essay questions richard iii

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

• You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
• You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
• You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
• A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

Richard III

56 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Act Summaries & Analyses

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

The difference between outward appearance and inner thoughts is present throughout the play. What does William Shakespeare suggest to the audience about trusting in appearances? How is the medium of drama used to explore this idea?

Discuss the role of prophecies and curses in the play. Why does Shakespeare include these dreams, predictions, and supernatural forces? What do they suggest about the relationship between fate and individual agency in the play?

Research the Wars of the Roses (See: Background ). How does Shakespeare blend fact and fiction in the play? How does he depict this civil conflict and its results?

Related Titles

By William Shakespeare

All's Well That Ends Well

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Antony and Cleopatra

As You Like It

Henry IV, Part 1

Henry IV, Part 2

Henry VI, Part 1

Henry VI, Part 3

Julius Caesar

Love's Labour's Lost

Measure For Measure

Much Ado About Nothing

Featured Collections

Appearance Versus Reality

View Collection

British Literature

Challenging Authority

Order & Chaos

Plays That Teach History

SuperSummary Staff Picks

Truth & Lies

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — Richard III

Essays on Richard Iii

Struggle for power and kingship, free will and determination in richard iii by william shakespeare, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Exploring Ambition & Identity in Richard Iii

Analysis of al pacino’s adaptation of shakespeare’s play richard iii, shakespeare's use of prophecies to create suspense in richard iii, regret and redemption in richard iii by william shakespeare, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Depiction of The Common Folk in Richard Iii

Flattery, treachery, and deceit in shakespeare's richard iii, the role of courting anne scene in richard iii, sinister aesthetics and courtly manners in shakeapeare's play richard iii, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

Plot Construction Through Juxtapositioning Characters in Shakespeare's History Plays

The impact of richard's physical condition on his behavior in shakespeare's play, the theme of regicide in shakespeare's plays, repetition as rhetorical strategy in richard ii, reading richard ii through the concepts of maternity, power and history, the theme of rebellion in shakespeare's richard ii, 1 henry iv and 2 henry iv, looking for richard & richard iii: discovering the nature of power, representation of female characters in richard iii, king richard iii and looking for richard: comparative analysis, self-realization in william shakespeare's richard ii, shakespeare's modification of history in richard ii, metatheatrical layer of richard ii, shakespeare's use of language in richard ii, relevant topics.

• The Things They Carried
• Bartleby The Scrivener
• Between The World and Me
• Animal Farm
• What of This Goldfish, Would You Wish?
• Why Nations Fail
• White Noise
• Boys in The Boat
• What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Through a Marker’s Eyes: An Exemplar King Richard III x Looking for Richard Essay

Come along as Katriel dissects Riya's exemplar essay through a HSC marker’s eyes

English Team

Katriel Tan and Marko Beocanin

‍ Module A is a battle you can win.

I know it can be really difficult to know what the markers want when trying to write an incredible King Richard x Looking for Richard essay. But look no further!

Welcome to an exemplar King Richard x Looking for Richard essay, by our very own wonderful Project English tutor Riya! Come along with me as I dissect her exemplar essay through a HSC marker’s eyes, showing you what markers are looking for and how to access those high marks in Module A.

The Art of the Mod A Introduction

Within HSC English Advanced , introductions play a key role in distinguishing essays between the different modules. Each module has a unique and specific focus, and it is extremely crucial to be showing this throughout your intro. And you guessed it, “Textual Conversations” is really the aim of the game with a Module A essay. You need to be honing in on it consistently - explicitly showing the marker that you understand there is a significant relationship between the two texts. By showing resonances, dissonances and a holistic thesis that binds the two texts over differing contextual landscapes, Riya clearly demonstrates the dialogue between them and the value of studying them side-by-side. Take a look!

