51. Katherine Duncan-Jones, Times Literary Supplement, 11 May 2001.
52. Taylor, Independent, 13 August 1992.
53. Wardle, Times, 5 November 1980.
54. B. A. Young, Financial Times, 5 November 1980.
55. Nightingale, New Statesman, 24 April 1970.
56. Katherine Duncan-Jones, Times Literary Supplement, 11 November 2001.
57. R. Chris Hassel Jr., Shakespeare Quarterly 36 (1985).
58. Penny Downie, "Queen Margaret," in Players of Shakespeare 3.
59. Andrew St. George, Financial Times, 13 August 1992.
60. Taylor, Independent, 13 August 1992.
61. Taylor, Independent, 13 August 1992.
62. Sean Holmes on directing the RSC's 2003 production, Richard III Online Playguide, www.rsc.org.uk/richard/current/home.html.
63. Lesser, "Richard of Gloucester."
64. Troughton, "Richard III."
65. Hassel, Jr., Shakespeare Quarterly 36.
66. Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, 27 April 2001.
67. Barbara Hodgdon, "The RSC's 'Long Sonata of the Dead': Shakespeare-history and Imagined Community," in Revisions of Shakespeare, ed. Evelyn Gajowski (2004), p. 77.
68. Michael Billington, Guardian, 5 November 1980.
69. Paul Taylor, Independent, 30 October 1998.
70. Jones, Listener, 23 April 1970.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
AND PICTURE CREDITS
Preparation of "Richard III in Performance" was assisted by generous grants from the CAPITAL Centre (Creativity and Performance in Teaching and Learning) of the University of Warwick, for research in the RSC archive at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded a term's research leave that enabled Jonathan Bate to work on "The Director's Cut."
Picture research by Helen Robson and Jan Sewell. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for assistance with picture research (special thanks to Helen Hargest) and reproduction fees.
Images of RSC productions are supplied by the Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive, Stratford-upon-Avon. This library, maintained by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, holds the most important collection of Shakespeare material in the UK, including the Royal Shakespeare Company's official archives. It is open to the public free of charge.
For more information see www.shakespeare.org.uk.
1. Portrait of David Garrick (1745). Reproduced by permission of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
2. Directed by Bill Alexander (1984). Joe Cocks Studio Collection (c) Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
3. Directed by Sean Holmes (2003). Malcolm Davies (c) Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
4. Photograph of the set design for Richard III (2008). Lucy Barriball (c) Royal Shakespeare Company.
5. Directed by Sam Mendes (1992). (c) Michael Le Poer Trench.
6. Richard III directed by Michael Boyd (2008). Ellie Kurttz (c) Royal Shakespeare Company.
7. Reconstructed Elizabethan Playhouse (c) Charcoalblue.
THE MODERN LIBRARY EDITORIAL BOARD
Maya Angelou
*
A. S. Byatt
*
Caleb Carr
*
Christopher Cerf
*
Harold Evans
*
Charles Frazier
*
Vartan Gregorian
*
Jessica Hagedorn
*
Richard Howard
*
Charles Johnson
*
Jon Krakauer
*
Edmund Morris
*
Azar Nafisi
*
Joyce Carol Oates
*
Elaine Pagels
*
John Richardson
*
Salman Rushdie
*
Oliver Sacks
*
Carolyn See
*
Gore Vidal
GREY ... DORSET in the early scenes, these two may be treated as one figure widow historically she was betrothed, not married, to Prince Edward (son of King Henry VI), but in the play (following Hall's chronicle) she is described as his wife/widow Act 1 Scene 1
1.1 Location: near the Tower of London
1.1 solus alone
2 son of York i.e. Edward IV, whose father was Richard Duke of York (puns on "sun," the emblem of the House of York) 3 loured frowned threateningly house family (of York) 6 arms armor, weapons for as
7 alarums calls to arms/sudden attacks
8 dreadful fearsome, inspiring dread
8 measures stately dances
9 front forehead
10 barbed armored
11 fearful frightened (or possibly "frightening")
12 capers dances with leaping movements/has sex
