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{{Short description|History play by William Shakespeare}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}

[[File:The Entry of Richard and Bolingbroke into London (from William Shakespeare's 'Richard II', Act V, Scene 2) James Northcote (1746–1831) Royal Albert Memorial Museum.jpg|thumb|300x300px|Richard II: ''The Entry of Richard and Bolingbroke into London'', [Act V, Scene 2]. ([[James Northcote]], 1793)]]

'''''The Life and Death of King Richard the Second''''' (1595), also '''''Richard II''''', is a [[Shakespearean history]] play about the lifetime and reign of King [[Richard II of England]] (r. 1377–1399). As a dramatised period history of the English monarchy, ''Richard II'' chronicles the machinations of the [[Nobility|noblemen]] of the royal court who conspire, precipitate, and realise the downfall and death of the King of England.

As the first work in the [[Henriad]] tetralogy of English history plays, the political narrative of ''Richard II'' is thematically followed throughout the stories of ''[[Henry IV, Part 1]]'', ''[[Henry IV, Part 2]]'', and ''[[Henry V (play)|Henry V]]'', which also are histories of the reigns of his royal successors to the [[Throne of England]]. Although the [[First Folio]] (1623) classifies ''The Life and Death of Richard the Second'' as an English history play, the earlier [[Early texts of Shakespeare's works|Quarto edition (1597)]] classifies ''Richard II'' as a tragedy, under the title ''The Tragedie of King Richard the Second''.

==Characters==
{{columns-start}}
* [[Richard II of England|King Richard II]]
* [[John of Gaunt|John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster]] – Richard's uncle
* [[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York|Duke of York]] – Richard's uncle
* [[Edward, 2nd Duke of York|Duke of Aumerle]] – York's son
* [[Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk|Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk]]
* Queen – Richard's wife (an unnamed composite of his first wife, [[Anne of Bohemia]], and his second, [[Isabella of Valois]], who was still a child at the time of his death)
* Duchess of York – York's wife (an unnamed composite of York's first wife, [[Isabella of Castile, Duchess of York|Isabella of Castile]], and his second, [[Joan Holland]])
* [[Eleanor de Bohun|Duchess of Gloucester]] – widow of [[Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester|Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester]], uncle to the king

;Rebels
* [[Henry IV of England|Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford]] — son of John of Gaunt
* [[Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland|Earl of Northumberland]]
* [[Henry Percy (Hotspur)|Henry 'Hotspur' Percy]] – Northumberland's son
* [[William de Ros, 6th Baron de Ros|Lord Ross]]
* [[William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby|Lord Willoughby]]
* [[Walter FitzWalter, 4th Baron FitzWalter|Lord Fitzwater]]
* Sir Piers Exton
{{column}}
;Richard's allies
* [[Thomas Holland, 1st Duke of Surrey|Duke of Surrey]] 
* [[John Montacute, 3rd Earl of Salisbury|Earl of Salisbury]]
* [[Thomas de Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley|Lord Berkeley]]
* [[John Bussy|Bushy]] – favourite of Richard
* [[William Bagot (politician)|Bagot]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2KSqzkHXMqcC&q=forker+richard+bagot+certainly+william&pg=PA507 |title=Forker page 507 note 24 |date= 1998-01-01|access-date=2013-12-12|isbn=9780485810028 |last1=Forker |first1=Charles |publisher=A&C Black }}</ref> – favourite of Richard
* [[Henry Green (politician, died 1399)|Green]] – favourite of Richard
* [[Thomas Merke|Bishop of Carlisle]]
* [[Abbot of Westminster]]
* [[Stephen Scrope, 2nd Baron Scrope of Masham|Sir Stephen Scroop]]

;Others
* [[Earl Marshal|Lord Marshal]] (post held in 1399 by Duke of Surrey, though this is not recognised in the play)
* Welsh captain
* Two [[herald]]s
* Gardener
* Gardener's man
* Queen's ladies
* Keeper – jailer at [[Pontefract Castle#Richard II|Pomfret prison]]
* [[Groom (profession)|Groom]]
* Attendants, lords, soldiers, messengers, etc.
{{columns-end}}

==Synopsis==
[[File:The Landing of Richard II at Milford Haven* William Hamilton (1751–1801) Sir John Soane’s Museum.jpg|thumb|left|''The Landing of Richard II at Milford Haven'', [[William Hamilton (painter)|William Hamilton]] (c.1793–1800)|upright=1.25]]
The play spans only the last two years of Richard's life, from 1398 to 1400. It begins with King Richard sitting majestically on his throne in full state, having been requested to arbitrate a dispute between the nobles [[Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk|Thomas Mowbray]] and Richard's cousin, [[Henry IV of England|Henry Bolingbroke]], who has accused Mowbray of high [[treason]] for stealing money that had been raised for the English army and of murdering Bolingbroke's uncle, the [[Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester|Duke of Gloucester]]. Bolingbroke's father, [[John of Gaunt]], 1st Duke of Lancaster, meanwhile, believes Richard himself was responsible for his brother's murder. After several attempts to calm both men, Richard acquiesces and it is determined that the matter be resolved in the established method of [[Trial by combat|trial by battle]] between Bolingbroke and Mowbray, despite Gaunt's objections.

