Dreams in Shakespeare's Richard III
Whatever view we take of Richard III as depicted in Shakespeare's play, hisdominance of the action cannot be doubted. He is the central figure of thestory, a demonic force that energizes the plot and constantly makes thingshappen. The very fact that he begins the play by asserting that all is wellin England except with himself, and proceeds on the basis of his owndiscontent to undermine the content of the nation, demonstrates clearly hisown self-centered vision. "I am determined to prove a villain" [act I,scene 1, line 30] is his declaration in his first speech and that isprecisely what he does - not merely "appear" a villain or "be regarded" asa villain, but actively "prove" a villain. Richard, however much he may bea villain to the world, is the hero of his own story, and his actions inthat role are based upon the assumption that he is an entirely autonomousagent, free to act upon the world in whichever way he chooses and re-arrange it to suit his purposes, unconstrained by any other power. Heboasts of his powers after carrying out the extraordinary feat ofpersuading Lady Anne to be his wife: What' I that killed her husband and his father To take her in her heart's extremest hate ...
Similarly, Dighton and Forrest, the two murderers of the infant princes inthe Tower (at Richard's command), described as "fleshed villains, bloodydogs," are nonetheless conscience-stricken at the cruelty of their deed, asTyrrel reports: "Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse" [act IV,scene 3, lines 6, 20]. Richard isterrified by his dream but, in contrast to Clarence, rejects the resultingprickings of conscience: Soft! I did but dream. shadows to-night Have stuck more terror to the soul of Richard Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers Armed in proof and led by shallow Richmond. And yet to win her! All the world to nothing! Ha! [act I, scene 2, lines 230-8]Yet there are forces greater than Richard's plots and passions. Clarence has committedbloody deeds in the cause of the House of York; in his imprisonment, at apoint where he is at the depths of despair, those deeds return to haunt himin the form of a dream, which he relates to his gaoler: O, I have pass'd a miserable night, So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights, That, as I am a Christian faithful man, I would not spend another such a night Though 'twere to buy a world of happy days- So full of dismal terror was the time! [act I, scene 4, lines 2-7]His declaration that he is "a Christian faithful man" and his recognitionof the dream's importance makes clear his understanding of its significancein terms of his deeds and the necessity of remorse for them. [act III, scene 2, lines 19, 26-7]As in the case of Clarence, however, this dismissive attitude to thepotency of dreams is misplaced. [act I, scene 4, lines 129-32]After Clarence is killed, one of the murderers goes so far as to discardhis fee and repent the killing: "Take thou the fee and tell him what I say,/ For I repent me that the Duke is slain" [act I, scene 4, lines 280-1]. Tell him his fears are shallow, without instance; And for his dreams, I wonder he's so simple To trust the mock'ry of unquiet slumbers. The two men who murder Clarence onRichard's orders are haunted by it even as they prepare for the deed: First Murderer: Where's thy conscience now' Second Murderer: O, in the Duke of Gloucester's purse. The power of dreams as harbingers of future events in the play isthus clearly established. The "hell of uglydevils" with which the old Queen threatens Richard are not an externalhell, but an internal ones; those devils are within Richard himself, forthe power which Shakespeare shows us as greater than Richard's own isconscience. Conscience is an active principle throughout the play and its actionsare woven through almost every scene.
Common topics in this essay:
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Richard III,
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House York,
Queen Margaret,
Clarence King,
Duke Gloucester's,
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3 lines,
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