To state that later texts in textual conversations lack originality and power is to undermine the influence of the original, for, it requires a literary masterpiece to yield the potential to be reshaped into a new text. Its resonance and value are celebrated in its contemporary appropriation, as no text is truly original. This notion is exemplified by the textual conversation between Shakespeare’s play King Richard III and Pacino’s docudrama Looking for Richard that aims to achieve his proclaimed purpose to ‘make Shakespeare accessible to … the people in the streets’ and privilege the roles of actors as the ultimate holders of truth. In contrast, Shakespeare intends to assert a theological worldview in which truth is ordained by God. Both texts explore vulnerability as a universal construct to human nature and the complexity of gender dynamics, as the later text seems to reveal a confronting reality, that, contrary to popular assumption, the passage of time is not synonymous with greater gender equality. Ultimately, it is the power and originality of Shakespearean literature and the texts that emerge from it, which facilitates such profound reflection on the human condition. When Pacino’s postmodern-Hollywood society is placed alongside Shakespeare’s Christian universe, the social progress required to achieve a proclaimed state of ‘egalitarianism’ is made evident.

Her essay begins with what I like to call “the fancy Module A appetiser” - this is something that comes with great practice in Module A and a very strong understanding of what the module is really about. Once you have exposed yourself to many Mod A questions, creating general and universal statements that capture the true essence of the essay question and the module comes really easy and quick. Riya immediately shows the marker an excellent understanding of how texts influence each other across time and space - we love this in Module A. She then moves on to clearly state the nature of the textual conversation, interweaving concepts and themes throughout. The context of both texts is made extremely clear, and the influence of the original text on the contemporary text is proven to be necessary and poignant. A big tick in the marker’s eyes!

The Two-Fold Body Structure

In Module A, there are a few essay structures you can adopt. The main ones being what I call the ‘four shorter paired paragraphs’ structure and the ‘two conceptual big boy paragraphs’ structure. If you want to see how the first works I recommend checking out this article for an exemplar, but for this essay Riya implements the conceptual structure. It’s important to see that there are many different ways to present a textual conversation essay - and any way as long as it’s done properly can work! Riya does an incredible job applying the two-fold structure - utilising the benefits of the structure to her advantage. This structure allows for a clearer representation of the ‘textual conversation’ and presents the texts as inherently intertwined for the marker!

Paragraph 1 - Human Nature

The vulnerability of human nature when faced with the choice to conform to society or preserve individuality invokes a meaningful conversation between Shakespeare’s Christian universe and Pacino’s secular society. King Richard III asserts providentialism in the opening of the play, “Cheated of feature…Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time” metaphorically conveying the influence of a theological worldview in which Richard’s physical deformity is a manifestation of his evil. Meanwhile, Pacino’s docu-drama employs intertextuality from one of Shakespeare’s well known plays – ‘The Tempest’, to benefit from his 20th century society’s awareness of the more famous lines from his canon. The serene music and voice over in  “these our actors, as I foretold you…were spirits… melted into thin air” emphasises the subversion of providentialism and rather privileges the assertion of free will in a society in which life is perceived to be transient, ‘our little life is rounded with a sleep’. Though Shakespeare does flirt with the notion of free will as Richard is ‘determined to prove a villain’,  his ambitions are within the contextual boundaries that clearly establish divine justice as the ultimate conclusion to any exertion of free will. As evident in the restoration of power to its rightful owner, Richmond, as “peace lives again…God say amen”, alludes to chaos as an implication of disobedience to society’s rigid moral compass, when in pursuit of free will. Contrastingly, Pacino deliberately lengthens Richard’s death scene in order to gain sympathy from an audience that is rather accepting of individual choices as ironically highlighted in “I love the silence”. This “silence” is perceived as a consequence of moral disintegration, emphasising the universal construct of vulnerability, and inviting audiences to appreciate individuality in a world where conformity is the preferred norm. Ultimately, the power and originality of textual conversations is made evident through its reflection of what it means to be human – and, an individual, while adhering to society’s dominant moral codes.

Here, Riya moves between different pieces of evidence within the two different texts fluidly, building upon her main idea in the topic sentence. By examining Shakespeare through the lens of Pacino , she makes it hard for the markers not to pay her the marks. Every claim is backed by textual evidence that is specific and well analysed. She applies every technique and links it back to the main concept of the paragraph. As you read her paragraph, each sentence builds upon each other and creates a richer and more multifaceted understanding of human nature and morality. This is what markers are looking for - is the student making any complex or interesting thematic arguments that reflect a more nuanced understanding of the textual conversation?

