The Importance of Being Margaret
The Importance of Being Margaret
Steve Massey
October 17, 2005
In the little time that Queen Margaret is onstage, her presence in Richard III is well known. Along with Richard, she presents some of the most colourful language and memorable insults in the play, even though she is not nearby during most of the action. Despite Queen Margaret’s banishment, she is able to use her uncompromising language to convince the heads of the York house that Richard is causing a cyclical evolution.
Margaret is the head of the Lancaster family. She becomes a widow after Richard killed her husband, Henry the sixth, and her son, Prince Edward, at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Once Henry was killed she lost her control of the kingdom and was banished by the York family. Even though she is a strong woman who led many armies into battle, she is perceived as a mad, ruthless witch after she was blamed for the death of a young boy (1.3. 180). In 1.3 of Richard III, Margaret enters the scene during a heated feud between the members of the York family. As Richard provokes the fight between the Yorks, Margaret remains hidden off to the side of the stage commenting on the action. As an outsider, she is able to provide a believable portrayal of the York family to the audience. From her comments, Margaret acts as a chorus, relaying the events of the play to the audience. Once she reveals herself, she complains bitterly to the Yorks that her kingdom was robbed from her (159), and curses them all. Her act of cursing transforms her into a powerful prophetess that intimidates the others, as their “…hair doth stand on end to hear her curses (304).” As the play progresses her prophecies become true as Richard’s destruction spreads. When the Queen and the Duchess of York enter in 4.4, Margaret is no longer the prophetess but returns to her role as the chorus, but instead of conveying the events in a provocative manner to the audience, she also teaches the two other women of their mistakes. When Margaret compares herself to the other two women, she no longer is treated as an outsider. As she explains how each of them have lost a child and their pain is identical, from a motherly point of view, the three women are drawn together in an alliance against Richard. Margaret describes him as “a hell hound that doth hunt us all to death. (4.4. 45).” Margaret’s use of the the word “us” creates a strong bond between the women. She defines their roles as victims to Richard’s destruction are clearly seen in the repetitive use of the victim’s names Richard and Edward (37-40). This causes the Queen and Duchess to forget their hatred towards Margaret and look at her as a powerful entity.
In Richard III, Margaret is a powerful character that holds great influence over the other characters in the play. Along with the notion of her completed prophecies she also wields language as a influential weapon. Like Richard, Margaret is able to convince others through the use of contrasting images (4.4. 93-98). The opposition of “happy wife” and “distressed widow,” among others in this speech, allow her to entrap the other characters in a relentless fury of ultimatums, a technique mastered previously by Richard. Margaret and Richard act as oppositions to each other, embodying one of the major motifs of the play. Aside from the obvious differences of gender and heritage, Margaret offsets Richard by her affiliation with the York household as a victim of Richard’s tyranny, while Richard separates himself from the family due to his deformity and aspirations for power. When both characters are present together at 1.3, Margaret rises as one of the only characters in the play to match wits with Richard. From the audience’s perspective, their resemblance is clear as these are the only two characters that are aware of the true transition that has occurred between the two houses rule.
Margaret is also able to construct relentless arguments because, as an outsider of the Yorks, she realizes the similar standing of the York family with the previous rule of the Lancasters, and derives that their reign will be short lived. Margaret serves as an alternate view on Richard’s rise to power as she sees past the exchange of power between the two families, and is not blinded by greed as is Richard. In the opening soliloquy of 1.1, Richard states “now is the winter of discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York (1-2).” He reflects on the end of the feud between the two families and looks forward to the “glorious” rule that has started. Using Richard’s metaphor of winter turning into summer, one sees that he fails to realize that his “glorious summer” will return to winter. Margaret fully understands this change when she says, “so now prosperity begins to mellow (4.4 1-2).” One sees her indication of the York’s fortunate win with her use of “prosperity” and how at this moment in the play the Lancaster family “begins” it’s long return to the throne. The audience is jarred by her announcement of Richard’s fall as the line contains eleven syllables, withdrawing it from the form of iambic pentameter. This technique is also utilized in Margaret’s desire to prove her bond with the Queen. In 1.3, Margaret insults the Queen calling her a “poor painted queen, vain flourish of my fortune. (241).” This line contains eleven syllables, as well as the alliteration of “poor painted” and “flourish … fortune.” This line is revisited in 4.4, as Margaret reminds the Queen saying, “I called thee then vain flourish of my fortune; I called thee then poor shadow, painted queen… (77-78). By repeating this warning, Margaret proves to the Queen that instead of merely commenting on the Queen’s poorly “painted,” or imitated, attempt at ruling, Margaret has shown the Queen that the entire war has proved nothing and the Queen has literally become Margaret, indicated by the word “shadow.” The revelation of her misfortune causes the Queen to realize Richard as the true enemy.
From Margaret’s inopportune position outside of the York family, she is able to convince the Queen of Richard’s treachery through her influence as a prophetess and the knowledge of the link between Margaret and the Queen.
Works Cited
1. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of King Richard III. New York: Oxford Universtity Press Inc., 2000.
