a lady’s chamber

To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.

But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks

Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass;

...

Why, I in this weak piping time of peace

Have no delight to pass away the time,

Unless to spy my shadow in the sun

And descant on mine own deformity.

And therefore since I cannot prove a lover

To entertain these fair well-spoken days,

I am determined to prove a villain

And hate the idle pleasures of these days.

(I.i.1–40)

1. Forbear to sleep the nights, and fast the days;

Compare dead happiness with living woe;

Think that thy babes were sweeter than they were,

And he that slew them fouler than he is.

Bett’ring thy loss makes the bad causer worse.

Revolving this will teach thee how to curse.

(IV.iv.118–123)

1. The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight.

Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.

What do I fear? Myself? There’s none else by.

Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I.

Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am.

Then fly! What, from myself? Great reason. Why:

Lest I revenge. Myself upon myself?

Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good

That I myself have done unto myself?

O no, alas, I rather hate myself

For hateful deeds committed by myself.

I am a villain.

(V.v.134–145)

7. Who said this and why?

1. Thou hast made the happy eaгth thy hell.
2. But first I’ll turn yon fellow in his grave.
3. They do me wrong, and I will not endure it.
4. That none of you may live your natural age

But by some unlooked accident cut off!

1. Not to kill him, having a warrant for it, but to be damned for killing him, from which no warrant can defend us.
2. Take heed, for He holds vengeance in His hands,

To hurl it upon the heads that break his law.

8. Questions for Discussion:

1. Can the play be regarded as the story of “the rise and fall of a villain-hero”? How is it connected with Machiavellian outlook and “Renaissance Virtu”?
2. Can Shakespeare’s play be taken as a mere history of Richard III? How important are historical inaccuracies?
3. Why does Shakespeare focus on the connection between the king and the people?
4. How do the Tudors come to power?
5. How can you account for the supernatural in the play?
6. What is the role of the dreams in the play?
7. G.B. Shaw insisted that Richard was a splendid comedian? Do you agree?
8. What is the role of women in the play?

9. Give character sketches of a. Richard, b. George, Duke of Clarence, с. Lady Anne, d. Henry, Duke of Buckingham, e. Henry Tudor, f. Queen Margaret, g. Queen Elizabeth.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14