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King Richard III
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Jacqueline M | 18 comments Blog #5
Book: King Richard III by William Shakespeare
Part 2

Quote:
“O, thou didst prophesy the time would
      come
    That I should wish for thee to help me curse
    That bottled spider, that foul bunch-back'd toad!”

This quote is spoken by Queen Elizabeth to the old queen Margaret after Richard has had both her children murdered and seized control of the throne. Elizabeth and all of the others scorned Margaret and ignored her warnings at the beginning of the play, and it is only once what she predicted comes true that they realize their error. Each one, some of them right before their own deaths, admit aloud that they were wrong. But of course by then it is too late.
Shakespeare must have liked this theme, because it is included in Julius Caesar (and probably some of his other plays, although none come to mind right at this moment). Julius Caesar is warned by a soothsayer, whom he ignores, then his wife (who had a dream), and then Artemidorus (well, at least, Artemidorus was trying to warn him). Anyway, Caesar had been warned, but he chose to ignore the warnings and it led to his death, like what happened to many of the characters in Richard III.


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