Plot Summary (OCR A-Level English Literature): Revision Notes
Plot Summary
Historical context
The play opens during a period of relative peace in England following a lengthy and brutal civil war. This conflict, known as the Wars of the Roses, pitted two powerful royal families against each other: the House of York and the House of Lancaster. The York family has emerged victorious, and King Edward IV now rules the country. However, this peace is about to be shattered by the ambitions of Edward's younger brother, Richard.
The Wars of the Roses (1455-1487) represented one of the most turbulent periods in English history, with competing claims to the throne resulting in decades of bloodshed. The play begins at what should be a moment of stability, but Richard's ambition will soon plunge the nation back into chaos.
Richard's character and motivation
Richard is consumed by bitter resentment towards those around him. He envies his brother's power and despises the happiness others enjoy. Three key characteristics drive his actions throughout the play:
- Physical deformity: Richard's physical appearance is a source of deep bitterness, fuelling his anger towards the world
- Ambition: He secretly desires the throne and is willing to commit any crime to achieve this goal
- Cunning intelligence: Richard possesses exceptional skills in deception and political manipulation, which become his primary weapons
Richard's character combines two dangerous elements: a deep psychological wound that motivates his vengeance against the world, and the intellectual brilliance required to execute his plans. This combination makes him one of Shakespeare's most compelling villains.
Richard's ascent to power
Early manipulations
Richard begins his campaign for the crown through a series of calculated moves. His first significant achievement is manipulating Lady Anne into marriage, despite the fact that she knows he murdered her first husband. This demonstrates his extraordinary ability to deceive and persuade.
Richard's Manipulation of Lady Anne
In one of the play's most shocking scenes, Richard encounters Lady Anne mourning her dead husband—whom Richard himself killed. Through a masterful display of psychological manipulation, Richard:
- Deflects blame and redirects her anger
- Feigns remorse and vulnerability
- Appeals to her vanity and emotions
- Ultimately convinces her to accept his marriage proposal
This scene establishes Richard as a master manipulator capable of achieving the seemingly impossible.
Eliminating family obstacles
Richard's path to the throne requires removing those with stronger claims to power. He orchestrates the execution of his own brother, Clarence, then cleverly shifts the blame onto King Edward. This psychological manipulation accelerates Edward's existing illness, ultimately leading to the king's death.
The murder of Clarence demonstrates Richard's willingness to eliminate even family members. By framing his brother Edward for the execution, Richard achieves two goals: removing a rival and weakening the king's health through guilt and stress.
Becoming lord protector
Following King Edward's death, Richard assumes the position of lord protector. This role places him in charge of the kingdom until Edward's eldest son is old enough to rule. However, Richard has no intention of relinquishing this power.
Destroying opposition
Richard systematically eliminates anyone who might challenge his authority:
- Court noblemen: He orders the execution of those loyal to the young princes, most notably Lord Hastings, who serves as lord chamberlain of England
- Queen Elizabeth's relatives: Richard has the powerful kinsmen of Edward's widow arrested and executed, leaving Elizabeth and her sons vulnerable and unprotected
- Political campaigning: Working with his chief ally, Lord Buckingham, Richard orchestrates a campaign to have himself crowned king
Each execution serves a dual purpose: eliminating potential opposition while simultaneously terrorizing others into submission. Richard's ruthless efficiency in removing obstacles demonstrates both his strategic thinking and his complete lack of moral constraints.
The murder of the princes
In what becomes his most notorious crime, Richard imprisons the young princes in the Tower of London. He then sends hired assassins to murder both children, eliminating the rightful heirs to the throne. This act proves to be a turning point in how the public perceives him.
The Princes in the Tower
The murder of the innocent princes represents Richard's crossing of an ultimate moral boundary. Unlike his previous victims who were adults involved in political intrigue, these children were entirely innocent. This act:
- Turns public opinion decisively against Richard
- Alienates even his closest supporters
- Marks the beginning of his downfall
- Remains one of the most infamous crimes in English history
Richard's reign and growing opposition
A kingdom in fear
Richard's brutal rise to power creates a reign of terror that transforms public opinion. The common people of England grow to fear and despise their new king. Even the noblemen at court, including the previously supportive Buckingham, become alienated by Richard's cruelty.