12 chamber plays on the sense of "vagina"
13 pleasing attraction, delight
14 sportive pleasurable/amorous/sexual
14 tricks behavior, skills/sexual acts
15 court ... looking-glass i.e. gaze lovingly at myself in a mirror, flirt with my own reflection 16 rudely stamped crudely formed, roughly printed with an image 16 want lack
17 wanton flirtatious, lascivious
17 ambling sauntering, walking with a sexy rolling gait
18 curtailed deprived, cut short (literally refers to the docking of a dog's tail) 19 feature a pleasing shape
19 dissembling cheating, deceitful
20 sent ... time i.e. born prematurely
21 made up fully formed
22 unfashionable odd-looking, inelegant/poorly shaped
23 halt limp
24 piping characterized by pastoral pipes, rather than warlike instruments/shrill, weak, contemptible 27 descant improvise variations on (musical term), i.e. ponder, comment 29 entertain pass enjoyably
29 well-spoken courteous, harmonious
30 determined resolved/destined
32 inductions initial steps, preparations
37 subtle cunning, sly
37 false dishonest, disloyal
38 mewed up imprisoned, cooped up (like a caged bird of prey) 39 About as a result of
39 "G" Clarence's first name is George; Richard, however, is the Duke of Gloucester 43 waits upon attends
45 Tend'ring holding dear, being concerned for (ironic)
46 conduct escort
46 th'Tower the Tower of London
50 commit imprison
50 godfathers sometimes responsible for the naming of the child at baptism 51 belike probably/perhaps
52 new-christened a grim anticipation of Clarence's death by drowning 53 matter reason
54 protest declare
56 hearkens after listens to
57 cross-row alphabet (prefixed by a cross in children's primers) 59 issue children
60 for because
62 toys whims, trifles
66 lady Grey Elizabeth's title before her marriage to Edward: Richard is being contemptuous 68 worship repute, honor
69 Anthony Woodville i.e. Earl Rivers
71 delivered released
74 night-walking heralds secret, night-time messengers (a night-walker also meant a thief or a prostitute) 75 trudge betwixt go to and fro between
75 Mistress usual title for a woman; perhaps here with suggestive play on the sense of "lover" or even "female master"
75 Mistress Shore Jane Shore, wife of a London goldsmith and Edward IV's lover; she later became Hastings' mistress 76 suppliant petitioner
77 delivery release from prison
78 complaining appealing, lamenting, pleading
78 her deity a mocking title for Mistress Shore
79 Lord Chamberlain i.e. Hastings
82 men servants (perhaps with sexual connotations)
82 livery uniform indicating whom one served (wear her livery may play on a sense of "have sex with her") 83 o'erworn worn out (like
old clothing/sexually)
83 widow i.e. Queen Elizabeth
84 dubbed them conferred on them the rank of
85 gossips chatterers/godparents
87 straitly ... charge strictly ordered
89 Of ... soever regardless of social rank
90 an if it
94 Well ... years well advanced in age (Richard seems to pretend to mean "mature, wise" or "well-preserved") 94 fair attractive/just
96 passing surpassingly, exceptionally
101 doth naught Richard shifts the sense to "sexually penetrates her vagina"
104 betray me i.e. by making me name the king as Shore's lover 105 withal moreover
106 Forbear restrain, cease
107 charge duty, instructions
108 abjects varies "subjects" to incorporate sense of "contemptible outcasts"
112 enfranchise free
114 Touches affects
117 lie for you take your place in prison (playing on the sense of "lie about you") 119 perforce of necessity ("patience perforce" was proverbial) 123 present gift
124 new-delivered recently released
128 brooked tolerated
130 give them thanks i.e. pay them back, have revenge 135 mewed caged
136 kites and buzzards inferior birds of prey
137 abroad in the world
140 him for him
142 diet lifestyle
149 packed packed off, dispatched
149 post-horse all possible speed
151 steeled strengthened with steel, reinforced
152 deep cunning/secret
155 bustle busy myself, be active
