Both Richard and Macbeth are giving the crown, but not without some seriously speculation. In Richard's case it's because he might have had a hand in his own uncle's death, and Macbeth, well he killed the king to get the crown. Both seem to be very deceitful people, aided by even more mischievous comrades. Macbeth's wife stokes the fire of treason so that she and her husband can have the ultimate power. Richard is aided by his other uncles, and used as a pawn to possibly cover up the murder.
Not only are Richard and Macbeth poor rulers, but it seems to be a patter of Shakespeare's that he does not have the desire to make the Kings in his plays the heros. I can't think of one work where the King ended up being the man with the most moral compass and always strived to do what is right. On the contrary, they're mostly devious tricksters who work on their own schedules to fulfill their own selfish desires, rather than doing what is best for their country. Or if they were good kings, they're killed off either before the play even begins, or within the first act or so. Richard is raising the taxes to get more land in Ireland, meanwhile his country is not in a place to be giving him more money, nor does he need more land. Macbeth did not have any desire to help the country, he just wanted power for power's sake. Shakespeare does not seem to have a lot of faith in the monarchy.
2 comments:
Grace's comparison here is useful. Is Richard like the vile Macbeth? Doesn't he have the same kind of aspiration to power? Shakespeare might suggest this initially, especially in the implication that he plotted to murder his uncle. But Richard inherited the throne, unlike Macbeth. He also ends the play fighting valiantly for his life. So perhaps Shakespeare shows us the parallels to a tyrannical king, but then backs off in the end?
I didn't notice that, but does Shakespeare do it all that often? What about Julius Caesar or the ruler in A Midsummer Night's dream? No one could say that either were definitely evil or insane tyrants that needed to die. True, they are not kings per say but they are the highest authority in the land in each play. I agree that having an immoral leader pops up quite often in his plays but Shakespeare doesn't do that every time he gets.
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