[[File:Richard II Resigning the Crown to Bolingbroke John Gilbert (1817–1897) Walker Art Gallery.jpg|thumb|''Richard II Resigning the Crown to Bolingbroke'', [[John Gilbert (painter)|John Gilbert]] (1875–76)|upright=1.25]]
The tournament scene is very formal, with a long, ceremonial introduction, but as the combatants are about to fight, Richard interrupts and sentences both men to banishment from England. Bolingbroke is originally sentenced to ten years' banishment, but Richard reduces this to six years upon seeing John of Gaunt's grieving face. Mowbray is banished permanently. The king's decision can be seen as the first mistake in a series leading eventually to his overthrow and death, since the error highlights many of his character flaws, including indecisiveness (in terms of whether to allow the duel to go ahead), abruptness (Richard waits until the last possible moment to cancel the duel), and arbitrariness (there is no apparent reason Bolingbroke should be allowed to return and Mowbray not). In addition, the decision fails to dispel the suspicions surrounding Richard's involvement in the death of the Duke of Gloucester—in fact, by handling the situation in such a cavalier and arbitrary manner, Richard only appears more guilty. Mowbray correctly predicts that the king will sooner or later fall at the hands of Bolingbroke.

After an impassioned invective against the visiting king from his sick-bed, John of Gaunt dies and Richard seizes all his land and money. This angers the nobility, who accuse Richard of wasting England's money, of illegally depriving John's heir Bolingbroke of his rightful inheritance to fund war in [[Ireland]], of imposing unjust taxes on the commoners, and of enriching himself by fining the nobles for crimes their ancestors committed. The conspirators help Bolingbroke return secretly to England, with a plan to overthrow Richard. There remain, however, subjects loyal to the king. Among them are the courtiers Bushy, Bagot, and Green, as well as the [[Duke of Aumerle]] (son of the [[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York|Duke of York]]), cousin of both Richard and Bolingbroke. When Richard leaves England to attend to the war in Ireland, Bolingbroke seizes the opportunity to assemble an army and invades the north coast of England. Executing both Bushy and Green, Bolingbroke wins over the Duke of York, whom Richard has left in charge of his government in his absence.

Upon Richard's return, Bolingbroke reclaims his lands and lays claim to the English throne; Richard's [[Welsh people|Welsh]] allies desert him and he is taken captive. After a dramatic public ceremony where Bolingbroke has the captive king publicly renounce his crown, he crowns himself [[Henry IV of England |King Henry IV]], and has Richard imprisoned in the [[Pontefract Castle|castle of Pomfret]]. Aumerle orchestrates an [[Epiphany Rising|uprising]] against the new king, only to be thwarted by his father, York. The King executes every conspirator except Aumerle, who is spared after the Duchess of York intervenes on his behalf. After misinterpreting King Henry's "living fear" as a reference to the still-living Richard, the ambitious Sir Piers Exton murders him in his cell to gain favour. King Henry is appalled by the murder, dismisses Exton from his court, and vows a pilgrimage to [[Jerusalem]] to cleanse himself of his part in Richard's death. In his final lines, Henry completes the tragic structure of the play by mourning over Richard's coffin and affording the deposed king forgiveness.

==Sources==
[[File:1587 printing of Holinshed's Chronicles (crop 1).jpg|thumb|306x306px|The 1587 edition of [[Holinshed]]'s ''Chronicles'']]

The ''[[Froissart's Chronicles|Chroniques]]'' of [[Jean Froissart]], a fourteenth-century account of the [[Hundred Years' War]] translated into English by [[John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners|John Bouchier]] in {{circa|1524}}, includes a sympathetic account of the deposition of King Richard. It is likely that this was one of Shakespeare's sources for the play.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kingsley-Smith |first1=Jane |editor1-last=Wells |editor1-first=Stanley |editor2-last=Dobson |editor2-first=Michael |editor1-link=Stanley Wells |title=The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=9780191058158 |edition=2015 |chapter=Froissart, Jean}}</ref>
Shakespeare's primary source for ''Richard II'', as for most of his chronicle histories, was [[Raphael Holinshed]]'s ''Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande''; the publication of the second edition in 1587 provides a ''[[terminus post quem]]'' for the play.<ref>Gurr (1990: 55)</ref> [[Edward Hall]]'s ''The Union of the Two Illustrious Families of Lancaster and York'' appears also to have been consulted,{{sfn|Forker|2002|pp=136–138}} and scholars have also supposed Shakespeare familiar with [[Samuel Daniel]]'s poem on the civil wars.{{sfn|Forker|2002|pp=112–114}}