Paragraph 2 - Gender Dynamics

Like the structure suggests, the second paragraph illuminates a dialogue on a different concept to the first. Markers are looking for a different perspective that can reflect the importance of context on literature. In this paragraph, Riya dissects the intricate concept of gender dynamics and reflects upon how each text amplifies the concerns of the other.

The exploration of gender dynamics in King Richard III and Looking For Richard challenges a profound notion. As our modern society proclaims to have evolved in its representation of women in art, 20th century Hollywood reveals a confronting reality – that female actors and characters are still not presented by their intellectual and rightful standing. Aware of Richard’s machinations and prophesying his downfall, the female characters in Shakespeare’s play are afforded great advocacy. Through the utilisation of King Henry VI’s corpse as a mere stage prop in Act 1 Scene 2, “The corpse of King Henry is carried in”, Shakespeare is able to effectively convey that it is Lady Anne’s loss of societal power without a husband that makes her succumb to Richard’s wooing instead of emotional weakness; constituting her as a survivor rather than a victim in her patriarchal society. Contrastingly, Pacino sexualises Lady Anne’s character; dressed in a low V-necked gown, Anne is represented as a vulnerable woman seeking male companionship rather than a strong character fighting for survival. Such female representation challenges the presumption that the flow of time correlates with greater gender equality, perhaps even proposing that modern audiences have fine-tuned the male gaze to view women as sexual creatures. This notion is further reinforced by greenroom scenes in the docu-drama, a close-up of actress Penelope Allen’s dishevelled face, emphasises her frustration by the lack of interest Pacino and his team display in understanding her character, Queen Elizabeth, “That’s the way you want me to behave, is that it?”. Meanwhile, Shakespeare affords great power to his female characters, as exemplified by the foreshadowing of Richard’s downfall by the hysterical Queen Margaret, “Live each of you the subjects to his hate, … and all of you to God’s”. Thus, emphasising that despite being a text composed within the confines of a patriarchal society, King Richard III subtly asserts the power of women in literature. Ultimately, challenging modern audiences with a profound questioning of their own society, which proclaims to be progressive in its treatment of women, but, when placed adjacent to Shakespearean literature, its flaws are clearly distinguishable.

From the very start, Riya draws attention to her application of the concept to our contemporary contextual landscape. By reflecting the universality of gender dynamics across contexts, Riya instantly sets up the markers to give her marks for identifying a keystone value which can provide both resonance and dissonance. Yet, the big ticket winner here for a marker is her interesting take on the concept - Riya presents an argument that subverts assumptions and expectations of our contemporary society, reflecting the original text as one more progressive than the newer. By using very detailed evidence, Riya strongly displays her arguments through the explicit characterisation of females in both texts. The use of specific Module A vocabulary such as “challenging, contrastingly, proposing, asserts” makes this paragraph stellar in the marker’s eyes.

Like Project Academy’s style? Come enrol in our classes today !

Putting All The Pieces Together

The conclusion is your final way to convince the marker that your essay is strong and cohesive (and that you were actually trying to say something)! You must reflect back on your thesis and join all your points together. Here, Riya restates the nature of the textual conversation, and makes conceptual statements surrounding human nature and gender dynamics that she has already proven in her body. By this point, markers know what your arguments are, and there is no time to be adding in any new points!

The power and originality of Shakespearean literature facilitates such textual conversations that illuminate the literary value of Pacino’s film. The docu-drama’s dynamic textual form appeals to a modern audience and motivates a profound reflection on the human condition. Moreover, vulnerability is asserted as a universal construct across all contexts rather than a weakness inherent to man-kind. While challenging audiences on their presumption that the passage of time is synonymous with social progress, in particular greater gender equality. Consequently, audiences are left with a reformed and rather evolved understanding of their world, encouraging them to take an active stance in the creation of their social narrative. Thus, emphasising that such insight can only be facilitated when two texts of distinct time periods are studied in tandem.

She ends her conclusion with another “fancy Module A appetiser”, but this time her focus is on the audience interpretation and what we can gain as readers of both texts in unison. This is an amazing way to show the marker that you also even understand the textual conversation between reader and writer! Overall, her essay begins strongly, explores her arguments with conviction and well-analysed evidence and ends with a nuanced and introspective reflection on the textual conversation between the two texts. It’s all smiles from the markers :)

So, there you go! Hopefully this helped you see what markers are looking for in an excellent King Richard III x Looking for Richard essay! Remember, by understanding what makes a marker happy, you are automatically setting yourself up for success! Keep writing and reviewing, you got this!

