Abstract
This paper questions the reasons for King Richard II's demise, whether he was to blame, whether he was irresponsible and whether it was a sin to kill him. It reflects upon these issues and also discusses if whether despite his downfall brought about by his own actions, Richard grows as a character in the end.

From the Paper
"King Richard is not a man of action and as the play advances and he gets into more and more trouble, his end approaches and he becomes most poetic of all. He shows himself to be a poet and a dreamer. At Flint castle he asks Aumerle ??.Shall we call back Northumberland, and send Defiance to the traitor, and so die?? And Aumerle replies? No, good my lord; let's fight with gentle words?? This is also an example of another cause of King Richard's downfall. He surrounded himself with flatterers and poor advisors. Richard ignores the only sound advice he gets from Gaunt's death bed and even wishes that the doctor would quicken his death so that he can seize Gaunt's land."

Tags:henry, york, england

Abstract
When considering matters of discourse in William Shakespeare's plays, "The Tragedy of King Richard II" and "The Tempest", King Richard displays stronger leadership skills because he always speaks with eloquence. King Richard speaks with a grace and style that cannot be matched by Prospero. This paper examines how speech is an important part of how a leader is perceived through King Richard and Prospero.

From the Paper
"This soliloquy also illustrates how Richard has come to terms with the fact that he is not destined to be king, as he once believed. He has resigned himself to the fact of how he must live out the rest of his life. This soliloquy is beautiful and heart wrenching. It is through Richard's speeches that Shakespeare is able to make Richard stand out. King Richard would be an ideal candidate for any political position in the world today. He was always able to deliver moving speeches and this is a valuable asset to any king. In fact, it is proof that a man's words can carry him far even if they cannot save his life."

Tags:Miranda, Caliban, Alonso

Abstract
The paper describes how Thomas of Woodstock (the Duke of Gloucester) has been assassinated, before William Shakespeare's "Richard II" even begins. The paper elaborates that, despite being relegated to a back-story character, Thomas of Woodstock is mentioned early and often, en route to becoming the key symbol foreshadowing the downfall of King Richard II himself. This brief essay discusses the importance of Thomas of Woodstock to the play and to the audience.

From the Paper
"Before William Shakespeare's Richard II begins, Thomas of Woodstock (the Duke of Gloucester) has been assassinated. However, despite being relegated to a back-story character, Thomas of Woodstock is mentioned early and often, en route to becoming the key symbol foreshadowing the downfall of King Richard II himself. Thomas of Woodstock (not to be confused with one his supposed killers, Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk) has died suspiciously long before the opening of Richard II."

Tags:richard, shakespeare, history

Abstract
This paper provides a personal interpretation the all original all-male production of William Shakespeare's "Richard II" at the restored Globe Theater in London. Through an examination of the text, references, humor and pathos in the interaction of the characters, it looks at the transformation of the weak, arrogant monarch into the pathos-filled figure of the defeated king that is the center around which the story revolves.

From the Paper
"The historical walls around the play, the political background that serves to propel to plot forward is, in its way, nothing but that: mere background, a canvass onto which Richard's tragedy is painted in rich hues. And yet, I must hasten to add that this interpretation is not absolute: rather, it is my perception of the way the Globe production interpreted Richard II, and therefore it is that interpretation that I would argue for in this paper. As Brooker notes, "while any number of valid interpretations is possible " and so the celebration of these multiple readings for their own sake is misguided " these various, contradictory meanings need to be argued for and supported if they are to extend beyond the microsphere of the individual reading.""

Tags:john, monarch, king

Abstract
This paper argues that the demise of William Shakespeare's "Richard II" was not due to Bolingbroke's invasion of England but due to Richard's own failings to act as an appropriate king. It develops the idea that Richard's character failures, his passivity and inability to act decisively, result in his loss of kingship. It examines how his numerous failures as king, such as his disconnection from his people and land, contribute to his removal form the throne. It shows that despite Bolingbroke's presence in the play, Richard's downfall is ultimately his own doing.

