Monday, January 24, 2011

Woo her once shame on her. Try to woo another lady with the same tricks shame on her.

Looking good Richard
                Early on in the play Richard woos Lady Anne. Richard makes the untimely death of Anne's husband her fault.  Richard elaborates quite eloquently on how it was Lady Anne's beauty which drove him to commit murder.  The misshapen Richard uses his new found confidence and ability to smooth talk to manipulate Anne.
 Now in Act 4 Scene 3, Richard says, "To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer".  Seriously, Richard?  Richard's maniacal plan to conquer the kingdom through death and royal weddings continues.  A man with ghastly bodily deformities thinks he is a successful wooer?  Richard's power trip to throne has gone to head and his conquering of Lady Anne set his sites with women a bit to high.
Thankfully, in Act 4 Scene 4 Queen Elizabeth mocks Richard for what he has done.   Basically, she says how could Richard even think he could woo her daughter after all the atrocious acts he has committed.  Queen Elizabeth goes on to say, "Unless thou couldst put on some other shape ".  The usage of the word shape can literally mean change his appearence, i.e. his deformity, or shape could refer to his character.  Either way Queen Elizabeth sheds light on how Richard will be unable to escape his past.  She possibly suggests how her daughter will not fall for the tricks Lady Anne fell for.  Unfortunately, the smooth talking Richard triumphs by explaining to the Queen how this marriage could be route away from civil war and his chance for making amends.  Richard scoffs at Queen Elizabeth by deeming her a fool for succumbing to his persuasion.   Shame on you Queen Elizabeth for falling for his same old tricks.