A. One of the main themes running through Richard the second is the idea of the failure of a King's duties to his country. The play examines the changing fortune and loss of kingship from Richard to Bolingbroke due to his neglect of time and duty. However, both characters undergo a remarkable transition in their attitudes and furthermore, both can be seen to be wrong in trying to claim what is not rightfully their own. In the early stages of the play Richard takes Bolingbroke's lawful inheritance away which arguably marks the beginning of his own downfall. In doing this he is undermining the very notion of how he himself became King by denying someone else their natural inheritance. This is pointed out to him by York although the advice is ignored:

"Take Hereford's rights away, and take from Time his charters and his customary rights....

Be not thyself , for how art thou a King but by fair sequence and succession?"

However, there are various other instances in the play when Richard's supposedly unquestionable power and judgement are called into question. He allows Bolingbroke and Mowbray to go through all the ceremony of their duel before subsequently cancellin

"My lord, wise men ne'er wail their present woes,

With mine own breath release all duteous oaths".

Before I have shook off the regal thoughts

"Which then our leisure would not let us here".

Thus high at least, although your knee be low".

Dared once to touch a dust of England's ground".

With mine own tongue deny my sacred state

To insinuate, flatter,bow, and bend my knee."

"With mine own tears I wash away my balm

Wherewith I reigned? I hardly yet have learned

Therefore, it becomes difficult to establish whether Richard deserves to have been so cruelly robbed of his kingship when he realises his faults. Alternatively, Bolingbroke's character is seen to change during the plays proceedings. He has returned home from banishment with the pretence of coming back to claim his inheritance and has usurped the throne. His real intentions are hinted at early on in the play when he believes he may have control over Richard:

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1906
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)