Analyze the opening speech by richard iii in act i, scene i, of richard iii and explain the central idea. what does the speech reveal about his character?

The opening speech by Richard III introduces the sinister atmosphere of the play. Richard hooks the audience by revealing his plan to overthrow his brother, who has just been crowned the king of England. His speech includes imagery of celebration but also war. For example he talks of “merry meetings” and “delightful measures,” yet he follows it up with mentions of “Grim-visaged war.” By intertwining this imagery, Shakespeare suggests to the audience that peace will not last long. Richard’s personal dissatisfaction is apparent when he suggests that he is “rudely stamp’d,” which hints at his jealousy of his able-bodied brother.

Richard’s dissatisfaction with his physical appearance comes through when he laments about his premature birth and his hunched back:  

I, that am curtail’d of this fair proportion,

Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,

Deform’d, unfinish’d, sent before my time

Into this breathing world scarce half made up,

And that so lamely and unfashionable

That dogs bark at me as I halt by them;–

Richard seems to believe that life can either be lived as a hero or as a villain. Since he doesn’t have the personality or good looks of a dashing hero, he decides to become a villain and make the lives of everyone around him as unhappy as his own:

And descant on mine own deformity:

And therefore,–since I cannot prove a lover,

To entertain these fair well-spoken days,–  

I am determined to prove a villain,

And hate the idle pleasures of these days.

The title character then talks about his plan to set his brothers against each other. Eliminating them would ensure him the throne. Richard is apparently aware of his vices, which is why he calls himself “subtle, false, and treacherous.” In fact, he seems to be proud to possess these negative qualities. It’s likely that his physical deformity is the cause of his resentment toward his brothers and his desire to be the king.

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use the headings to create an overview of the main points.

c) problem and solution