1. Structure, characters, and themes
Richard II
Structure, characters, and themes

2. Richard II Geneology of Plantagenants

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

10. 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”

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

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

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

14. Richard II Motifs and Imagery
Disease, physician
Gardening
Flattery
Judgment

15. 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”

16. 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

17. Richard II, Act III, scene 3
North
Bol

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

19. 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

20. Richard II, Act V, scene 6
Bol
North
Rich