Steve Massey
October 17, 2005
In the little time that Queen Margaret is onstage, her presence in Richard III is well known. Along with Richard, she presents some of the most colourful language and memorable insults in the play, even though she is not nearby during most of the action. Despite Queen Margaret’s banishment, she is able to use her uncompromising language to convince the heads of the York house that Richard is causing a cyclical evolution.
Margaret is the head of the Lancaster family. She becomes a widow after Richard killed her husband, Henry the sixth, and her son, Prince Edward, at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Once Henry was killed she lost her control of the kingdom and was banished by the York family. Even though she is a strong woman who led many armies into battle, she is perceived as a mad, ruthless witch after she was blamed for the death of a young boy (1.3. 180). In 1.3 of Richard III, Margaret enters the scene during a heated feud between the members of the York family. As Richard provokes the fight between the Yorks, Margaret remains hidden off to the side of the stage commenting on the action. As an outsider, she is able to provide a believable portrayal of the York family to the audience. From her comments, Margaret acts as a chorus, relaying the events of the play to the audience. Once she reveals herself, she complains bitterly to the Yorks that her kingdom was robbed from her (159), and curses them all. Her act of cursing transforms her into a powerful prophetess that intimidates the others, as their “…hair doth stand on end to hear her curses (304).” As the play progresses her prophecies become true as Richard’s destruction spreads. When the Queen and the Duchess of York enter in 4.4, Margaret is no longer the prophetess but returns to her role as the chorus, but instead of conveying the events in a provocative manner to the audience, she also teaches the two other women of their mistakes. When Margaret compares herself to the other two women, she no longer is treated as an outsider. As she explains how each of them have lost a child and their pain is identical, from a motherly point of view, the three women are drawn together in an alliance against Richard. Margaret describes him as “a hell hound that doth hunt us all to death. (4.4. 45).” Margaret’s use of the the word “us” creates a strong bond between the women. She defines their roles as victims to Richard’s destruction are clearly seen in the repetitive use of the victim’s names Richard and Edward (37-40). This causes the Queen and Duchess to forget their hatred towards Margaret and look at her as a powerful entity.
In Richard III, Margaret is a powerful character that holds great influence over the other characters in the play. Along with the notion of her completed prophecies she also wields language as a influential weapon. Like Richard, Margaret is able to convince others through the use of contrasting images (4.4. 93-98). The opposition of “happy wife” and “distressed widow,” among others in this speech, allow her to entrap the other characters in a relentless fury of ultimatums, a technique mastered previously by Richard. Margaret and Richard act as oppositions to each other, embodying one of the major motifs of the play. Aside from the obvious differences of gender and heritage, Margaret offsets Richard by her affiliation with the York household as a victim of Richard’s tyranny, while Richard separates himself from the family due to his deformity and aspirations for power. When both characters are present together at 1.3, Margaret rises as one of the only characters in the play to match wits with Richard. From the audience’s perspective, their resemblance is clear as these are the only two characters that are aware of the true transition that has occurred between the two houses rule.
Margaret is also able to construct relentless arguments because, as an outsider of the Yorks, she realizes the similar standing of the York family with the previous rule of the Lancasters, and derives that their reign will be short lived. Margaret serves as an alternate view on Richard’s rise to power as she sees past the exchange of power between the two families, and is not blinded by greed as is Richard. In the opening soliloquy of 1.1, Richard states “now is the winter of discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York (1-2).” He reflects on the end of the feud between the two families and looks forward to the “glorious” rule that has started. Using Richard’s metaphor of winter turning into summer, one sees that he fails to realize that his “glorious summer” will return to winter. Margaret fully understands this change when she says, “so now prosperity begins to mellow (4.4 1-2).” One sees her indication of the York’s fortunate win with her use of “prosperity” and how at this moment in the play the Lancaster family “begins” it’s long return to the throne. The audience is jarred by her announcement of Richard’s fall as the line contains eleven syllables, withdrawing it from the form of iambic pentameter. This technique is also utilized in Margaret’s desire to prove her bond with the Queen. In 1.3, Margaret insults the Queen calling her a “poor painted queen, vain flourish of my fortune. (241).” This line contains eleven syllables, as well as the alliteration of “poor painted” and “flourish … fortune.” This line is revisited in 4.4, as Margaret reminds the Queen saying, “I called thee then vain flourish of my fortune; I called thee then poor shadow, painted queen… (77-78). By repeating this warning, Margaret proves to the Queen that instead of merely commenting on the Queen’s poorly “painted,” or imitated, attempt at ruling, Margaret has shown the Queen that the entire war has proved nothing and the Queen has literally become Margaret, indicated by the word “shadow.” The revelation of her misfortune causes the Queen to realize Richard as the true enemy.
From Margaret’s inopportune position outside of the York family, she is able to convince the Queen of Richard’s treachery through her influence as a prophetess and the knowledge of the link between Margaret and the Queen.
Works Cited
1. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of King Richard III. New York: Oxford Universtity Press Inc., 2000.
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