Richard III

Although, as Richard the Third, both Laurence Olivier and Benedict Cumberbatch speak straight to the camera in a fashion that makes the viewer feel as if they are complicit in their plots and schemes, and although both costumes show physical indications of Richard’s deformity, the two portrayals tell a considerably different story about Richard’s wicked origins. Laurence Olivier’s Richard is an infamous legend; the film does its best to tell a story about one of many in search of the English…

Buckingham’s Desire for Revolution Shakespear wrote many plays during his lifetime, but possibly none as complex and busy as Richard III. It is a complex play where many different characters are portrayed in many different roles. One of those characters is Buckingham, a villain and the right-hand man for Richard for the majority of the play. Over and over again he proved himself to be a rebel in almost every scene he was portrayed in. As a rebel he fought as a revolutionist, desiring change. He…

Throughout history, Richard III has been described as the most cruel of kings. Shakespeare’s famous play about said king has largely contributed to this image; the murderer of a big part of his family, kids even, people who cared about him. That might be the most bizarre thing: how Richard found it in his heart to do such horrifying things. For some reason, that family bond meant less to him than becoming king, the most powerful of all. But we should ask ourselves, was Richard his own maker or…

In William Shakespeare’s history Richard III, the title character clearly has his flaws. In his quest to seize royal power, Richard eliminates any obstable in his path by any means necessary. The malicious deeds done in order to secure his power, including ordering the deaths of multiple family members, provoke readers to debate whether Richard understands love. Though Richard claims that he “cannot prove a lover,” due to his deformity, and therefore becomes a villain, he does indeed know what…

In the opening Act of Richard the III, Shakespeare introduces the protagonist, Richard, with a soliloquy, revealing a brilliant and witty mind within a deformed body. The house of York, as described, has taken power and Edward “this son of York” has been crowned king. In lines 1-41 of Act 1, Scene 1, Richard reflects on how these events affect him. He begins the plots and descriptions that will fool successive characters (like his brothers). Shakespeare uses soliloquies as a mode of expressing…

Hamlet There are multiple editions of Hamlet that have been published since Shakespeare’s time. The three main editions are known as the Quartos (one and two) and the First Folio. Because of this, the contents of Hamlet may vary from edition to edition. This was something that surprised me when I first found out about it, so when I looked up two online editions I wanted them to be completely different so I could see how the text had been changed. Folger Digital Texts had a clear and…

There are many significant elements in film that one may overlook. Funnel: Released in 2009, the the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet, staring David Tennant, is film stays true to the plot, all while having a modernistic twist. In an uncommon way to view the film, a stylistic choice was made to illustrate madness and create a viewpoint for the film, all by implementing cameras into the film. Whether security cameras or personal ones, director Gregory Doran finds creative ways in…

In the play “Richard the Third”, Richard, the Duke of Gloucester is clearly identified as malicious as he rises to power to king through corruption. One of the members of the Lancaster royal family, Richmond, on the other hand fights for justice in England. Richard and Richmond’s speeches addressed to their respective troops before the battle illustrates distinctive qualities of their personality. Through their diction, the characters true colors as well as their motives are revealed as.…

Hamlet the Play versus Hamlet the Movie The movie Hamlet and the play have many noticeable differences. The Hamlet starring Mel Gibson added and cut scenes and lines from the play. The director most likely did this so that viewers could understand Hamlet better. Overall, the movie kept main themes and the plot however multiple noticeable changes were made. The differences start immediately, the play begins with Horatio and the guards waiting outside of the castle for the ghost to arrive.…

Tragic love stories have fascinated humans since ancient times. They conquered the hearts of many and opened the ways for more love stories. Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343 – to October 1400) is one of the most famous English authors of the middle ages. Chaucer is considered the father of English literature and thrilled the mass with his literary works. His most famous works include the Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde. Yet, again a tragic love story that is still widely popular in the 21st…