156 Warwick's youngest daughter i.e. Lady Anne Neville: having changed sides, the Earl of Warwick died fighting against the House of York 157 her husband Anne Neville was not in fact married to Prince Edward (Henry VI's son) although she had been betrothed to him before his death 157 father father-in-law. i.e. Henry VI
161 close concealed
162 reach unto strive to carry out
163 run ... market i.e. get ahead of myself (proverbial) Act 1 Scene 2
1.2 Location: a London street
1.2 halberds long-handled weapons with axelike heads 2 shrouded concealed/wrapped in a shroud
2 hearse probably here an open coffin, or litter beneath a frame supporting a funereal cloth 3 obsequiously in a manner proper to the dead
4 Lancaster i.e. Henry VI, former head of the House of Lancaster 5 key-cold cold as a metal key (proverbial)
6 ashes i.e. remains, lifeless body
8 Be it let it be
8 invocate invoke, call upon
12 Lo look
12 windows vents, i.e. wounds
13 balm healing ointment/substance with which the dead are anointed (i.e. tears) 17 direful hap dreadful fortune
17 betide befall, happen to
19 spiders, toads thought to be poisonous
21 abortive monstrous, deformed
22 Prodigious unnatural/ill-omened
23 aspect appearance
25 that may that (child)
25 unhappiness ill fortune/misery
29 Chertsey on the River Thames, in Surrey; site of a famous monastery 30 Paul's St. Paul's Cathedral in London
31 still as whenever
35 devoted holy, devout
40 Advance raise
42 spurn upon kick
46 Avaunt be gone
49 curst ill-tempered/cursed, damnable
50 hence get hence, go away
52 exclaims outcries, exclamations
54 pattern example, model
58 thy ... blood it was popularly believed that the wounds of a murder victim would bleed in the presence of the murderer 58 exhales draws forth
71 so is so
73 wonderful extraordinary, astonishing
73 devils ... truth Anne interprets Richard's am no beast to mean that, as neither man nor beast, he must be a devil 75 Vouchsafe permit, consent
76 leave permission
77 circumstance detailed explanation
78 defused dispersed, spreading
82 leisure time, opportunity
84 current genuine, valid
85 despair spiritual hopelessness (thought to precede suicide) 87 worthy ... thyself i.e. committing suicide (a highly sinful act) 88 unworthy dishonorable, contemptible/causeless, unjustified 91 slave villain, wretch
95 In ... liest i.e. you lie outrageously
96 falchion curved sword
97 once at once
102 aught anything
105 hedgehog a contemptuous reference to Richard's crest, which featured a wild boar 110 holp helped
115 bedchamber like hell, "chamber" could also be euphemistic for the vagina 118 I hope so i.e. I certainly hope it will, as I shall never lie with you (in an ironic anticipation of future events, however, the phrase may also be construed as "I hope to lie with you") 120 keen sharp/eager
120 encounter ... wits plays on the sense of "sexual encounter of our genitals"
122 timeless untimely, premature
125 effect agent, perpetrator (Richard then shifts the sense to "outcome") 130 homicide murderer
137 thou art both i.e. day and life
138 would wish
146 He lives i.e. there is a man
148 Plantagenet the name was used by Richard Duke of York, Richard's father 157 infected mine both disease and love were thought to enter through the eyes 158 basilisks mythical reptiles whose gaze could kill
159 die plays on the sense of "achieve sexual orgasm"
162 aspects appearance/looks, gazes
164 No, when not even when
165 Rutland Richard's younger brother; his death is depicted in 3 Henry VI, Act 1 Scene 3
166 black-faced evil, threatening, devilish
167 father i.e. the Earl of Warwick (originally a Yorkist, although he later changed sides) 170 That so that
171 bedashed splattered
172 humble lowly
173 exhale draw out
175 sued entreated, begged (for favor)
176 smoothing flattering
177 fee payment, reward
186.1 lays ... open bares his chest
186.2 offers aims, makes to thrust
190 set me on this probably has connotations of sexual arousal like provoked
190.1 falls lets fall
