The first act begins with king richard sitting majestically on his throne in full state. The tragedy of king richard ii, by william shakespeare, is the first of the history series that continues with parts 1 and 2 of king henry iv and with the life of. Richard, gaunt says, will end up eating england herself. Richard ii by william shakespeare is the first of eight plays that portray a historicallyinformed version of the war of the roses beginning in about 65 and ending with richard iiis death in 1485 edited by j. Richard ii, chronicle play in five acts by william shakespeare, written in 159596 and published in a quarto edition in 1597 and in the first folio. Shakespeare s richard ii depicts a critical struggle in english history that existed between richard ii and his cousin henry bolinbroke in 99. The play begins with king richard sitting majestically on his throne in full state, having been requested that he arbitrate a dispute between thomas mowbray and richards cousin, henry bolingbroke, who has accused mowbray of squandering money given to him by richard for the kings. Richard iii audio edition folger shakespeare library. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. He gives an outstanding performance as richard, which is important, because lets face it he does tend to go on a little. However he does not reveal that king richard ii ordered this nor that he could have prevented gloucesters death. A story of power and plotting, richard ii is the first of shakespeares four plays about the house of lancaster. The last major play in the oxford shakespeare series, richard ii features a freshly edited version of the text based on the early quartos and first folio of 1623, with thorough accompanying material for readers, students, and performers.
This lyrical beginning to the war of the roses is among the most moving of all of shakespeares histories. Richard banishes his cousin henry bolingbroke, whose inheritance richard steals. But he is also a flawed human being, illsuited to the demands of kingship. Shakespeares historical tragedy about the deposition of richard ii by his cousin bolingbroke subsequently henry iv is a sparkling display of opposites clashing, dissolving, reopposing. If you seek recorded renditions of william shakespeare s most celebrated works youll love our downloadable audio library. His productions of shakespeare in the theatre have included.
Sir isaac asimov points out in his introduction that nearly two centuries pass between the end of king john and the start of richard ii. King richard ii by william shakespeare free at loyal books. Great britain history richard ii, 7799 drama category. The play begins with king richard sitting majestically on his throne in full state, having been requested that he arbitrate a dispute between thomas mowbray and richard s cousin, henry bolingbroke, who has accused mowbray of squandering money given to him by richard for the kings. For standalone plays like king lear, hamlet and macbeth, the context seems to almost disappear. Written by william shakespeare, audiobook narrated by rupert graves, julian glover, john wood.
In richard ii, shakespeare draws on real historical accounts to dramatize the reign of richard ii. William shakespeare audiobooks download instantly today. The steps by which bolingbroke mounts the throne are those by which richard sinks into the grave. The sensitive and poetic richard ii is undoubtedly the rightful king of england but he is unscrupulous and weak. Narration, keeper, and lord read by annie coleman king richard ii and first servant read by peter yearsley. King richard the second by william shakespeare free ebook. Richard iii is a historical play by william shakespeare believed to have been written around 1593. Shakespeare theatre companys production is part of shakespeare for a new generation, a national initiative sponsored by the national endowment for the arts in cooperationwith arts midwest. As i followed along with the written play, this production swept me into richard s medieval world, complete with sound effects and mood music. Richard iii by william shakespeare, paperback barnes.
The play draws us to identify with richard and his fantasy of total control of self and domination of. The play is the first in a sequence of four history plays known collectively as the second tetralogy. Richard ii the oxford shakespeare william shakespeare edited by anthony b. When i stumbled upon the following quote from richard ii, o call back yesterday, bid time return, i knew at last where richard matheson drew his own title for what became the memorable film, somewhere in time. By the way, shakespeare wrote romeo and juliet around the same time he whipped up richard ii. The plot discovered, aumerlie is shown mercy whilst richard ii is imprisoned at ponfret castle, sir pierce of exton killing him in the mistaken belief it is henry ivs wish.
A wonderful classic recording of some of the greatest actors performing shakespeare, for the first time released on digital download. Richard ii richard ii audiobook, by william shakespeare. Henry compares richard to a cormorant, a greedy bird known for eating fish whole. Richard iii is the fourth play in the first tetralogy, which was written between 1591 and 1595, comprises, in historical, not authorship order, henry vi part 1, henry vi part 2, henry vi part 3, and richard iii. King richard ii begins with henry bolingbroke accusing the duke of norfolk, mowbray for the duke of gloucesters death, the brother of king richard ii. Plot summary representations of kingship and power in shakespeare s second tetralogy shakespeare s reputation in elizabethan england.
