Structure, characters, and themes Richard II Structure, characters, and themes

Richard II Geneology of Plantagenants

Richard II Structure Act I -- establishes characters and issues ends in first turning point banishment Act II - IV -- develops story, themes includes midpoint Flint Castle ends in 2nd turning point abdication Act V -- climax death of Richard

Richard II Rise and Fall structure External change Bolingbroke King Richard as King Richard dead Bolingbroke as exile

Richard II Characters Primary -- dynamic Secondary -- static Protagonist, changes through play Richard Antagonist, character revealed Bolingbroke Secondary -- static Reflection characters Gaunt, York, Aumerle, Queen Stereotyped Bushy, Bagot, and Green; Exton, Northumberland

Richard II Character Motivations Beliefs or world views actions dialogue soliloquies Beliefs or world views speeches what others say about character Foiling with other characters comparison which shows one character as better

Richard II Foils Character foiling Plot foiling Richard and Bolingbroke Old Gaunt and Bold Bolingbroke Gaunt/Bol and York/Aumerle Plot foiling Act 1, scenes 1 & 2 Action foiling -- fewer men w/Rich, more w/Bol Similar situations -- 1.1 and 4.1 1.1 and 5.4

Richard II Rise and Fall structure Internal change Richard as Man Bolingbroke as champion of right Bolingbroke as Machiavellian Richard as tyrant

Richard II Themes role of King world view of Renaissance Christian Humanist and Machievellian appearance vs. reality honor time

Richard II -- Act I Scene 1 Public Bolingbroke vs Mowbray Scene 2 Private Gaunt and Duchess of Worchester Scene 3 Public aborted joust banishments Scene 4 Private Richard and “caterpillars”

Richard II, Act I, scene 1 Rich Gaunt Aum Bol Mow

Richard II Rise and Fall structure External change Bolingbroke King Richard as King Richard dead Bolingbroke as exile

Richard II Language Renaissance Christian Humanist vs. Machievellian Great Chain of Being metaphors “Set speeches” vs. dialogue

Richard II Motifs and Imagery Disease, physician Gardening Flattery Judgment

Richard II -- Act II Scene 1 Gaunt’s death Scene 2 Richard to Ireland Bol gather support Scene 4 Welsh to leave Rumors of Rich’s death “This royal throne of kings”

Richard II -- Act III Scene 1 Bol judges Bushy and Green Scene 2 Richard’s return and emotional roller-coaster “Earth” speech “Sun” speech “Death of Kings” Scene 3 Flint Castle MIDPOINT SCENE Scene 4 Gardner scene

Richard II, Act III, scene 3 North Bol

Abdication or Deposition Scene Richard II -- Act IV Scene 1 Abdication or Deposition Scene “2 buckets” metaphor Richard and mirror

Richard II -- Act V Scene 1 Queen’s farewell Scene 2 Yorks at home Beggar and the King Scene 4 Exton Scene 5 Prison Scene Death of Richard Scene 6 Public Banishment of Exton

Richard II, Act V, scene 6 Bol North Rich