The True Tragedy of Richard, Duke of York. 1600

by William Shakespeare

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152 pages, Hardcover

Published April 23, 2016

About the author

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner ("sharer") of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men after the ascension of King James VI and I of Scotland to the English throne. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs, and even certain fringe theories as to whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.
Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. However, in 1623, John Heminge and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that includes 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson, a former rival of Shakespeare, that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".

Reviews

[Carol Arce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of the three plays, Henry VI part I, II, and III, this one, part III The True Tragedy of Richard, Duke of York was the strongest and my favorite. This play was less chaotic and more focused than the other two and the characters much more introspective and strongly developed. We see King Henry in hiding, contemplating what it would be like to be a simple shepherd without all the intrigue, plotting, betrayal and constant attempts on his life. Yet despite his apparent longing for this simpler life, he never relinquishes HIS claim to the throne. He relinquishes his son's, telling Richard, let me remain as king and I will make YOU and the your heirs my heirs. This brings out the "mama grizzly" or as Shakespeare phrased it, "tiger's heart wrapped in woman's hide" in Queen Margaret; she is not going to let anyone relinquish her son's claim to the throne. She puts on armor and goes with Prince Edward to fight Richard to defend his claim. Margaret is a marvelous character, that I would like to read more about! But the character that Shakespeare writes more about is the Duke of York's third son, also named Richard. Richard is a fascinating character. After the death of the Duke of York and his son Edward's obtaining the crown, we see Richard contemplating how he might become king, though he knows his brother's sons, his second brother George and any sons George might produce would all be ahead of him in the line of succession. But that does not deter Richard; he is one of the most ruthless characters ever set down on paper.

[Matt Carton · Rating 3 out of 5]

More 2-1/2 stars than 3. Some good stuff early on, but the 4th act is too long and all over the place. This play needs a Jack Cade. The future Richard III does provide a lot of evil energy. Best role of the play goes to Queen Margaret, who’s a real badass. But Henry? Oh, he’s such a simp.