For the success of any goal, one must have the right determination, and certain characteristics or virtues that reciprocate to one's goals. The play Richard III involves a disfigured man, Richard, and his villainous quest to ascend the throne. Ideally having a birthright to become king would make his goal much easier; unfortunately this was not the case for Richard. Thus the usual play or story involving a hero is not present in Richard III. Virtues turn into corrupted virtues, noble and handsome transforms into monstrous and deformed; Richard is a villain in every sense of the word. He possesses qualities of manipulation and persuasion, as well as a merciless behavior where killing another human comes as easy as accidentally stepping on an ant. Ultimately, through much blood spill and manipulation, Richard becomes a temporarily successful villain.
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Within the first lines of the play Richard announces in a soliloquy his views towards himself and the world around him. “Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time/ Into this breathing world scarce half made up… I am determined to prove a villain”(I.i.4).
As a villain, Richard must be ruthless; not allowing his emotions or conscience to get in the way or cloud his thoughts. A successful villain must have some order to his onslaught. He must be intelligence and organized. Every step towards a goal should be calculated and thought out. Moreover, he must also be very manipulative and persuasive in any given situation. Richard, the “king” of all villains has all of these attributes, and is able to use them with ease when the time is needed. “Now Richard in his own play shows this power – these powers- to perfection” (197) as A. P. Rossiter puts
Within the first lines of the play Richard announces in a soliloquy his views towards himself and the world around him. “Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time/ Into this breathing world scarce half made up… I am determined to prove a villain”(I.i.4).
As a villain, Richard must be ruthless; not allowing his emotions or conscience to get in the way or cloud his thoughts. A successful villain must have some order to his onslaught. He must be intelligence and organized. Every step towards a goal should be calculated and thought out. Moreover, he must also be very manipulative and persuasive in any given situation. Richard, the “king” of all villains has all of these attributes, and is able to use them with ease when the time is needed. “Now Richard in his own play shows this power – these powers- to perfection” (197) as A. P. Rossiter puts