Richard's mistake lies in believing that power maintained through fear can be sustainable. While terror may secure short-term compliance, it inevitably creates the conditions for rebellion as people become desperate enough to risk everything for change.
Richmond's challenge
News spreads of a challenger gathering military forces in France. The Earl of Richmond, descended from a branch of the Lancaster family, represents hope for a nation desperate for change. Noblemen begin defecting in large numbers to join Richmond's cause, recognising an opportunity to overthrow the tyrant.
Desperate consolidation attempts
Richard attempts to strengthen his hold on power through marriage alliances. He arranges the murder of his wife, Queen Anne, planning to marry young Elizabeth, the daughter of the former Queen Elizabeth and the deceased King Edward IV. Although Elizabeth is his niece, this alliance would help secure his claim to the throne. However, Richard's control over events begins to slip, and Queen Elizabeth manages to delay these plans whilst secretly promising her daughter to Richmond instead.
Richard's plan to marry his niece demonstrates his willingness to violate both moral and legal boundaries. However, this scheme also reveals his growing desperation—he can no longer rely solely on force and must attempt to legitimize his rule through dynastic marriage.
The final confrontation
Richmond's invasion
Richmond launches his invasion of England, leading an army determined to end Richard's tyranny. The nation rallies behind this challenger, seeing him as their salvation from Richard's oppressive rule.
The night before battle
On the eve of the decisive battle, Richard experiences a terrifying dream. The ghosts of all his murder victims appear before him, cursing him and prophesying his death the following day. This supernatural element suggests that Richard's crimes have condemned him not just politically but spiritually.
The Haunting Dream
Richard's dream represents more than mere anxiety before battle—it suggests divine judgment upon his actions. Each ghost curses Richard while blessing Richmond, reinforcing the play's theme that tyranny cannot ultimately triumph over legitimate authority and moral order.
The Battle of Bosworth Field
The final battle determines England's future. Richard fights but is ultimately killed in combat. Richmond emerges victorious and is crowned King Henry VII, marking the end of Richard's brief and bloody reign.
A new era
The play concludes with the promise of peace and unity. King Henry VII announces his betrothal to young Elizabeth, symbolically uniting the warring Houses of Lancaster and York. This marriage represents hope for an end to the civil strife that has plagued England.
Richmond's victory and subsequent marriage to Elizabeth of York has profound historical significance. This union literally joins the red rose of Lancaster with the white rose of York, creating the Tudor dynasty and bringing an end to the Wars of the Roses. For Shakespeare's audience, this would have been especially meaningful as Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled when the play was written, was Henry VII's granddaughter.
Key plot developments to remember
Understanding the sequence of Richard's crimes helps track the play's progression:
- Manipulation phase: Winning over Lady Anne
- Family elimination: Clarence's execution and Edward's death
- Seizing control: Becoming lord protector
- Removing obstacles: Killing Hastings and Elizabeth's relatives
- The crown: Being proclaimed king
- Ultimate crime: Murdering the princes
- Desperate measures: Killing Queen Anne, attempting to marry young Elizabeth
- Downfall: Losing control, facing Richmond, and dying in battle
Key Points to Remember:
- The play charts Richard's ruthless rise from duke to king through murder and manipulation, followed by his rapid downfall
- Richard's physical deformity and bitter resentment drive his ambition, but his intelligence and deception skills enable his success
- The murder of the innocent princes in the Tower represents Richard's moral nadir and turns public opinion decisively against him
- Richmond's victory and marriage to Elizabeth symbolise the unification of York and Lancaster, ending the Wars of the Roses
- Richard's reign of terror ultimately proves self-defeating, as his cruelty alienates even his closest allies and unites opposition against him