Comparing Power In Brave New World And Richard III

Power is like a knife. A knife in proper hands can create pieces of culinary art however, a knife in cruel hands only creates destruction. Power is misused in both Brave New World and Richard III and both literary works demonstrate the same consequences. Power will destroy morality within the abuser as well as their society. This abuse of power will also lead to the creation of discontent among people. Maltreated power will lead to the manipulation of a person’s actions, removing free will. Brave New World and Richard III demonstrate how power creates conflict through how it creates discontent within society, destroys morality, and manipulates one’s actions.
The abuse of authority in Brave New World and Richard III creates unhappiness in

society and will lead to conflict. In Richard III, Buckingham helps Richard III rise to power however, after he receives the crown, Buckingham is left without reward. Thus, prompting Buckingham to flee the city and betray his former ally, “As it thus? Repays he my deep service / With such contempt? Made I him king for this? / O, let me think on Hastings, and be gone / To Brecknock while my fearful head is on” (4.3.118-121). Buckingham who has faithfully served Richard III is angered by his actions, leading to his betrayal and eventually lead to his participation in the conflict at Bosworth Fields. In Brave New World, John the Savage denounces the new world and begins to live in exile. However, when he is visited by society’s citizens, he falls victim to his own rage and partakes in the values and control he tried to avoid, “Stupefied by soma, and exhausted by a long-drawn frenzy of sensuality, the Savage lay sleeping in the heather. . . . then suddenly remembered-everything. ‘Oh, my God, my God!’ He covered his eyes with his hand” (Huxley 228). John attempts to escape the control of the new world but, succumbs to it regardless. His realization of his actions lead to remorse on his behalf and later, his suicide. Both pieces of literature demonstrate how unhappiness is created through abusive power. Richard III’s abuse in power results in hatred against the offender and lead to physical conflict whilst Brave New World, the abuse of power leads to hatred against oneself and lead to moral conflict. Both pieces of literature demonstrate two different scenarios however, both works dictate that the abuse of power will lead to unhappiness.
The constant misuse of power leads to the destruction of morality and leads to conflict, both internal and external.

In Richard III, towards the end of the play, Richard III comprehends the nature of his actions and makes clear the lack of morality he has, “My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, / And every tongue brings in a several tale, / And every tale condemns me for a villain” (5.3.194-196). Richard III feels internal conflict about his actions, resulting from the abuse in his power as king and is ability to manipulate others. Brave New World conditioning phase out individual morality and replace it with a standard way of living. In the conversation between John the Savage and Mustapha Mond, Mond comments on the nature of the new world, “. . . they’re so conditioned that they practically can’t help behaving as they ought to behave. And if anything should go wrong, there’s soma” (Huxley 194). Conditioning has destroyed morality as morality is defined as the ability to know right from wrong. By forcing a standard behaviour upon people, they do not know what is right nor wrong but simply act upon conditioned impulse. This standard behaviour and lack of feeling are what lead the outliers of Brave New World’s society to rebel. As demonstrated in both pieces of literature, an after-effect of power abuse is the destruction of morality. Richard III shows how Richard III did not have morality in his actions, leading to the conflict on Bosworth Fields whilst, Brave New World demonstrates how power is abused and individuality replaced with a standard being. Those smart enough to see past the conditioned will rebel against the society. Richard III demonstrates lack of morality on an individual level, whilst Brave New World showcases lack of morality on a societal level however both result from the abuse in power and overall negatively impacts

society.
Power abuse will lead to the manipulation of another’s actions and, like all consequences of power abuse, will result in chaos. Throughout Shakespeare’s play, the power of language is maltreated by both Richard III and his accomplice, Buckingham, in order to manipulate others. Before Richard III is able to seize the crown, he commands Buckingham to spread rumor of the illegitimate birth of the late king’s children, “Go after, after, cousin Buckingham. / The Mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post. / There, at your meetest vantage of the time, / Infer the bastardy of Edward’s children” (3.5.72-75). This rumor would eventually lead parliament to make Richard III the next king and anger many royals, leading to the conflict at Bosworth Fields. Brave New World’s John is on the opposing end of manipulation. After the death of his mother, John attempts to free Deltas from their control-like conditioning, “ ‘Don’t you want to be free and men? Don’t you even understand what manhood and freedom are? . . . I’ll teach you; I’ll make you free whether you want to or not” (Huxley 187). Being raised outside society, John’s viewpoint on freedom and happiness clashes the societal conditioning. Richard III’s manipulation results in harm to others and leads to conflict between the just and the unjust whilst Brave New World’s conditioning causes a conflict in two ideologies. Though the form of conflict differs between the two pieces of literature, both sets of conflicts have arisen from the abuse of power.
The maltreatment of power, as demonstrate in the literary works Brave New World and Richard III, result always result in any form of conflict. Misusing power creates discontent in society which may cause conflict with the oppressor, as seen in Richard III, or hatred toward oneself, as seen in Brave New World. Another consequence of power abuse is the degradation of moral beliefs and cause conflict with those with higher morality. Abusive power also results in the manipulation of one’s actions, resulting in the conflict between ideologies. Through the examples outlined in both literatures, power has the ability to corrupt however, it may also be used to benefit society. Thus, power must be entrusted to the correct people in order to protect societal beliefs and values.