The Soliloquies of Richard in Richard III

A detailed Summary of The Soliloquies of Richard in Richard III

The Soliloquies of Richard in Richard III

Throughout the notable play of Richard III, soliloquies, speeches which Richard, The treacherous protagonist speaks to himself and to the audience, play very outstanding and significant roles. As through the villain hero's soliloquies, we are presented the material that cannot be realistically delivered in dialogue. They enable our understanding of the unmasked Richard and enable our appreciation of the play, as they reveal Richard's isolation, reveal the information on the plot which are the background and atmosphere of the story, and Richard's treacherous plan, reveal Richard's inner thoughts which appear clear to us the deformities of his mind and also reveal his self-knowledge.

The first scene of the play begins with a soliloquy which emphasizes Richard's isolation as he appears alone and even bitterly depicts his deformity as "rudely stamp'd...Deform'd, unfinish'd...". His deformity can indicate the disharmony from nature and viciousness of his spirit. Richard's deformities both physical and mental exclude him from the world around him. He is separated even from his family as he says, "Dive, thought's down to my soul", when he sees his brother, the Duke of Clarence, coming. He

His deformity and isolation combining with the boundless ambition and egotism could possibly be the cause of his thirst for the throne that is not belonged to him.

His soliloquies prove clear to us his perfect quality of Machiavellian hero.

Then we learn from his soliloquy, III, vi, 106-109, that his next move is to take some secret order to remove any threat from Clarence's heirs by imprisoning his son and arranging poor marriage for his daughter whereby her social position is considerably lowered. Also, he plans to prevent others from contacting the princes who are locked up in the Tower. In the next soliloquies, he reveals his next step that he will marry young Elizabeth, King Edward IV's daughter, in order to secure the safety of his position. Apparently, he has no mercy or sympathy even to his nieces and nephews.

His isolation is obviously seen when he dreams as he is completely alone, unloved and loveless. He is too vicious and despiteful to even he himself can love his own self,

However, as Richard's soliloquies reveal more and more about his malicious scheme, they, meanwhile, reveal more and more about the deformity of his mind that it is full with sarcasm, egotism, deception, hypocrisy, villainy Machiavelli, cold-blooded cruelty and wicked pleasure. We know the unmasked Richard from his soliloquies as they are speeches made when he is alone - it is the only time that he can reveal his thoughts, his mind and his true self.

is unable to share his thought with his own family as he is plotting against them. He has no true relationship with anyone because he only knows how to use and abuse or victimize people around him. He uses his superior wit and inferior deformity against others.

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Approximate Word count = 1547
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English