nning of the
             play, "He hearkens after prophecies and dreams" and because of "such-like
             toys as these" has condemned Clarence to imprisonment [act I, scene 1,
             lines 54, 60]. Hastings is warned by a dream that Richard will turn against
             him and bring about his death, as Stanley's messenger reports to him that
             "this night He dreamt the boar had razed off his helm" [act III, scene 2,
             lines 10-11]. Hastings, however, dismisses Stanley's fears and the dream-
             Go, fellow, go, return unto thy lord â€
             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.
             [act III, scene 2, lines 19, 26-7]
             As in the case of Clarence, however, this dismissive attitude to the
             potency of dreams is misplaced. Stanley's dream proves all too accurate, as
             Hastings recognizes, too late: "Stanley did dream the boar did raze our
             helms' But I did scorn it, and disdain to fly" [act III, scene 4, lines
             82-3]. The power of dreams as harbingers of future events in the play is
             thus clearly established. In the case of Shakespeare's treatment of Richard
             ...