Few people familiar with Shakespeare's works will argue that he wasn't influenced by the politics of his day. In fact, many would argue that the Elizabethan (and later, Jacobean) court was one of the strongest factors determining the outcome of his plays. But even if the political climate of the day wasn't a major player in the outcome of all his plays, it can be seen clearly as a source of the gross historical discrepancies in Richard III. In the following four weeks, we will look at the differences between the historical Richard III and Shakespeare's villainous character and the politics of the late sixteenth century that influenced Shakespeare's portrayal of history. This week, we will look specifically at the relationship between Richard and his wife Anne.
There is no doubt that Richard is one of Shakespeare's consummate villains; he is egotistical, dishonest, untrustworthy, and manipulative. The bodies of those he has murdered pave his path to the throne, and he never hesitates to be rid of anyone else, friend or foe, who stands between him and total power. But what is it about Shakespeare's demonic interpretation of the historical Richard III that has marked the play politicized? Surely, no one speaks of Edmund in King Lear as an example of the influence of politics on Shakespeare's writings; so, what sets Richard apart? What sets Richard apart is Shakespeare's deliberate misinterpretation of an historical character. While Edmund may have been based on an historical character, there is no evidence that he was in reality anything but a villain. However, such evidence does exist for Richard III. Yet Shakespeare purposefully overlooks evidence in many areas of Richard's life and goes out of his way to provide a satanically evil representation of Richard, when in reality, much of what history provides in the story of the rise and fall of Richard III offers a vastly different view of Richard as a loving family man, dedicated leader, and fair monarch.