191 take up me accept me (perhaps with connotations of "possess me sexually/make my penis erect"; Anne interprets "raise me from my kneeling position") 192 dissembler deceiver
199 truer love i.e. Richard himself (supposedly a truer lover than the murdered Edward) 202 figured in represented by
212 Even so in just such a way
220 presently immediately
220 Crosby House Richard's London house, in Bishopsgate Street; later referred to as Crosby Place 224 expedient duty dutiful haste
225 divers various, several
225 unknown private, that cannot be divulged
226 boon request, favor
229 Tressell and Berkeley minor characters, not mentioned again in the play 235 Whitefriars a priory in London
236 humour manner, style, way
242 bleeding witness i.e. Henry's body
242 by nearby
243 bars obstacles
244 suit courtship/formal supplication
244 withal with
246 all ... nothing i.e. against huge odds, with everything stacked against me 248 brave splendid, noble
250 mood fit of fury
250 Tewkesbury site of the Gloucestershire battle where the Lancastrians were defeated; Edward's murder took place after the battle and is dramatized in 3 Henry VI, Act 5 Scene 5
252 Framed ... nature created when nature was most generous, lavish 253 royal majestic, noble
256 prime youthful manhood/springtime
258 whose ... moiety the entirety of whom is not worth half of Edward 259 halts limps
259 misshapen deformed
260 denier
small coin worth one tenth of a penny
263 proper handsome, fine
264 be ... for buy, spend money on
265 entertain employ
265 score ... of twenty or forty
269 in into
271 glass mirror, looking-glass
272 shadow also means "reflection"; the shadow cast by the sun will substitute for the mirror's image Act 1 Scene 3
1.3 Location: the royal court, London
3 brook it ill endure it with difficulty, take it badly
4 entertain good comfort take comfort, be cheerful
6 betide on happen to, befall
8 includes incorporates, is the sum of
9 goodly splendid, fine
14 concluded legally finalized
14 Protector guardian, who ruled on behalf of a king who was too young to do so 16 miscarry die
20 Countess Richmond Margaret Beaufort, Derby's wife; by her first husband, Edmund Tudor, she was mother to Henry, Earl of Richmond (later Henry VII) 20 good my my good
26 envious malicious
29 wayward obstinate, willful
36 atonement reconciliation
37 brothers only one brother, Anthony Woodville (Earl Rivers), appears in the play, but Shakespeare may have thought of him as two characters: Rivers and Woodville are listed separately in the opening stage directions at Act 2 Scene 1, and are addressed separately later in that scene 39 warn summon
41 happiness good fortune
44 forsooth indeed, in truth
44 stern harsh, unfriendly
45 lightly little
46 dissentious inflammatory, quarrelsome
47 fair pleasing, charming
48 smooth flatter
48 cog fawn, flatter, deceive
49 Duck ... nods i.e. bow in an affected, courtly manner 49 apish idiotic/imitative
51 plain unaffected, simple, honest
53 silken smooth-tongued, ingratiating/elaborately dressed 53 jacks knaves, low-born men; plays on Jack, a common name 54 presence company/royal presence
55 nor neither
55 grace virtue/propriety/nobility (picking up on grace as a form of address in the previous line) 60 breathing-while time to draw breath
61 lewd wicked/ignorant/lowly
65 belike probably/perhaps
68 to send summon (you)
70 wrens small, gentle birds (unlike large, predatory eagles) 74 friends relatives
77 brother i.e. George, Duke of Clarence
81 noble gold coin worth about a third of a pound (puns on ennoble) 82 careful full of cares
83 hap fortune
88 draw me implicate me/represent me
88 suspects suspicions
90 late recent
94 preferments promotions, advancements
96 desert deserving, merit
97 marry by the Virgin Mary (Richard goes on to shift the sense to "wed") 100 stripling young man
101 Iwis indeed, certainly
101 grandam grandmother
105 gross base/wicked/excessive
108.1 Queen Margaret historically, the widow of Henry VI was imprisoned after the battle of Tewkesbury, and later exiled to her native France 111 state rank