Richard II

             When Kings the sword of justice first lay down
             They are no King, though they possess they crown.
             Titles are shadows, crowns are empty things,
             The good of subjects is the end of Kings." Daniel Defoe
             There is a fine line between compromising the essence of a Kings power and failing to heed the desires of his subject. Indeed to get the balance correct is the sign of a competent King. The theory of the divine right of a King to govern is greatly exploited and many aspects are explored throughout Shakespeare's political play, "Richard II". My introductory quote clearly exemplifies the thinking of King Richard and his associate's at the time. For my coursework, I have decided to investigate the doctrine of kingship and argue extensively that lineage is not necessarily the best determinant of good government. This so called right is based on the law of God and of nature, by which previous sovereigns rule by virtue of their birth alone and with authority passed from each generation to the next. In order to achieve this, I will explore the play, focusing on Richards's character, his overall demeanour as King of England and how others perceive him. I also feel it necessary to make comparisons between Richard and his arch nemesis Henry Bolingbroke.
             We are confronted with our first taste of royal grandeur, a splendorous display of majestic appearance in the court of our main protagonist, Richard II. The other main protagonist in the play, Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Herford and cousin to the King, is accusing Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk of high treason by cheating the army out of money whilst he was Governor of Calais.
             Act one, scene one, contains a vast amount of ceremonious and symbolic importance if we concentrate on the King and how he deals with the situation. Bolingbroke is determined to prove:
             "That all the treasons for these eighteen years
             Complotted and contrived in this land
             Fetch...

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Richard II. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 04:59, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/19231.html