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Jason Zhang

Mr. Vidrih

ENG2D7-1D

29 October 2010

A Major Weapon: An Analysis into the

Powerful Wordplay in Richard III

Language is, undoubtedly, always a striking feature in any Shakespeare’s work. Different

characters were given different verses and lines, which effectively represent their distinctive

personalities. Under Shakespeare's pen, there have been so many vivid figures who have

mastered the art of language in order to serve their own purposes. In contrast, characters with

inferior levels of articulateness are often manipulated and overthrown. ‘Handle them

carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs.’ This famous maxim from Pearl

Strachan is once again conclusively proven by Shakespeare’s historical play Richard III:

Richard's linguistic not only reflects his own intelligence, but also reveals his ability to

manipulate others. Through language, he can alter the fortunes of characters by wooing the

women he desires, confronting the enemies that he despises, and ultimately, obtaining the

throne of England.

First of all, Richard is capable of utilizing his cunning wordplays to pursue the women

that he aspires. At the early stage of the play, Richard, having realized the opportunity of

achieving the upmost power, immediately decides to court Lady Anne in order to gain

reputation from the public. In this wooing scene, in spite of the curses that Lady Anne lays on

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him, he could constantly defend himself with witty logic by claiming "Sweet saint, for charity,

be not so curst" (1.2.49), "Lady, you know no rules of charity / Which renders good for bad,

blessings for curses" (1.2.68-69), "He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband / Did it to help

thee to a better husband." His extraordinary language skills not only help relieve himself from

foul curses, but also successfully shift his responsibility of murdering Anne's father and

husband to her irresistible beauty : "Nay, now dispatch; 'twas I that stabbed young Edward /

But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on / Take up the sword again, or take up me' (1.2.186-

188). Ironically, his hypocritical pleadings for death effectively touch Lady Anne, for he

clearly recognizes the basic nature of women: they are tenderhearted creatures (Chinese

proverb). Anne not only refuses to be his executioner, but also, later on in the scene, accepts

his marriage. Likewise, in the subsequent part of the play when Richard strives to move

Queen Elizabeth to persuade her daughter into marriage with him, even though her consent

sees more perfunctory than compromising, at least from the surface her vexation at Richard is

suppressed by his promising words "Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good." (4.4.424),

“Madam, with all my heart." (4.4.273). According to the play, Richard hasn't got a handsome

appearance or any affable personality; this is confirmed by himself: "Deformed, unfinished,

sent before my time" (1.1.20). Once again, this importance evidence bolsters up the fact that

Richard's sweet words are as touching as tear bombs.

Moreover, his adversaries' fates are reshaped by Richard's crafty linguistic ability. He first

starts off sending his nemesis into chaos and disorder. Having been ready to sweep the

Woodvilles, Richard outcompetes during his first official conflict with them in this play by

remarking "I cannot tell. The world is grown so bad / That wrens make prey where eagles

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dare not perch. “Although he seems to be discontent about Queen Elizabeth and her family

members' ascent, his very true intention is to stir up a seemingly righteous quarrel with her.

His lines employ a mixed metaphor to dramatize the huge difference between the Plantagenet

and the Woodvilles, a commoner clan. Already the Queen is at a significant disadvantage

because afterwards she is forced to defend herself openly, whilst Richard's acerbic message is

mainly implication. Thereupon his adjusts to a more effectual strategy: calling fabricated

crimes on his adversaries. After mentioning Duke of Clarence's death, which is upon his

order, he cleverly reveals : "This is the fruits of rashness. Marked you not / How that the

guilty kindred of the queen / Looked pale when they did hear of Clarence' death" (2.1.137-

139). This maneuver fastens the gradual destruction of the Woodvilles, while galvanizing

pathos from his colleagues. In addition, as he becomes closer to the supreme seat, his

articulation occurs to be more concise and, meanwhile, aggressive. As Lord of Buckingham

suggests the potential betrayal from Lord Hastings, Richard's words are extremely terse :

"Chop off his head. / Something we will determine" (3.2.196-197). When he is finally

cognizant of Hastings's stance, he announces his destiny by uttering only a few words:

"Talk'st thou to me of ifs? Thou art a traitor. / Off with his head! Now by Saint Paul I swear, /

I will not dine until I see the same." (3.4.74-76). Interestingly, the succinct and

straightforward Richard is the scariest. Without any deviousness or guile, his powerful words

not only help him conquer and capture, but also create an feeling of true dictatorship around

him. "Words are loaded pistols" (J.-P. S. Sarte) This renowned saying, once again,

emphasizes the mightiness of Richard's language.

