Richard III - Duchess of York

             1) What impression do you get of how the Duchess of York feels about Richard? In her eyes, how does he compare with her other sons, Edward IV and Clarence? (Act II, scene ii and scene iv) Note down some of the images she uses to describe him.
             Oh, that deceit should steal such gentle shapes,
             And with a virtuous visor hide foul guile!
             He is my son, yea, and therein my shame;
             Yet from my dugs he drew not this deceit.
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             Duchess of York: (Speech directed to Queen Elizabeth)
             Ah, so much interest have I in thy sorrow
             As I had title in thy noble husband.
             I have bewept a worthy husband's death,
             And lived with looking on his images;
             But now two mirrors of his princely semblance
             Are cracked in pieces by malignant death,
             And I for comfort have but one false glass
             That grieves me when I see my shame in him.
             Thou art a widow; yet thou art a mother,
             And hast the comfort of thy children left;
             But death hath snatched my husband from mine arms
             And plucked two crutches from my feeble hands,
             Clarence and Edward. O, what cause have I
             (Thine being but a moiety of my moan)
             To overgo thy woes and drown thy cries?
             The results of this stress on the already sick king are apparent in Act II, scene ii, in which we discover that Edward has suddenly died. The mourning scene of Elizabeth, the duchess, and Clarence's children is highly ritualistic.
             Elizabeth tells the duchess that King Edward has died, and the duchess joins her in mourning. All four make ritualistic lamentations. The Duchess cries for both of her dead sons, Edward and Clarence.
             The Duchess of York, Richards mother makes it apparent to the reader how much she is shamed by her remaining son Richard for having killed both of his brothers. When the duchess refers to Richard she remarks that he pretends to be a dignified and noble man but this image is nothing mo
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