Richard III Read Online Free PDF Page B

“scattered in the bottom of the sea” “in dead men’s skulls,” a reminder of the link between death and the desire for wealth and power. He goes on to describe nightmarish visions of the afterlife and acknowledges his own guilt for past deeds before asking the keeper to sit by him “awhile” as he goes to sleep. As Clarence sleeps, Brackenbury, the Lieutenant of the Tower, arrives. He watches Clarence and considers how all men are the same, regardless of rank. The Murderers bring Brackenbury the warrant, ordering him to leave them. Brackenbury does so, observing that he will not “reason what is meant hereby, / Because I will be guiltlessfrom the meaning,” lines symptomatic of a recurrent exploration of guilt and innocence.
    Lines 98–280: In a darkly humorous exchange, the Murderers contemplate what they are about to do, weighing spiritual consequences against monetary reward. Clarence wakes and stalls them with powerful speeches, but they insist that they have been commanded to kill him by the king. Clarence asks them to go to Richard, but they reveal that Richard actually sent them. Clarence refuses to believe this, describing how Richard loves him and how he “hugged [him] in his arms, and swore, with sobs” to gain his “delivery,” a testament to Richard’s acting skills and ambiguity in language. Clarence shows his own powers of persuasion as the Second Murderer decides that he cannot go through with the deed. The First Murderer, however, stabs Clarence and takes his body to be drowned in a butt of malmsey wine. He returns and threatens to tell Richard how “slack” his companion was, but the Second Murderer says he can tell Richard and take the entire fee, as he repents.
ACT 2 SCENE 1
    The king expresses satisfaction that, although he is very ill, he has achieved peace among the quarreling factions and so his soul “shall part to heaven” in peace. Hastings and Rivers shake hands and Edward warns that they must mean it or God will “Confound” their “hidden falsehood,” emphasizing the recurring deceptions of the play but also suggesting a justice beyond the human court. Richard arrives and praises Edward for his “blessed labor” and begs to be reconciled in “friendly peace” with everyone. The queen asks her husband to pardon Clarence, but Richard accuses her of mocking him, saying, “Who knows not that the gentle duke is dead?” Edward, shocked, claims that he reversed the order to execute Clarence. Richard explains that the “countermand” was not delivered in time. Derby enters and kneels before Edward, asking that Edward will spare the life of his servant. Edward grows angry, bitter that he can “give pardon to a slave,” but could not do so for his own brother. He blames the assembled company for not pleading hard enough onClarence’s behalf and has to be helped away. Richard takes the opportunity to provoke dissent, observing to the remaining courtiers that “the guilty kindred of the queen” had obviously urged Edward to execute Clarence.
ACT 2 SCENE 2
    Lines 1–33: Clarence’s children question the Duchess of York about the death of their father. Despite her denials, Clarence’s son tells her that “good uncle Gloucester” has told them that King Edward was responsible for their father’s death, “provoked to it by the queen.” He describes how Richard wept as he told him the news and asked the boy “to rely on him.” The duchess observes that Richard hides his “deep vice” “with a virtuous visor,” another image of clothing and concealment. Once more, it is a woman who appears to have insight into Richard’s true character: so far only Anne, Elizabeth, and the duchess have directly expressed their distrust.
    Lines 34–100: The queen arrives, clearly distressed, and announces that King Edward has died. The duchess sympathizes: she too has lost a husband. Sustaining the association between images of mirrors and the theme of identity, she adds that