1983. From a novel or play of literary merit, select an important character who is a villain. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze the nature of the character's villainy and show how it enhances meaning in the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.
A film or dramas villain has one purpose; to stop the hero. By trying to stop the hero, they show how their villainy affects the hero and how it adds to the story. Richard, from Shakespeare's Richard III, shows this use of villainy willingly and takes us down the costly road to gaining power and becoming king at any cost. Shakespeare's use of language, and imagery help to characterize Richard as a "tainted" man who is foreign to the concepts of love and family.
We enter the play with Richard speaking of how England has no king. He at first seems harmless, speaking about his brother in "the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York". He quickly turns on his "good" values to find Lady Anne, the recent widow of the Prince of Whales. Here Richard tells the audience that Lady Anne is beautiful and he must have her for wife. Richards words of love are showy and have no meaning, though he talks of how her love has changed him. Richards language is precise and sounds rehearsed, giving an off an odd feeling about him as a person. He ends the scene saying "I'll have her; but I will not keep her long". These quotes give the audience a look at Richards character and give them the chance to decide if he really is a nice guy who's a little crazy or a pure villain.
As the last Act begins, the death toll is over ten. Everyone who has crossed paths with Richard is now dead and Richard, all alone, starts going mad. The night of the final battle for the throne, Richard is visited by eight ghosts of those he has killed. Appearing in his dreams they prophesy that Richard will "despair and die". This is the first time we see Richard feeling vulnerable and realize his actions. The imagery the ghost present to him gives a spooky feeling and shows how Richard is truly proud to be a villain. These doubts severely change the mood of the show and turn it from a show of murder into a the test of Richards conciseness. Before the final battle Richard exclaims, "a horse. A horse! My kingdom for a horse!!" Richard has many similar statements, short, to the point and picturesque.
Richard III's villainy commands Shakespeare's play. It focuses on villainy and the consequences of its actions, trying to show only what Richard has only every wanted; acceptance and love.
1 comment:
I feel that your intro is characterized by a broad since the beginning of time statement that Ms. Holmes has warned us about using in the intro. I think the first 2 sentences could be adjusted somehow. Your thesis is good, but to show how the character's villainy enhances the plot you could say something like " emphasizing the costly nature of a quest to achieve power". This would more answer the idea of a how it enhances the meaning of a work.
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