Last but not least, by baffling and controlling other characters that are in his way to

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kingship, he is also able to alter his own fate by implementing his "deliberative, forensic, and

epideictic" (Burton, 55) wordplays. He can always conjure up plausible excuses to avoid

awkward circumstances. For instance, when Richard makes his entrance when Hastings and

his colleagues, he tries to rationalize his absence "I have been long a sleeper, but I trust / My

absence doth neglect no great design". (3.4.23-24). In fact, considering his sly personality, he

is never a procrastinator and he should have been pondering over how to deal with Hastings

while hiding. Furthermore, his language makes him "a wolf in sheep's clothing" (Gospel of

Matthew, 7:15): His true tyranny is barely manifested to his enemies in his words. When

Lord Hastings's head is brought up to him, he commences his hypocritical lamentation "So

dear I loved the man that I must weep. / I took him for the plainest harmless creature “(3.5.24-

25). Also as Katherine Schaap Williams suggested in her analysis, "Richard foregrounds his

deformed figure in ways that advance his political power, appealing to bodily deformity and

the impotence he claims it entails to obscure his shrewd political maneuvers.", he has utilized

his physical deformity as a great advantage facing his nemesis. As Richard makes his entrance

while Queen Elizabeth attempts to debase him from hating her family, he claims "Because I

cannot flatter and look fair, / Smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive, and cog, / Duck with

French nods and apish courtesy" (1.3.47-50). He suggests that his physical deformity causes

the Woodvilles to differentiate him, but in fact his true intention is to stir up chaos between

the two clans so that he can legitimately eliminate the Woodvilles.

In conclusion, despite the fact that Richard of Gloucester is widely contemplated as a

despicable villain, we can't deny that his linguistic skills are truly magnificent. His language

of courtship effortlessly seduces Lady Anne into alliance with him. Aforementioned evidences

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have shown that his epideictic wordplays are the only weapon that protects him from the

thistles and thorns on the journey towards the upmost power. Nonetheless, his dedication on

oratorical skills are all inspired by his primary motive: the usurpation of the throne, and

indeed he succeeds eventually. As a "villainous but charismatic 'bottled spider'"(McCue) in

the play as well as an infamous figure in British history, Richard has demonstrated us one of

the most crucial element in excelling in politics: flowery language. As time elapses, the daily

usage of language has become more and more significant. In order to sustain one's status in

the society, it is requisite to master his or her linguistic skills.

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Work Cited

Burton, Dolores M. “Discourse and Decorum in the First Act of Richard III.” Shakespeare

Studies; 1981, Vol. 14, p55, 30p. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 28 Oct.

2010.

Maher, By Paula. "The Power of the Spoken Word | Then Disocver The Secrets OfHigher Self

Esteem and More... | Official Site | Nicholas Finnegan |Free Self Esteem Newsletters,

Ebooks and Audios Downloads." Your Self Esteem, Your Super Confidence, Your

Great Success ToChange Your Life Right Now! | Official Site | Nicholas Finnegan.

Web. 31 Oct. 2010. <http://www.nicholasfinnegan.com/the_power_of.html>.

McCue, Jim. "Richard III: Villain or Victim of a Bad Press?" Times, The (United Kingdom) 25

June 2003. Canadian Reference Centre. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.

Williams, Katherine Schaap. "Enabling Richard: The Rhetoric of Disability in Richard III."

Disability Studies Quarterly 29.4 (2009): 26. EBSCO. Web. 31 Oct. 2010.

"Jean-Paul Sartre Quotes." Famous Quotes and Quotations at BrainyQuote. Web. 31 Oct.

2010. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jeanpauls155420.html>.

The English Standard Version Bible:  Containing the Old and New Testaments with

Apocrypha.  Oxford:  Oxford UP, 2009.  Print.