Gris de Thomas

See also: Richard

Richard III ( The Life and Death off Richard the Third ) is the last part of the historical Tétralogie shakespearienne already comprising the three parts of Henry VI. The totality of these four parts was written at the beginning of the career of William Shakespeare, the majority of the historians allotting to Richard III a date of writing of 1591 or 1592. Part culminating with the defeat of the démoniaque king Richard III with the battle of Bosworth in the last act, Richard III is the dramatizing of real events which ended in 1485, with the change of dynasty which one knows: the Plantagenêt leaving room to Tudor monarchy following the War of the Two-Pinks.

At the time of Shakespeare, these events were still fresh in the memories, each spectator could easily identify the various political factions and the family ties between the various characters (see the list of the Monarques of Great Britain).

Nevertheless this knowledge is not essential: the part is dominated by Richard, figure absolute which opens a way towards the throne by assassinating brother, nephews, woman…

It thus acts above all of an human drama and social whose heroes are not those that one believes.

Indeed this will to be able does not make a Richard the incarnation of the Devil which one often described: she is born rather from a desire of revenge on the Nature which did it deformed and on the whole company, on those which it helped to take the capacity and which reject it once its hands are dirtied (it is him which killed Henry VI and thus allowed Edouard to go up on the throne).

It thus will mislead them, to assemble them the ones against the others to become king. Against the insignificance and the meanness which surround it, Richard takes the party of the absolute: the absolute Evil, certainly, but which is born from its own freedom. Like Caligula of Camus, Richard III goes at the end of his ideas, denouncing by his own crimes the nonsense of the World.

But all is paid. The phantoms of those which it killed will come to haunt Richard, who confronted with the remorse, almost schizophrenic, will know the fear. Lastly, at the time of the final battle, whereas its horse fell under him, he shouts “a horse! My kingdom for a horse! ” and fall under the blows from Richmond…

Films

Among the film adaptations, one can retain:

1955, Richard III realized by Laurence Olivier, which also interprets the role titrates.
1976, Goobye Girl, film in which Richard Dreyfuss incarnates a Richard III homosexual.
1995, Richard III realized by Richard Loncraine in a version shortened and transposed in the years 1930.
1996, Looking for Richard realized by Al Pacino in the documentary style.

Theater

Among the theatrical adaptations, one can retain:

2005, Richard III (3h30) put in scene by Philippe Calvario. The title role is interpreter by Philippe Torreton.
2006/2007, Richard III (2h10) version simplified for the school ones by the Co Graduate, with the KREPS, Strasbourg.

Wikisource

The Tragedy off Richard the Third

External bond

“David Garrick ace Richard III” - William Hogarth

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