Click on the appropriate links below to read shakespeares original richard iii text. The beautiful poetry of richard ii tugs at the heart, and this biting story reminds us that the passage of centuries can never untangle the rats nest of political acrimony, especially among cousins. Imagery and symbolism in richard ii arthur suzman he fall of richard and the rise of bolingbroke provide the central theme of shakespeare s tragedy, the life and death of king richard the second. Richard ii is a bit of a problem play not as well known, lots of charactersactors to keep track of, and a lesser known monarch but none the less i think this company of actors took it in stride, creating unique portrayals and delivering some of the most lush and elegant lines in all of the shakespearian canon. Richard ii arkangel starring rupert graves richard ii, julian glover bolingbroke, and john wood john of gaunt. Weve just been informed of a great new resource for listening to shakespeare s plays on audio. The play is a series of confrontations that begins with richard s banishment of bolinbroke and the duke of nor. Mar 12, 2012 the first play of a historical tetralogy consisting of shakespeares henry iv parts 1 and 2 and henry v, richard ii details the tragic downfall of the eponymous king and simultaneous rise of henry iv.
It depicts the machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of king richard iii of england. There is a lot of information on the rscs website including a brief interview with tennant, but little casting has as yet been made public except for oliver ford davies playing the duke of york, nigel lindsay playing bolingbrook and. Imagery and symbolism in richard ii arthur suzman he fall of richard and the rise of bolingbroke provide the central theme of shakespeares tragedy, the life and death of king richard the second. In richard ii, anger at a kings arbitrary rule leads to his downfalland sets in motion a decadeslong struggle for the crown that continues in several more history plays. This page contains the original text of richard ii, act 5, scene 1. Richard ii audiobook by william shakespeare 9781572708990. Shakespeares king richard ii act 2, scene 1 with study. Richard ii by william shakespeare audiobook youtube. Reviewed in the united states on september 12, 2014. Plot summary representations of kingship and power in shakespeares second tetralogy shakespeares reputation in elizabethan england.
Richard iii act 2, scene 1 richard iii act 2, scene 2 richard iii act 2, scene 3 richard iii act 2, scene 4. It is the first of four connected playsincluding 1 henry iv. Benson played richard, oscar asche, mowbray, harcourt williams, hotspur, frank rodney, bolingbroke, and lily brayton, the queen wearing, i. Shakespeares original richard ii text is long, so weve split the text into one scene per page.
Jan 26, 20 richard iii by william shakespeare full audiobook greatest audio books richard iii is a history play by william shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. Whereas richard iis reliance on his bloodline and the divine right of kings makes him old fashioned and reminiscent of medieval rulers, henry ivs contrastingly modern reliance on machiavellian principles and his intellectual prowess gives him an edge that is ultimately richards undoing. William shakespeare 15641616 the tragedy of king richard ii, by william shakespeare, is the first of the history series that continues with parts 1 and 2 of king henry iv and with the life of king henry v. The play begins as richards cousin, henry bolingbroke, charges thomas mowbray with serious crimes, including the murder of the duke of gloucester. Then thus i turn me from my countrys light, to dwell in solemn shades of endless night. Folio 1 1623, folio 2 1632, basis for q6, folio 3 16634, folio 4 1685 quartos. Browse our impressively comprehensive collection to find all of the william shakespeare plays youre looking for. Arkangel shakespeare audible audiobook original recording. In richard iii, shakespeare invites us on a moral holiday.
Quarto 1 1597, quarto 2 1598, quarto 3 1598, quarto 4 1608, quarto 5 1615, quarto 6 1634. William shakespeare king richard ii humanitiesebooks. Richard ii is king of england, john of gaunts nephew and bullingbrooks cousin. Here at youll find all of shakespeare s most popular plays including henry iv, part 1, hamlet and much ado about nothing to name a few. First folio teacher curriculum shakespeare theatre. The second edition quarto of this play, printed in 1598, was the first shakespeare play to. When richard banishes his cousin henry bolingbroke, he sets off a dramatic sequence of events that seals his fate, splits his kingdom in two, and changes the course of history forever. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The first folio teacher curriculum guide for richard ii was developed by the shakespeare theatre company education department. Exton from your own mouth, my lord, did i this deed. Richard ii audiobook audio theater by william shakespeare. Please see the bottom of this page for helpful richard ii resources. A king becomes a manrichard ii is dangerously out of touch with his kingdom.
An overview and statistics of shakespeare s play king richard ii. Richard iii by william shakespeare full audiobook greatest audio books richard iii is a history play by william shakespeare, believed to have. Surrounded by ambitious men who would prey on his vulnerabilities, richard is toppled from the throne by his cunning and capable cousin, henry. Arkangel shakespeare audible audiobook original recording william shakespeare author, rupert graves narrator, julian glover narrator. Henry bolingbroke they love not poison that do poison need, nor do i thee. Richard iii is an early history play probably written and performed around 159293. When henry bolingbrokefather of the future henry vchallenges richard for the throne. Weve just been informed of a great new resource for listening to shakespeares plays on audio.