Top 5 Tips for Acing HSC Biology

The Head of Biology, Alex's guide to acing HSC Biology

Alex Loustau

Head of Biology & 99.45 ATAR

HSC Chemistry Year 12: Your Complete Guide to Reactions and Chemical Processes

Learn equilibrium reactions, chemical synthesis, and organic chemistry reactions from an experienced teacher.

AR at North Sydney Girls, 95 in Chemistry

Ultimate Guide To Getting A Co-Op Scholarship Offer

This is a summary of the best tips, tricks and techniques accumulated over...

Project Academy

TEAM OF ACADEMIC ADVISORS

Ultimate Guide to Literary Techniques

This article will guide you through the use and analysis of literary techniques for the HSC English course. Written by the HSC English team at Project Academy.

Elliese Tjeuw

Maximise Your Chances Of Coming First At School

Trial any Project Academy course for 3 weeks.

NSW's Top 1% Tutors

Unlimited Tutorials

NSW's Most Effective Courses

Access to Project's iPad

Access to Exclusive Resources

Access to Project's Study Space

Mod A – Practice Questions on Richard III and Looking for Richard

DOWNLOAD THE RESOURCE

Resource Description

“To what extent do the texts you have studied demonstrate that the values a text presents are shaped by its context?” Respond to this question in relation to your prescribed text.

The values and ideas within a text are shaped by the author’s personal, cultural and social context, and provide a deeper insight on the meaning of the text. Richard III by William Shakespeare echoes the values of the Elizabethan society through various themes and ideas and contradicts them in various others. Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard adapts the themes evident in Richard III to adhere to a contemporary society’s values as the context varied significantly between each texts’ era.. Each text presents their own representation of themes such as gender, religion and the human conscience to satisfy the morals of their audience and illustrate the values of their society.

Gender is a prominent theme within all texts and context has a great influence on how it is illustrated. The role of women in Shakespeare and Pacino’s eras are vastly different, with the former having a more archaic approach towards the theme. Throughout Richard III, the women have varying roles and levels of power, however none exceed that of which was given to the male characters. Queen Elizabeth has a significant role within Shakespeare’s play as she is the wife of the King’s brother and Richard III’s sister in law and enemy. Her character has an emotional impact to the play and many of her scenes are of her distressed and saying lines such as; “If he were dead, what would betide on me?” and “…his minority is put under the trust of Richard Gloucester, a man who loves not me nor none of you.” The emotive language the Queen uses reflects the perceptions Shakespeare’s audience would naturally have on women; emotional and dramatic characters. Her confusion when rhetorically asking what would happen to her if the king passed is a reflection of the reliance women had on men during the fifteenth century.

Report a problem

Popular HSC Resources

• Speech on George Orwell ‘1984’ – Human Experiences
• How To Survive the HSC
• One Night the Moon – Analysis (Video)
• 2020 – Physics – PHS (Trial Paper)
• Business Studies Influences on HR (Quiz)
• Sci Ext – Portfolio Pack
• 2020 – Science Ext – Exam Choice (Trial Paper)
• Domino’s Marketing Case Study

Become a Hero

Easily become a resource hero by simply helping out HSC students. Just by donating your resources to our library!

What are you waiting for, lets Ace the HSC together!

Join our Email List

No account needed.

Get the latest HSC updates.

All you need is an email address.

Richard III

By william shakespeare, the characters of richard iii video.

Watch the illustrated video of the characters in Richard III

Richard III was believed to be written around 1591, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and about a century after the historical King Richard III’s death. The play depicts the concluding events of the War of the Roses, a series of civil wars fought in England during the fifteenth century. For decades, two rival factions of the House of Plantagenet, known as the Lancasters and the Yorks, vied for control of the English throne. At the start of the play, the Lancastrians have been defeated by the Yorkists and the country has enjoyed relative peace under the reign of Yorkist king Edward IV.Richard III features an extensive cast of characters. While understanding the varied relationships among characters might pose a challenge, they can generally be divided into three categories: Richard’s allies, Richard’s enemies, and the women at court.

