The Tragedy of Richard III

impact of their deaths. But they part when Buckingham hesitates to

kill the young princes when Richard says "I wish the bastards dead". But

ironically, although he breaks the bonds between man and Nature, he is a

tool of Divine Justice as he kill those who were sinners, for example

Clarence who recalls his horrible dream and realizes his guilt early in the

play.

But Richard does not increasingly isolate himself from the

audience.

In his killing, we see the guilt of Clarence, King Edward, Rivers,

Hastings Buckingham and Lady Anne exposed before their deaths, along with

all those who die.

York says "I shall not sleep quiet in the Tower", and we pity them, as they

are young and afraid, and are forced to go there because, as the Prince

says, "My Lord Protector needs will have it so". We also never

the "real" mind of Richard, for he is always playing a role, of a loving

brother to Clarence, a lover to Anne or a victim to the others. Thus their deaths are necessary and the audience

remembers that. Margaret calls him "cacodemon" and "devil",

and any unity that the characters have on stage is temporary and

superficial. Thus although Richard may not realize

it, he is never too far from God. After Richard has

successfully gained the throne, he isolates himself when he asks the crowd

to "stand all apart" in Act IV scene ii. Thus, we are given hints of his

physical, social and spiritual isolation which is developed throughout the

play. She calls him "thou lump of foul

deformity" and "fouler toad" during their exchange. However, the

audience never forgets that he is wicked and therefore we cannot feel a

sense of great loss of potential or waste in his death. Thus even in his increasing isolation the

sense of tragedy upon his death is not really saddening to the audience as

there is no real sense of waste at his loss.