“Richard III could not have gained power without support”. Discuss.
Shakespeare’s Richard III gains support in numerous ways throughout the play. Richard III’s journey to gaining the throne, and ultimately his sought power could not have occurred without both the direct and indirect support. The audience acts as an outlet to Richard as he can express the truth to them without keeping it bottled up inside. Anne also plays a key-supporting role for Shakespeare’s protagonist as she allows him to gains the confidence boost he requires in his path to the throne. Direct support is also made available to Richard via his “henchman” and alliances like Buckingham.
Richard’s confidence in conveying the truth to the audience ultimately results in his ability to perform the actions he does with a feeling of support and gain said power. Early on Richard is free to inform the audience of him being “determined to prove a villain”, and on to explain the “Plots [he] have laid”. Richard turns to the audience continually throughout act one as his plans begin to unfold. They give him the sense of support, allowing him to think things through aloud, often saving him from rushing his plans. Following Clarence’s banishment to the tower Richard begins to inform the audience “I will marry Warwick’s youngest daughter. What though I killed her husband and her father”. This thinking time quickly sets Richard back on track. “But yet I run before my horse to market/ Clarence still breathes”. He has here ensured that he does not get ahead of himself and ruin the plan all together. The silent support from the audience has assisted Richard in his journey to power.
Richard’s wooing of Anne was a key player in providing him with support in gaining confidence and allowing his plans to continue to unfold. Richard believes himself to be “cheated of feature by dissembling nature”, and although said ironically, he is unable to “smooth, deceive and cog” so this extra confidence acts as a great boost to his ego and allow him to carry in his plans. Richard III woo’s Anne quite easily using his magnificent gift with language. Anne describes him as “unfit for any place but hell” but Richard is quick in rebuttal stating he is fit for “one place else…Your bedchamber”. Succeeding Richard’s flattering act he says “Shine out fair sun, till I have bought a glass/ so I may see my shadow as I pass”. Richard is gloating his ability to woo women, despite his deformity and people regarding him as “unfinished” or simply ugly. Following this Richard begins his deep dissembling stating that he is sick of the gossip in the court and it will stop, “They do me wrong and I will not endure it”. Richard now hold himself in high regard, due to his success with women, he perceives this as giving him greater power then other and is unafraid to speak out against those lower in the court.
In Shakespeare’s playing Richard fails to personally murder other members of the court directly, and always get someone to do his dirty work for him. Perhaps a direct need for Richard to do his own jobs could result in the arising of his own conscience, especially dealing with family members such as Clarence where even the murderers came close to giving in. The support Richard gains from his “henchman” such as the two murderers or James Tyrell in invaluable, and Richard would have been unable to gain the power he did without it. Richard was often busy dissembling, while murder’s were going on, an example being again with the murder of Clarence, Richard confides with the murderers stating “My hardy stout resolved mates” almost as if he is pleasured to be in their company as mates would connote. Richards claims to the audience that he must “seem a saint, when most I play the devil”. This would be tough to achieve without the support available to him. Richard can seem a saint, claiming that he knows of Clarence’s murder while he attends to kind Edwards calling, but really it is here that is his most ghastly of moment thus far, just ordering the death of his brother. Tyrell also plays a similar role to the two murderers in providing this needed support to Richard. “After supper though shalt tell me the process of their death”, Richard asks tyrell after his murdering of the young princes. This shows that it is not likely that Richard’s cowardice that prevents him from committing the murders but his need to keep his hands clean, it is all part of his “dissembling” nature.
Richards’s support comes from all areas of the court whether it be direct or indirect. The run out of the support network leaves Richard in a near schitzophrenic state upon waking up from his dream. “Richard loves Richard, that is, Yes I am”. This time, Richard has no one to confide in. He has lost his supporters due to his malicious actions and just at the helped him gain power, their loss will be his loss, and Richard’s downfall occurs.
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