ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Richard III is a play by William Shakespeare. It was probably written c. 1592–1594. It is labelled a history in the First Folio, and is usually considered one, but it is sometimes called a tragedy, as in the quarto edition.

Detailed explanation-2: -What makes Richard III a History Play. Portrayal of English historical events: When Richard III opens, Edward IV has just been re-crowned king of England, which sets the year at 1471. The play then chronicles the rise and fall of Richard III, who ruled England from 1483 to his death in 1485.

Detailed explanation-3: -Even though, historically, Richard III has been considered a tragedy, Richard III is not a character scholars tend to think of when they hear the words “tragic hero.”1 Instead, scholars have argued that Richard III is a villain, because of the evil actions he commits in Shakespeare’s play.

Detailed explanation-4: -The morality play genre is most distinctly represented by Richard’s representation as the Vice, a popular figure first characterized as the devil’s helper who eventually eclipsed the devil and became the sole figure of evil.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Allure of Evil. When Richard claims that his deformity is the cause of his wicked ways, he seems to be manipulating us for sympathy, just as he manipulates the other characters throughout the play. The Connection Between Ruler and State. The Power of Language. The Birth of the Tudor Dynasty.