Richard III & Conscience

[coolhat]

I know this is a bit late, but I think it might come up on Thursday!

"O Coward conscience how dost thou afflict me." Shakespeare demonstrates that nobody can ultimately ignore their conscience. Do you agree?

What do you think about that topic and in general the idea of conscience in Richard III?

BTW: Does anyone have any conscience sample essays?

[mattshen]

I'd talk about:
Richard is seen to be a man without a conscience as he is both morally and physically deformed. So in this paragraph, I'd talk about him not 'being shaped for sportive tricks' or made 'to court an amorous looking glass', moving on to portraying his evil nature through 'plots have i laid, inductions dangerous'. i would also talk about Richard's ability to deceive, evinced through many instances such as deceiving others into believing that he cannot deceive: 'because i cannot flatter or look fair, smile in men's faces, smooth,deceive cog'

Second paragraph, i'd talk about how conscience can waver, evinced through the murderers of Clarence, where Shakespeare shows that conscience can be bought: 'oh where's thy conscinece now?...In the Duke of Gloucester's purse' to the extent where one of the murderers refuses to take the money: 'take the fee, for i repent that the duke is slain'. I would also talk about the massacre of the 2 children, which tyrrel describes as the 'most arch deed of piteous massacre this land was ever guilty of'.

Last paragraph, i'd talk about how conscience cannot be ignored through the notions of dreams, where we see Richard and Clarence are both victims of guilty consciences and that their 'timorous dreams' ultimately show that they cannot avoid their consciences.

Hope i helped

[coolhat]

thanks for that mattshen!

[mattshen]

oh okay yea i mean his conscience is maimed. So yes he does have a conscience, but he just suppresses it and hides it well.
Sorry for that

[spikey]

In a conscience essay would you try and talk about all the characters? Or would you leave ones like Elizabeth/Stanley/Hastings/Anne out of it? Im not sure how to incorporate those 4 characters

[mattshen]

If the characters do not present or support your stance, i believe you shouldn't include them. So the characters listed above shouldn't be included because they do not represent anything about conscience.

[hala_madrid]

Do you guys think the theme question could be on supernatural or god or anything? my opinion is that it won't be, because it would be too difficult to sustain an essay on this

[coolhat]

If it is on supernatural/god then I do believe that most of the cohort will be in a lot of strife. None the less if you have time, I would prepare for it, because you never know what will come up.

I think VCAA might put conscience because it is doable, and conversely they might not put supernatural because everyone would struggle!

[Anon123]

I hate conscience, can never get a solid 4 body paragraphs [only managing three]

Intro
1. Richard denies his conscience, it is important to note that HE DOES HAVE A CONSCIENCE, he simply chooses to ignore it
-talk about his evil plots and stuff/plans -> why? vice/can't bare peace time, etc

2, Other characters are also tempted to ignore their conscience, as mattshen said, it can be bought
-buckingham
-murderers
-tudor myth/scourge of god

3. punishment for those who disobey/don't listen to their conscience
-Richard's dream
-richmond is aided by god blah blah blah
-it is divine retribution [M: "if heaven have any grievous plague in store....let them keep it til thy sins be ripe, and then hurl down their indignation] -> refer to richard as devil quotes [and seem a saint, when most I play the devil] -> mocks god ["two props of Christian virtue]

IDK, its pretty badly done, and definitely needs 1 more paragraph, only managing 700 words with intro/3 body/conclusion
-

[coolhat]

Why do you say you need 4 solid body paras? Are three not sufficient (provided you write 900-1000 words)? Or must you have four? :O

[spikey]

I seem to do it a bit differently, my paragraphs are:

1) intro
    -> Richard ignores his conscience for the majority of the play allowing him to commit evil acts but is afflicted briefly by it after the dream scene

2) opening soliloquy
    ->Doesnt have that much to do with conscience but i relate it to it by saying it shows he is obviously ignoring his conscience or else he would be capable of plotting these things

3) Clarence's murderers and their conscience
4)Tyrell/Dighton/Forrest and their conscience
5) Edward and his conscience when he says "thy justice will take hold" and trying to make his friends at peace on earth so he can go to heaven hence trying to repent and have a clear conscience
6)Buckingham's conscience
7)The dream scene at bosworth field so Richard's conscience
Richmond
9) Conclusion



so.....fairly long now that I come to think of it haha but i think the opening soliloquy paragraph is a bit irrelevant but it sort of acts as an opener to richard's evil..

[coolhat]

@ Spikey, how long is your essay (word count)? :S

[spikey]

BTW: Does anyone have any conscience sample essays?

I am looking for some as well!

[spikey]

@ Spikey, how long is your essay (word count)? :S

Erm.... not sure, it's handwritten but its 5 pages, and Ive got medium-sized handwriting...i'd say a bit over 1000?

[cltf]

Test Response - Richard III (Conscience)
Richard III- any feedback would be great!
Two Text Responses - Richard III

other points:
1. Lack of conscience = dehumanizing
2. ease of overcoming conscience = greed
3. unavoidable nature of conscience = can't ignore it
4. ramifications of ignoring it.