| Term Paper Title | Richard III |
| # of Words | 674 |
| # of Pages (250 words per page double spaced) | 2.7 |
Richard III
Michael Williams
In William Shakespeare's Richard III, we see Shakespeare's
interpretation of despot rule and the parallels that stem from this
interpretation. The character type of Richard has been examined and marveled
for thousands of years. From Plato's examination of despot rule in the
Republic, we see the motives of what drives despot rulers. A look at the
background of Richard and how his upbringing and personal life contributed to
his insecurities will help to understand why someone may become a despot. The
comparison of Adolf Hitler to that of Richard, shown by the modern motion
picture Richard III, will show the rapid rise and fall of the despot and the
reality of totalitarian rule.
Plato's Republic, a fascinating look at the comparison of the just soul
and the unjust soul, allows one to see the philosophical motives behind despot
rule. Despot rulers are simply driven by fear. Their anxieties and
insecurities lead to a hatred that has a desire to destroy, deep-rooted in
violence. Despot rulers are also never satisfied with the power they have at
any given time, thus exposing their constant fear of retaliation from their
subjects. This examination of the despot ruler by Plato clearly shows the
motives by which despot rulers rule, but it fails to explain why and how these
motives originate in the human mind.
In order to comprehend why such a high level of fear and insecurity can
be brought about, a look at the upbringing and personal life of Richard should
be brought into discussion. One of three brothers, Richard was in constant
competition of who would succeed in gaining the throne of England. Richard,
like his other brothers, wanted the title of king quite badly, but as time
pressed on it seemed less likely that Richard would succeed in gaining the
throne. His shrewd attitude and a physical deformity, that left him nearly
paralyzed, were two of the many reasons why Richard would be kept of the throne.
Richard quickly became aware of this and he therefore began his rampage to
insure himself the throne. After killing off his brothers and many others, who
were e...Read entire document
|
|
|
