Week of April 23!

1. How many omens does Buckingham recognize foreshadowing his own death?

2. What evidence do we see of Richard’s familiarity with the business of war?

3. How many ghosts appear to the two leaders? What is their message to Richard? What is their message to Richmond?

4. How does Shakespeare show Richard’s self-struggle when he awakes? Why does Richard give way to despair?

5. What does Richard mean when he says he has already killed five Richmond?

6. Do you feel a level of pathos for Richard in the final scenes–why or why not? (Use concrete details to inform your opinion).

Week of April 15th

Choose one of the two statements below; then, write three full complete paragraphs that support and analyze your understanding of the statements; it is crucial you imbue your work with concrete details and detailed examples.

* Examine the themes of power and corruption in the play, and how these themes inform our most notable anti-hero (or, “vice” character).

or,

* Buckingham is a significant character when we think of our development of Richard III’s power. Discuss Buckingham’s importance in relationship to Richard’s successes  and failures.

Week of March 5th–Act III, Scenes IV, V, VI

1. How does Richard disguise his intentions when he enters the Council meeting?

2. What does Richard accuse Queen Elizabeth and Jane Shore of doing to him? Why is the charge false?

3. What are the grounds for Hastings being condemned to death?

4. What important lesson does Hastings tell us he has learned just before he’s taken off to be beheaded?

5. Why do Richard and Buckingham pretend they are under attack? Specially, what do they do and whom do are they trying to impress?

6. Why is the Lord Mayor so important to their plans?

7. Why does Richard order Buckingham to attack the reputations of Edward and his family?

8. What is the purpose of scene vi in the play?

Week of February 20th–Richard III (Act III, Scenes I, II, and III)

1. How does Buckingham aid Richard’s political agenda?

2. Cite two examples of Richard’s sinister asides foreshadowing the death of the boys?

3. How does Richard advise Catesby to win over Hastings to the plan for Richard to rule?

4. What does Richard offer Buckingham to gain his continued support?

5. How many warning signs does Hastings ignore or miss in this scene?

6. Why did Queen Margaret curse Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan?

King Richard Act Two

1. How is Richard able to undermine the peace accord King Edward has brought about among the members of the court?

2. Who is the first person in the play to recognize the full extent of Richard’s evil?

3. Following the death of King Edward, what is Richard’s first political priority? Who helps him achieve it? Why?

4. What event prompts the queen to seek sanctuary? Who else joins her and why?

5. Why does Buckingham support Richard? What are his motivations?

Week of January 30th–Richard III!

1. How does Richard use women as scape goats in this scene? Cite some examples of Richard’s use of sarcasm in referrring to women.

2. Why does Richard (Gloucester) decide to marry Lady Anne? What are the obstacles to this marriage?

3. How does Richard approach manipulating Lady Anne? –be specific and detailed.

4. What is the dramatic function of Queen Margaret throughout act one?

5. How does Clarence’s dream foreshadow his death? Why does Shakespeare go into so much poetic detail in describing the dream?

6. What is ironic about Clarence’s attempts to dissuade his murderers?

7. Why does one of the murderers want to abort the murder? What theme is implied in his dialogue?

Week of January 23rd-Richard III

One of the overriding themes in Richard III is appearance versus reality; using concrete details, explain the ways in which you begin to see this theme emerging in the opening soliloquy by Richard III.