Richard II: The Transformation of a King
Richard undergoes a metaphorical and physical descent as the old values of the Chain of Being no longer apply. His perception of reality shifts, leading him to question his identity and ultimately experiencing a loss of self and kingship.
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Richard II: From Ceremony to Farce
What happens to Richard in the radically changing universe of the play where old Chain of Being values no longer apply?
Richards suffers a metaphorical destabilization of the old order in the language spoken about him directly after Bolingbroke s speech: 3.3.61-70, p. 64 He then undergoes a literal, physical descent from the battlements, 3.3.177-182, pp. 67-68.
The Structure of the Elizabethan Public Stage: New Globe (exterior), 1996 Sketch of the Swan Theater (by Johannes de Witt), c. 1596 New Globe (stage), 1995 New Globe (heavens), 1996 Heavenly masquer who might be lowered from the heavens (1605) Sketch of Globe (heavens and deux ex machina) New Globe (stage and galleries), 1997
The overhanging canopy was called the heavens and the stage represented the earth. What did the yard or pit stand for where the groundlings stood? A) Street B) Hell C) Field D) Parlor E) Slum
On his downward trajectory from his high place as King, Richard comes to understand Perspectural" destabilization: He comes to see his ordered universe (ordered by the old concept of the Chain of Being) as itself a mere fabricated conceit, or maskedness. He comes to see himself as mere story, a representation, increasingly open to interpretation. And, in viewing his reign thus awry, he comes to see the grievous skull in the picture of his ordered universe (his own mortality); 3.2.144-77, pp. 58-59
Richard loses his sense of stable self, which is prelude to his losing His place (King) His name (speaking of himself in the third person, he says, Must he lose / The name of king? A God s name, let it go (3.3.144-145, p. 33) His very being, as he becomes at the opening of Act 4, nothing (l. 200, p. 81) Ay, no; no, ay: for I must nothing be
Ay, no; no, ay: for I must nothing be Could someone come up and write out on the board a possible translation of the first words of this line (up to the colon)? Possible interpretations of Ay, no; no ay : 1. Yes, no; no, yes 2. Yes, no; no I 3. I, no; no, I 4. I know no I
In his death-bed speech, John of Gaunt reproaches the King, nostalgically invoking the old Chain of Being order: 2.1.1-68 (pp. 28-29) This speech belongs to the world of the first tournament: a ceremonious, static, corporate world (a chain of being).
What is the significance that in Gaunts long death-bed invocation of the old Chain of Being order, he finally introduces the verb to his sentence at l. 59: "Is now leas'd out ? A) The delayed verb stresses just how long-winded Gaunt is B) The delayed verb stresses the destabilizing of being by its sudden detaching of land from established identity through leasing C) The delayed verb shows how important it is for economics to finally enter into Gaunt s and Richard s vision
Ceremony Re-presented 4.1.1-90 (pp. 74-78) clearly evokes the gage scene that opens the play. But it is left out of the BBC production. Let s enact it: we need 8 volunteers (one non- speaking), using books for gages. Aumerle and Fitzwater need two books/gages.
What is Shakespeare's most likely purpose in inserting this second gage scene at this point in the play?
Conclusion: the second gage scene represents the structure of the first but brings out the element of show all men are playing out a political game oath-making becomes farce And the farce keeps being re-presented, as in the ridiculous scene put on by the Duke and Duchess of York for Bolingbroke in 5.3.23-145. Bolingbroke s comment about this show : Our scene is alt red from a serious thing, And now changed to the Beggar and the King (5.3.78-79)
