Response to the Tragedy of King Richard Ii—Act 4

Response to the Tragedy of King Richard II—Act 4

The events that took place in this particular act didn’t seem to impress me nor entertain me a bit. When I usually read any of Shakespeare’s plays or tragedies I tend to be completely enchanted by them from beginning to end, act by act, plot after plot. Act 4, however, didn’t give me any insightful or good information regarding the characters of the story or the upcoming occurrences that will take place.

In this act, many different nobles and Bolingbroke converse about and try to get to the bottom of the death and assassin of Gloucester. During most of this dialogue, Bagot, Lord Fitzwater, and Lord Percy attacked the Duke of Aumerle and accused him of having conspired with Richard to kill Gloucester (Shakespeare 151-57). I was actually extremely glad that I was born in an era in which laws, legislations, and punishments aren’t based on he-said-she-said conversations of so and so accusing so and so. I thought that whole scene was a waste of paper and of Shakespeare’s writing time considering the fact that most, if not all, of the characters already the culprits behind the death of Gloucester.

The only part of this act that I was actually a little intrigued by was when Bolingbroke officially dethroned Richard by “conveying” him into a tower (Shakespeare 173). The fact that Bolingbroke even had the remote power or authority to make such a great command shows how the story has unfolded and how it has changed. I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for Richard, although this is the repercussion of most of his immature actions and selfish decisions. I feel for him because sometimes one has to hit rock bottom to realize one’s mistakes and adjust oneself to different ways of acting, thinking, and behaving for one’s well-being. I really feel that being dethroned and treated as nothing or never-have-been anything by being to a sent a tower is Richard’s lowest low.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy...