Things to know about Richard III and what type of play it is…
It’s a medieval morality play
Shakespeare uses Richard as a figure of Vice. Vice tempts sinners and then punishes them for their transgressions/weaknesses. They always realise they have sinned and repent, then they are punished by Vice. Vice himself is defeated by the powers of good/God and order is restored.
The audience enjoys the figure of Vice – they like his naughtiness and lack of respect. They love the way he punishes those (often in privileged positions) who are otherwise untouchable. To a certain extent he restores order but importantly, he is always defeated at the end to make it clear to the audience that evil cannot pay.
To a large extent, the audience enjoy the feeling of schadenfreude (pleasure at someone else’s pain or discomfort).
It could be argued that although Richard is amoral (ie has no morals anyway), that as Vice, he is ironically doing God’s work by punishing the sinful. However, once he makes the choice to kill the Princes – who are blameless in the Wars of the Roses and are not sinners – he moves beyond being a wicked tool of God and becomes a monster. If the Yorks have any claim to the throne, then Richard usurps Divine Right by killing the boys (who are ahead of him in royal lineage): therefore he is not only committing a heinous sin but transgressing natural law and God’s rule. Under the morality play, he needs to be punished. Richmond becomes the tool of God who restores balance and begins a new rulership clearly under God’s law.
So what is a medieval morality play?
Watch this Prezi
It’s a medieval morality play
Shakespeare uses Richard as a figure of Vice. Vice tempts sinners and then punishes them for their transgressions/weaknesses. They always realise they have sinned and repent, then they are punished by Vice. Vice himself is defeated by the powers of good/God and order is restored.
The audience enjoys the figure of Vice – they like his naughtiness and lack of respect. They love the way he punishes those (often in privileged positions) who are otherwise untouchable. To a certain extent he restores order but importantly, he is always defeated at the end to make it clear to the audience that evil cannot pay.
To a large extent, the audience enjoy the feeling of schadenfreude (pleasure at someone else’s pain or discomfort).
It could be argued that although Richard is amoral (ie has no morals anyway), that as Vice, he is ironically doing God’s work by punishing the sinful. However, once he makes the choice to kill the Princes – who are blameless in the Wars of the Roses and are not sinners – he moves beyond being a wicked tool of God and becomes a monster. If the Yorks have any claim to the throne, then Richard usurps Divine Right by killing the boys (who are ahead of him in royal lineage): therefore he is not only committing a heinous sin but transgressing natural law and God’s rule. Under the morality play, he needs to be punished. Richmond becomes the tool of God who restores balance and begins a new rulership clearly under God’s law.
So what is a medieval morality play?
Watch this Prezi