Part One: Richard’s Allies

The Duke of Gloucester , who will become King Richard III , is the central character of the play. He is manipulative and conniving, physically deformed, rhetorically skilled, and murderous in his pursuit of the throne. Many contend that, along with Iago from Othello, Richard III is one of Shakespeare’s greatest dramatic villains.

When Richard’s brother, King Edward IV, dies, Richard desires to seize the throne for himself. As he is not the rightful inheritor of the crown, he enlists the help of the Duke of Buckingham to help him achieve his goal. Together, Richard and Buckingham manipulate the court and hire various hitmen to eliminate other threats to the crown. These casualties include Richard’s older brother, the Duke of Clarence, and Richard’s nephews, who are referred to as the “young princes” throughout the play.

Part Two: Richard’s Enemies

Richard’s enemies are often extinguished before they have a chance to challenge him. However, one crucial enemy develops over the course of the play. Henry Tudor, the Earl of Richmond , is a member of the rival Lancastrian house. He raises a rebel army and eventually defeats Richard at the end of the play. Richmond, as he is mostly called, is portrayed as kind, just, and fair, standing in stark contrast to Richard and his many self-serving schemes. One reason for Richmond’s sterling portrait is that he is an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth I, who sat on the English throne at the time the play was written.

Part Three: The Women at Court

Richard also maintains enemies in the various women at court, though their status as women affords them little power against him. Queen Elizabeth is the widow of King Edward IV and the mother of the young princes. She is strong-willed and vocal in her opposition to Richard, but can do little but rely on her kinsmen – Dorset, Rivers, and Gray – to combat Richard’s schemes.

Margaret of Anjou is the widow of the former Lancastrian King Henry VI. She is often compared to a witch, as she frequently hurls curses at Richard and calls for his demise.

Lady Anne is Margaret’s daughter-in-law and is the widow of the former Prince Edward of the Lancastrian line. Anne reluctantly agrees to marry Richard after he explains to her that she has no allies left at court.

The Duchess of York is Richard’s mother who is ashamed of his behavior. She scorns her youngest son and is fiercely protective of her daughter-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, as well as her grandchildren.

Finally, Elizabeth of York – the only daughter of Edward IV and the sister of the young princes – becomes a political pawn over the course of the play. She is eventually betrothed to Richmond, a marriage that unites the Lancastrian and Yorkist claims to the throne, ending the War of the Roses.

Despite the fact that Richard III depicts historical events instigated by men, many argue that the women serve an even more important role in the play. Virtually every female character is a widow, and while they are powerless to act, the women – especially Margaret, Lady Anne, and Queen Elizabeth – serve as consistent harbingers of the past and what has been lost. In fact, many suggest that while the events of the play represent English history, the female characters might represent an antithetical notion of English memory.

Richard III Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Richard III is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What do you know about the setting? Setting is more than simple location. How does the location/time period/social environment/time of day/ etc impact the meaning? How does the setting help the work address the UHE? In act 1 scene 1

Check this out:

https://nosweatshakespeare.com/richard-iii-play/settings/

What do you know about the characters? How do the characters grow or change? How does this affect the overall meaning of the work? How do the characters represent the UHE? In act 1 scene 1

UHE? Also, Gradesaver has a complete list of characters and their traits readily available in its study guide for the unit. There are far too many characters to address on this short-answer forum.

In Act II, Scene IV, Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess of York, the Lord Cardinal, and the young Duke of York discuss the the stories of Richard's childhood. Shakespeare alludes to a myth that he was born with teeth. Dorset enters the room with bad...

Study Guide for Richard III

Richard III study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Richard III
• Richard III Summary
• Richard III Video
• Character List

Essays for Richard III

Richard III literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Richard III.

• Kingship As a Means Or An End in Shakespeare's King Richard II and King Richard III
• The Sun and Its Shadow
• Speculation on Richard III's Malignity
• Deformity of the Mind: Richard's Source of Villainy
• Humanity Versus Heroism in Shakespeare's Richard III and Coriolanus

Lesson Plan for Richard III

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Richard III
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Richard III Bibliography

E-Text of Richard III

The Richard III e-text contains the full text of Richard III by William Shakespeare.

• List of Characters

Wikipedia Entries for Richard III

• Introduction