The two parts of henry iv feature falstaff, a vividly depicted character who from the beginning has enjoyed immense popularity. If you seek recorded renditions of william shakespeares most celebrated works youll love our downloadable audio library. King richard the second is a history play by william shakespeare believed to have. Productions of richard ii 1900 frank bensons troupe performed richard ii sixteen times march 15may 5 at the lyceum theatre london. Donate to support old library audiobooks comoldlibraryaudiobooksdonation. Many noteworthy novels, plays and movies have taken their titles from lines of shakespeare too many to list here for a complete rundown, see wiki. Shakespeare s finest verse play is also his first portrait of the psychology of power. Written in 1595, richard ii occupies a significant place in the shakespeare canon, marking the transition from the earlier history plays dominated by civil war and stark power to a more nuanced representation of the political conflicts of englands past where character and politics are inextricably intertwined. In the presence of king richard, henry bolingbroke who would eventually be henry iv accuses thomas mowbray duke of norfolk of embezzling crown funds and of plotting the death of his uncle, the duke of gloucester. At the beginning of the play, richard ii banishes his cousin henry bolingbroke from england.
Quotations from other shakespeare plays are taken from volumes in the new cambridge shakespeare series, and quotations from shakespeares sources for richard ii, the chronicles of. It contains almost no humour, other than a wry scene in which the new king, henry iv, must adjudicate the competing claims of the duke of york and his additional information. Here at youll find all of shakespeares most popular plays including henry iv, part 1, hamlet and much ado about nothing to name a few. The tragedy of richard ii, by william shakespeare, full length audiobook 1960 richard ii full audio production richard ii by william shakespeare read by full audio book richard ii by william shakespeare starring john gielgud 1960. Richard ii audiobook william shakespeare 1554 1616 richard ii by william shakespeare is the first of eight plays that portray a. The tragedy of king richard ii by william shakespeare on free. All quotations from king richard ii are taken from king richard ii, the arden shakespeare, ed. The play is a series of confrontations that begins with richards banishment of bolinbroke and the duke of nor shakespeares richard ii depicts a critical struggle in english history that existed between richard ii and his cousin henry bolinbroke in 99. Richard ii by william shakespeare is the first of eight plays that portray a historicallyinformed version of the war of the roses beginning in. Richard ii and edward ii take the stage the shakespeare blog. The sensitive and poetic richard ii is undoubtedly the rightful king of england but. He wastes money, raises taxes to support his lavish lifestyle, plays favorites, and cares more about his vanity than the common good. Authoritarian, unwilling to listen to good advice, friendly with persons not of noble birth, he is not the sort of king likely to earn his noblemens love. Listen to richard ii by william shakespeare available from rakuten kobo.
Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Richard ii cuts straight to the heart posted on july 6, 2018 originally published on july 5, 2018 by terry teachout in the wall street journal a new. Shakespeares king richard ii act 2, scene 1 with study resources. King richard believes himself to be gods chosen on earth. The deposed monarch did not go quietly, killing two of extons accomplices. All acts and scenes are listed on the original richard ii text page, or linked to from the bottom of this page. Taken together, richard ii, each part of henry iv, and henry v form a second tetralogy of historical plays, although each can stand alone, and they are usually performed separately. More poet than monarch, richard is illsuited to the role that lineage and legacy demands of him. Next week rehearsals begin for the most highprofile event of the rscs year, richard ii starring david tennant, directed by artistic director gregory doran. The complete history plays of william shakespeare v.
Henry v, hamlet and loves labours lost rsc, romeo and juliet lyric, as you like it, hamlet. First folio teacher curriculum shakespeare theatre company. Books for mks is a charity organization that donates books to missionary kids on the foreign mission field all over the world. The play is a series of confrontations that begins with richards banishment of bolinbroke. Jan 08, 2014 this lyrical beginning to the war of the roses is among the most moving of all of shakespeares histories. Richard ii by william shakespeare is the first of eight plays that portray a historicallyinformed version of the war of the roses beginning in about 65 and ending with richard iiis death in 1485. Richard iii act 1, scene 1 richard iii act 1, scene 2 richard iii act 1, scene 3 richard iii act 1, scene 4.
Richard ii by william shakespeare dramatic reading youtube. Start a free 30day trial today and get your first audiobook. It is the culmination of shakespeares earlier three plays about henry vi, and chronicles the bloody career of richard, duke of gloucester. It is the first of four connected playsincluding 1 henry iv, 2 henry iv, and. Read the complete history plays of william shakespeare v. A story of power and plotting, richard ii is the first of shakespeare s four plays about the house of lancaster. Richard ii william shakespeare oxford university press. A history play by william shakespeare believed based on the life of king richard ii of england ruled 7799. When his cousin henry bolingbroke returns from banishment and mounts a challenge to his authority, richard s right to the throne proves of little help to him. Speak the speech is a nonprofit audio theatre company dedicated to providing freely available shakespearean audio performances online.