From the Paper
"William Shakespeare's Richard II, is the dramatic portrayal of a king's downfall. The action of the play surrounds the deposition of an anointed but unworthy king, Richard II. Although he is stately and poetic, he fails miserably in his public role as a king because he is disconnected from his land and its people. Consequently, he is overthrown by his cousin Bolingbroke and eventually assassinated. However, despite Bolingbroke's connection to Richard's removal from the throne, Richard's fall ultimately is a result of his own inability to perform the duties of kingship. His continuous passivity and readiness to succumb to despair prove to be his definitive weaknesses and result in his final defeat. Richard is not fit to be king."

Tags:kingship, bolingbroke, england

Abstract
This paper explains that, in "Richard II" and "Henry IV", William Shakespeare explores the issue of kingship by depicting Richard II and Henry IV as polar opposites. The author points out that Richard II, whose claim to the throne is considered legitimate but whose ability to lead is poor, is regarded as the complacent and lyrical king; whereas, Henry IV, whose claim to the throne in terms of the laws of succession is unstable, has won the support of the people based on his merit. The paper stresses that the perspective of Hal benefits from the experience of both his predecessors in that he is the legal successor to his father. The paper includes several quotations.

From the Paper
"Shakespeare has an ambivalent attitude towards kingship. He does provide an argument in favor of rightful succession to Richard's throne and the maintenance of traditional values embodied in the crown and the state under its rule, in the voice of Carlisle, for example. Yet at the same time, he clearly illustrates the destructive nature of kingship on the individual behind the crown. There are moral questions raised which are never answered which in itself casts doubt on the values inherent in kingship. For example, we are never provided with a suitable moral explanation for, and are never really comfortable with, Hal's renouncement of Falstaff."

Tags:ambivalent, succession, destructive, obligation, egotism

Abstract
This paper explains why "Richard II" is the tragedy of a king in which the personal element is completely insignificant. The action of this play has very little to do with human motives; instead, inexorable circumstances determine the outcomes.

Abstract
The paper discusses "Richard ll " by William Shakespeare. The paper states that the play in itself is a representation of the decline of the static, hierarchical structure and of the rise of individual power within a power structure. The paper comments that the structure of the play shows four different phases. The first one is the initial state of the realm, with Richard II as King who acts like a sovereign, judging two noblemen and their dispute. The second phase occurs when Bolingbroke overthrows the King in III, 3, showing that a single individual has the power to thwart the King's plans. The third stage takes place when Richard II gives up his power to Bolingbroke. The paper notes that this is the symbol of the decline of the royal power. Finally, the last and fourth point is the official coronation ceremony of Bolingbroke as King Henry. This event is the proof that a single individual can rise within a power structure. The paper also includes a summary of the play.

From the Paper
"Bolingbroke defeats Richard II, in III, 3, whereas he is supposed to be less powerful than the King. Indeed, if the King would have managed his troops well, he would have been at the head of an army of thousands soldiers, ready to fight for him. Instead, he is only surrounded by some close allies and friends. On the other hand, Bolingbroke has managed to gather together a lot of men coming different places, such as Brittany (II, 1, 287-290). Bolingbroke invades the north coast of England while Richard II departs to Ireland to make war. One by one, Richard's allies desert him and join Bolingbroke. When the King goes back, it is too late and he has to surrender. This shows, on the one hand, the bad management of Richard II, and on the other hand, that a single individual such as Bolingbroke has been able to raise enough resources by himself to counterattack a King and his power. This is where the difference between a great leader and a leader by lineage is."

Tags:different, phases, high-ranking, bad, management

Abstract
This paper analyzes the ideal of a good king as presented by Shakespeare in "Richard II", "Richard II"I and "Henry V" and discusses to what extent these kings fulfilled the ideal. The reasons for the discrepancy between the ideal and the real are examined as well, as is the question of whether morality has any place in the game of power politics.

Abstract
This paper traces the ascension in the level of diction and general use of language by Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V as they become kings. It considers the differences between the language of royalty and that of the common man as illustrated by William Shakespeare in his plays about these kings.

From the Paper
"For a king to command the respect of his subjects he must comport himself in a manner above that of the ordinary man. One of the ways in which royalty does this is by conforming to a distinct set of social graces, foremost among which is a superior level of language. The language of the monarch is more polished and poetic, with higher diction and a better command of both syntax and figurative language, than that of common people."

Tags:diction, language, poetry, prose, royalty, shakespeare, syntax