For Thursday: Richard III, Act 1 (as much as you can, anyway!)

From the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2007 production 

NOTE: Here is a link to the Folger Shakespere's On-line, which has a slew of information and links about Richard III. One thing I recommend is listening to the play as you read it. The Folger has a link to the Audio Edition here, and you can listen along as you read, hearing the actors give life to the lines, which can really help you visualize the scene and the characters (and understand the emotion). You can also DOWNLOAD the text for free (the Folger version) if you don't have the book. https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/richard-iii/

Read as much of Act 1 as you can, though at least try to get through Scene 3 (though scene 4 is a lot of fun). Answer TWO of the following as always:

Q1: Hamlet was based on legend and vague history, whereas Richard III uses real historical characters and settings. Even though Shakespeare's audience was closer to this history than we were, they wouldn't know all the ins and outs of it (especially at a time before history classes and paperback books!). Given this, how does Shakespeare try to teach us a little history as we go? Why is it not strictly necessary to know the history of Richard III to appreciate this play (and how does Shakespeare make this possible)?

Q2: Richard's famous speech that opens the play, "Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this son of York" is almost as well-known as Hamlet's "To Be, or Not to Be." What makes this speech so stunning and a favorite of actors everywhere? What does it allow the actor to do or perform, and why is it shocking for the audience, given that these are the very first words in the play?

Q3: In Act 1, scene 2, Richard sets out to woo Lady Anne, whose husband and brother he has killed (and she knows it). He has the audacity to confront her in the church AND to try to woo her to her face. Not surprisingly, she's pretty pissed about it. But he gradually wears her down, and by the end, she's actually entertaining his suit. What makes her begin to thaw? How does Richard use language and poetry to press his suit? Do we begin to believe him at any point, or is it always clear that he's playing a dastardly role here?

Q4: In class on Monday, and even last week, we talked a bit about Ophelia's 'mad' songs, which are a kind of confession and indictment of those around (especially the men). Queen Margaret also makes a long, 'mad' speech attacking all those around her in Act 1, scene 3 (starting on page 55--line 195), after which she is dismissed by Dorset: "Dispute not with her; she is lunatic" (59). Why might people mistake this for madness? What is she accusing them of? And what makes these lines so powerful (indeed, Richard only gets a few lines in the entire time). 

Q5: In another scene reminiscent of Hamlet, the Murderers come to kill Clarence in Act 1, scene 4, but have trouble going through with the act. Why might some of their fears--and Clarence's attempts to dissuade them--echo some of Hamlet's misgivings in his play? What IS the consequence of enacting a just revenge (since Clarence IS guilty of murder himself)?