Richard II
Richard II is located in various parts of England and Wales. The tournament scene (Act I, Scene 2) is at Coventry, in the Midlands. Bolingbroke, although coming from Brittany, in France, lands on the north coast of England and undertakes the tediously long march southwest through the Cotswolds to Berkeley and on to Bristol. Richard returns from Ireland and lands at Barkloughly. He moves in a northwesterly direction towards Flint Castle, where he encounters Bolingbroke. The climactic scene takes place in Parliament in London. Then Richard is sent to the prison of Pomfret Castle, which is in Yorkshire. King Richard - Richard, the play's protagonist, is a poetic and intensely charming man, but a fatally weak monarch. His unshakable faith in his own quasi-divinity constitutes his tragic flaw, as does his bad judgment. He enjoys the role of performer, and after he is deposed, he casts himself as a martyr. Henry Bolingbroke - Bolingbroke is the Duke of Hereford and the son of John of Gaunt. After the latter's death, he becomes the Duke of Lancaster. Bolingbroke is a practical and ambitious man who replaces Richard on the throne. At
He urges Richard to take immediate action against them, as further delay will only give them an advantage. Throughout hisreign as a minor, there was a recurrent question of who was to rule, not only after the king, but also through him. Bishop of Carlisle - He is an ardent supporter of Richard who vehemently opposes his abdication. Blood likewise carries the underlying implication of murder, discord and battle, and the fear of Englishmen's blood soiling English ground (civil war). The two men are easily provoked, and their speech rises to an extremely high emotional pitch. He has allowed his royal authority to be superseded by old chivalric practice. He also reports the death of Bushy and Green. Lofty rhetoric conceals the true nature of men. But when Richard asks Gaunt to help resolve the quarrel, Gaunt's intervention proves futile. Harry Percy (Hotspur) - Hotspur is Northumberland's son, who offers his services to Bolingbroke. He believes that the words of a dying man command some respect, since they are his last. There is thus a juxtaposition between the traditional chivalric mode and the royal absolutism of Richard. Issues of loyalty are discussed: Scene 1 focuses on loyalty to king and country, while Scene 2 explores loyalty to blood relatives. He must now bear the consequences of that decision. Richard's elimination of Gloucester, Warwick and Arundel greatly alarmed the remaining two of the group, Bolingbroke and Mowbray.
Common topics in this essay:
Bolingbroke Mowbray,
John Gaunt,
Holinshed's Chronicle,
King Richard,
Edward III,
Duke York,
Richard Gaunt,
Richard II,
Humanists Richard's,
England Richard,
john gaunt,
bolingbroke mowbray,
king richard,
duke york,
trial combat,
scene 1,
gloucester's murder,
act scene,
richard ii,
bishop carlisle,
act scene 2,
mowbray duke norfolk,
aumerle bishop carlisle,
gaunt duke lancaster,
misappropriating royal funds,
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