History- Richard III

Shakespeare’s histories take real life events, often involving the British royal family, and exaggerate and dramatize them for stage. Histories were a way for people to learn about there past without the aid of a text book. Richard III incorporates many dramatic and tragic elements that are found in other genres of Shakespeare’s plays.
ActIII Scene I
YORK
I pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.
GLOUCESTER
My dagger, little cousin? with all my heart.
PRINCE EDWARD
A beggar, brother?
YORK
Of my kind uncle, that I know will give;And being but a toy, which is no grief to give.
GLOUCESTER
A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin.
YORK
A greater gift! O, that's the sword to it.
GLOUCESTER
A gentle cousin, were it light enough.
YORK
O, then, I see, you will part but with light gifts;In weightier things you'll say a beggar nay.
GLOUCESTER
It is too heavy for your grace to wear.
YORK
I weigh it lightly, were it heavier.
GLOUCESTER
What, would you have my weapon, little lord?
YORK
I would, that I might thank you as you call me.
GLOUCESTER
How?
YORK
Little.
PRINCE EDWARD
My Lord of York will still be cross in talk:Uncle, your grace knows how to bear with him.
YORK
You mean, to bear me, not to bear with me:Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me;Because that I am little, like an ape,He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders.
BUCKINGHAM
With what a sharp-provided wit he reasons!To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle,He prettily and aptly taunts himself:So cunning and so young is wonderful.
GLOUCESTER
My lord, will't please you pass along?Myself and my good cousin BuckinghamWill to your mother, to entreat of herTo meet you at the Tower and welcome you.
YORK
What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord?
PRINCE EDWARD
My lord protector needs will have it so.
YORK
I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.
GLOUCESTER
Why, what should you fear?
YORK
Marry, my uncle Clarence' angry ghost:My grandam told me he was murdered there.
PRINCE EDWARD
I fear no uncles dead.
GLOUCESTER
Nor none that live, I hope.
PRINCE EDWARD
An if they live, I hope I need not fear.But come, my lord; and with a heavy heart,Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.
A Sennet. Exeunt all but GLOUCESTER, BUCKINGHAM and CATESBY
This passage disturbed me the most out of the horrible thing Richard did. Richard gives his dagger to Prince Edward as a gift, a noble gesture. Richard acts as if he is the good Uncle that is acting in Price Edward’s best interest, when he really plans to kill him as he killed Prince Edward’s father. Richard is extremely manipulative in how he plays off of the price’s fear of the tower, and convinces him that it is the safest place for him to be. In this passage, Richard meets the most opposition to his plans, and it comes from the least likely suspect, his young nephew, which makes the scene more disturbing. Prince Edward, despite of his age and innocence, is able to see that Richard is up to no good when Richard has fooled many adults. Somehow, Richard convinces the prince that he has nothing to fear, and Prince Edward goes to the tower where he will be murdered like he suspected.

I enjoyed Richard III the most out of the Shakespeare works we read because Richard is a very interesting character. Richard is a horrible person, but he is intriguing at the same time because he is manipulative, evil, and has no conscience about his actions. Richard creates so much drama throughout the play; he is like a puppet master. I hate Richard because he is an extremely evil and cruel person, but I could not wait to see what he would do next because he is absolutely brilliant in the way he can control everyone even though they know he is controlling them.