Richard admits to the audience that he knows exactly what is going to happen to Clarence because he set it up: “To set my brother Clarence and the King / In deadly hate the one against the other” (1.1.34-35). Richard admits that he set up Clarence’s imprisonment in the tower, and that the only reason Clarence has any suspicion at all was because of the things Richard said. Yet despite this all be Richard’s doing, and Clarence being his brother that Clarence seems to love blinded implying that Richard was a good brother despite the family ties and the love that Clarence has for Richard; Richard says this at the end of the meeting with Clarence: “Well, your imprisonment shall not be long, / I will deliver you or lie for you. / meantime have patience” (1.1.115-117). This reveals that Richard will go to any lengths he needs to get the crown he bluntly lied to his own brothers face to ensure that Clarence still trust him until he dies. This was just the first step though and while doing this Richard was setting up the second step as well because when Richard has the murders kill Clarence he uses that to finish off King Edward. At a gathering with the king somebody ask about Clarence, and Richard uses that time to tell them that he is dead and King Edward in his bad health takes it personally, and he replies with: “O God, I fear thy justice will take hold / On me- and you, and mine, and yours, …show more content…
Despite Richard’s brilliance though he is somewhat a fool because he had been more careful about his playing he could have made it to the throne without having everyone hate him so much and if that was the case he would not have failed the way he did. Richard was smart and he was fairly ruthless as well but due to his ruthlessness and the leaving of the women alive Richard made more enemies than anyone person could have hoped to manipulate at once. Then he made a mistake as all smart people do Richard tried to play the same strategy twice and he paid for it because he set himself up in a situation were he couldn’t make a wrong move or he would lose and then he made a wrong move. Richard allowed himself to be surrounded to try and make a move that would completely solidify his kingship and regain some trust back but like most psychopaths they can’t understand the emotions of the people around them so while Richard thought he was convincing Queen Elizabeth she was really just being sarcastic with