Richard III

Discuss the role of prophecies and curses in the play. Why does Shakespeare include these dreams, predictions, and supernatural forces? What do they suggest about the relationship between fate and individual agency in the play?

Research the Wars of the Roses (See: Background). How does Shakespeare blend fact and fiction in the play? How does he depict this civil conflict and its results?

Analyze the role of female power and queenship in the play. How does the power of queens differ from the power of kings? How are the wider gender dynamics between the characters depicted?

Loyalty and family factions feature significantly in Richard III. How do familial bonds impact the loyalty or disloyalty of various characters such as Richard, Anne, Elizabeth, George, and/or Stanley?

The skeptical commoners in the play suggest that the nobility as a whole is complicit in Richard’s rise, even if they privately disapprove of it. How are the notions of complicity and culpability explored in Richard III? How do these elements reflect some of the play’s key themes and ideas?

Compare and contrast Richard’s manipulations at the beginning of the play with his behavior at the end of the play. How would you describe his character arc? Does he grow or change at all? If so, how, and if not, why not?

What does the play suggest about the nature of effective kingship? How does it compare to ineffective or corrupt political leadership?

While Richard III contains tragic elements, it also includes moments of humor and comedy. How do techniques such as dramatic irony and asides introduce comedy into the play?