Richard Manipulation Essay

In this passage from Shakespeare’s Richard III, Richard progresses his plot further into acquiring the ultimate royal sovereignty. He has rid himself from the burden of Hastings, which brings him closer to achieve his goal. Richard states all wrongdoings of Edward, and sends Buckingham to spread rumors among the citizens. He then orders Lovell to gather allies, and he himself plans to get rid of Clarence’s children and ensure that no one can contact the princes locked up in the tower. Here, Richard is shown as a master of manipulation. Nothing would get in the way of him obtaining the crown, even if it means betraying his family. Richard’s villainy and his manipulation skills are reflected by Buckingham and Lovell’s loyalty and also his diction

in this passage.
This passage explicitly shows Richard’s clever use of structure and literary devices to convey his messages to the other characters, and the audience. He uses enumeration, listing the details of how unfair King Edward is to his subjects, and how he is idly abusing his power.

Richard asks Buckingham to exaggerate Edward’s bad side to the citizens, including how Edward has seduced “their servants, daughters, wives,” in line 82, the asyndeton used here implies that this is only a fragment of what Richard has to say, which means that Edward has done more than what is listed, much more horrific than what Richard may fathom. Richard also uses personification, like “raging eyes” and “savage heart” in line 83 to indicate that Edward was brutal, and dehumanizing him, merely just a beast seeking “a prey”. Richard’s diction creates a visual imagery, putting on a false persona to criticize Edward, claiming that the citizens should know the ‘truth’. He turns himself from a man who is betraying his own brother, to a man who sympathizes with the citizens. He also claims that Edward is illegitimate in line 86 to 90: “Tell them, when that my mother went with child/ Of that insatiate Edward, noble York, My princely father, then had wars in France, And by true computation of the time/ Found that the issue was not his begot”. These lines indicate the extreme measures Richard is willing to take to lead himself into power. He is destroying the images and

reputations of his family to become King by all means. This clause portrays Richard’s skills to manipulate people and persuade them; making false allegations to paint King Edward as a corrupted king.

The dramatic irony is very clear to the audience, as he has already established himself the actual villain who does not consider the inputs of others. In line 95 to 97, Buckingham replies to Richard’s controversial orders reply for Richard's order: “Doubt not, my Lord, I’ll play the orator/ As if the golden fee for which I plead/ Were for myself. And so, my Lord, adieu.” This particular response shows his loyalty to Richard by using anaphora to repeat the word “lord” twice. This can be further interpreted as Buckingham establishing himself as a close ally to Richard. In addition, Richard also speaks to Lovell in a demanding tone. He uses anaphora in the lines from 103-104, “Go, Lovell, with all speed to Doctor Shaw. Go thou to Friar Penker. Bid them both” creates a visual imagery of Richard being in power and commanding Lovell. This reveals Richard’s control over his allies, as Lovell exits without bearing any questions or explanations, proving Richard’s true villainy. After Lovell leaves, Richard reveals his future plan to the audience through his soliloquy. Richard belittles the children of Clarence and

calls them “the brats of Clarence”, showing that Richard doesn't really care about them and hates them. He is reducing them to nothing but brats. In contrast, Richard calls the children of Edward “the princes”, which is much more appropriate than how he addresses the children of Clarence. This indicates Richard envies the power the princes were born with since they don’t have to go through the troubles to plan out evil plans and ponder upon betrayal. This makes them undeserving in Richard’s eyes. This also reveals Richard’s villainy since the princes and Clarence’s children are all innocent, and the fact that he would betray and harm them only for power shows his selfishness, Through these sentences, Richard foreshadows the future plot line as he speaks out his plan.
Richard uses the power of language to establish his plan; he betrayed his brother, his nephews and even his own mother just for the throne and it's power, revealing his villainy and his manipulating talent with his diction. This passage reflects the evil characteristics of Richard and indicates how the plan Richard has will affect his plot. This passage also brings the overall theme of “betrayal” in his clause, as he is betraying his family as his scheme progresses. If Richard had chosen another way to fight for power without betraying everyone, maybe he would not end up being abandoned by everyone, and prove victim to Margaret’s supernatural cursing power. Unfortunately, he is a heartless man, and his destructive schemes continue. He may have ended up with a pitiful ending but that is what he deserves.