The theater play, The Tragedy of Richard II, is directed by Charles Bouchard from the Brussels Shakespeare Society. The story of the overthrow of the King of England Richard II by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, the future King Henry IV, unfolds among monochrome ascetic scenery to the sound of music (Bouchard, 2013). The atmosphere recreated by the theater conveys the details of the Middle Ages well. At the time of the action, King Richard (Sebastian Chrispin) is a little over thirty, in the course of the play, makes a journey from top to bottom. In the first act, the young king appears in all his radiance. Dressed in luxurious clothes, selfish, and surrounded by flattering favorites, he sits on the throne in stark contrast to his entire appearance with the “tough men” – Bolingbroke (Duncan Lumsden) and his supporters. In the final, the overthrown king finds himself at the lowest point of his path – alone in prison.
The characters are revealed gradually in resolving the conflict in which the clearly outlined antagonists collide. The play is imbued with a tyrannical pathos, which organically merges with the patriotic tendency. In the struggle against the crowned despot, the most diverse strata of the population of England are united, including the ordinary people, whose performance ultimately determines the fate of the king; this gives the piece an objectively revolutionary sound.
Dressed up and cutesy, in the first act, King Richard causes bewilderment in the audience. But closer to the middle of the performance, he demonstrates intelligence, fearlessness, honesty. The presentation of the text changes its meaning – and a speech designed to emphasize the king’s weakness in the face of impending danger suddenly becomes a testament to his strength. Bolingbroke orders to deal with the imprisoned king not only because he fears an uprising; even deposed, Richard remains king.
Therefore, with a clarity that leaves no room for ambiguity, Richard II poses the question of whether the inheritance law and the so-called “divine right” of the king are unshakable. Richard II is presented in the play as the bearer of the feudal principle of the “divine” origin of royal power. He is deeply convinced that his dignity has as its source the sanction of heaven itself. It seems to him that divine right leaves an imprint on his very personality and that man and king are inseparable in him. However, Richard is so intoxicated with his power that he does not consider it necessary to take care of any responsibilities. He uses his power only to satisfy his passions and whims, not in the least caring about the country’s welfare.
Richard II’s behavior is causing increasing discontent in the country. He squanders and distributes state property, takes the property of disgraced nobles to his treasury, gives the state at the mercy of his favorites. Indeed, Richard II considers only his right and his will to be essential. He is a living bearer of the principle that the whole essence of power is beginning, and the end is concentrated in the monarch’s personality. Richard II looks at the state only from the point of view of what he can extract from it to satisfy his dear whims.
Throughout the play, Shakespeare opposes this view with another point of view, expressing the political concept of humanism. According to this point of view, the focus of everything is not the monarch’s personality but the state. Accordingly, the royal power is not an end in itself but a function that should ensure its welfare. Richard turns out to be an unworthy king not only because, using his “divine” right, he neglected the state’s interests but also because he trampled upon the earthly laws on which order in the state is based. He owns his kingship by inheritance, but at the same time, he does not respect the legacy of others. When John Gant dies, whose property is to pass to his son Bolingbroke, Richard II appropriates the property of his subject. Having corrected the law of inheritance, he thereby undermines inheritance law in general, including his own, because there should be one law in the state.
All in all, Richard II is a story of many choices. Moreover, Richard himself is an object, not a subject of the action; his character doesn’t go through dynamics. He remains whole and true to himself until the end, which cannot be said about other heroes. For instance, in the first act, Bolingbroke does not want to start a duel with Mowbray until he has been given the honor of kissing the king’s hand. Then, all the way, he denies his intention to overthrow the monarch, to whom he swore an oath of allegiance. At the very end, seeing the body of Richard killed by his order, Bolingbroke suddenly publicly confesses his love for the deceased and punishes the murderer.
Reference
Bouchard, C. (2013). The tragedy of Richard II [Video file]. YouTube.