Richard III

Kings are generally thought to be beautiful, God-like humans from a certain genealogy. They are placed at the throne due to whom they were born to and/or who they marry. Richard of Glouster is born of the royal family but, he does not possess the qualities of a King to be legitimate according to Shakespeare’s Richard III. Richard and his brothers are all entitled to the throne if their father dies. By killing …

…would be worth more. Shakespeare’s depiction of Richard III’s rise and fall from the throne clearly show that Richard’s claim to the throne is more solid than his brothers. Yet, taking a closer look reveals that Richard’s claim is illegitimate also. His illegitimacy is not bound by bastardliness but by the qualities he possesses. Works Cited 1) Shakespeare, William. Richard III. In The Norton Shakespeare. Edited by Stephen Greenblatt. New York: Norton, 1997.