A somewhat more complicated case is presented by the anonymous play sometimes known as ''The First Part of Richard II''. This play, which exists in one incomplete manuscript copy (at the [[British Museum]]), is subtitled ''[[Thomas of Woodstock (play)|Thomas of Woodstock]]'', and scholars since [[Frederick S. Boas|F. S. Boas]] have usually called it by that name. This play treats the events leading up to the start of Shakespeare's play (though the two texts do not have identical characters). This closeness, along with the manuscript's anonymity, have led certain scholars to attribute all or part of the play to Shakespeare, though many critics view it as a secondary influence on Shakespeare, not as his work.<ref>Shapiro, I. A. "Richard II or Richard III or..." ''Shakespeare Quarterly'' 9 (1958): 206</ref>

Shakespeare may have drawn from his contemporary [[Christopher Marlowe|Christopher Marlowe's]] historical play ''[[Edward II (play)|Edward II]]'' for ''Richard II''. The two plays have similar structures, and critics have drawn parallels between particular passages and themes, such as the contradiction between the king's theoretical absolute power and the actual restraints placed on him by his subjects. [[Charles Lamb]] opined that "The reluctant pangs of abdicating Royalty in ''Edward'' furnished hints which Shakespeare scarce improved in his ''Richard the Second''".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Marlowe |first=Christopher |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Edward_the_Second/axTzkFP9IHoC?hl=en&gbpv=1 |title=Edward the Second |date=1995-10-15 |publisher=Manchester University Press |isbn=978-0-7190-3089-5 |editor-last=Forker |editor-first=Charles R. |pages=36-39 |language=}}</ref>

==Date and text==
[[File:Richard II quarto (crop 1).jpg|left|thumb|200x200px|The title page from the 1608 quarto]]
The earliest recorded performance of ''Richard II'' was a private one, in Canon Row, the house of [[Edward Hoby]], on 9 December 1595.<ref>Richard II, John Dover Wilson, Cambridge University Press, 1951</ref> The play was entered into the Register of the [[Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers|Stationers Company]] on 29 August 1597 by the bookseller [[Andrew Wise]]; he published the first [[book size|quarto]] later that year, printed by [[Valentine Simmes]]. The second and third quartos followed in 1598—the only time a Shakespeare play was printed in three editions in two years. Q4 followed in 1608 and Q5 in 1615. The play was next published in the [[First Folio]] in 1623.

''Richard II'' exists in a number of variations. The quartos vary to some degree, and the folio presents further differences. The first three quartos (printed in 1597 and 1598, commonly assumed to have been prepared from Shakespeare's holograph) lack the deposition scene. The fourth, published in 1608, includes a version of the scene shorter than the one later printed, presumably from a [[Prompter (theatre)|prompt-book]], in the First Folio. The scant evidence makes explaining these differences largely conjectural. Traditionally, it has been supposed that the quartos lack the deposition scene because of censorship, by either the playhouse or the [[Master of the Revels]] [[Edmund Tylney]], and that the Folio version may better reflect Shakespeare's original intentions. But there is no external evidence for this hypothesis, and the title page of the 1608 quarto refers to a "lately acted" deposition scene (although, again, this could be due to earlier censorship that was later relaxed).

== Analysis and criticism ==
===Structure and language===
The play is divided into five acts and its structure is as formal as its language. It has a double complementary plot describing Richard II's fall and the rise of Bolingbroke, later known as Henry IV.<ref name = riverside>''The Riverside Shakespeare: Second Edition.'' Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997, 845.</ref> Critic John R. Elliott Jr. notes that this play can be distinguished from the other history plays because it has an ulterior political purpose. Shakespearean tragedy's normal structure is modified to portray a central political theme: the rise of Bolingbroke to the throne and the conflict between Richard and Bolingbroke over the kingship. In Acts IV and V, Shakespeare includes incidents irrelevant to Richard's fate that are resolved in the future plays of the ''Richard II''–''Henry V'' tetralogy.<ref>{{cite journal|first=John R. Jr. |last=Elliott|title=History and Tragedy in ''Richard II''|journal=SEL: Studies in English Literature 1500–1900|volume=8|issue=2|date=Spring 1968|pages=253–271| doi=10.2307/449658 | jstor=449658 }}</ref>

The literary critic Hugh M. Richmond notes that Richard's beliefs about the [[divine right of kings]] tend to fall more in line with the medieval view of the throne. Bolingbroke, on the other hand, represents a more modern view of statecraft, arguing that not only bloodline but also intellect and political skill qualify a king.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Hugh M.|last=Richmond|title=Personal Identity and Literary Personae: A Study in Historical Psychology|journal=PMLA|volume=90|issue=2|date=March 1975|pages=214–217}}</ref> Richard believes that as king he is chosen and guided by God: not subject to human frailty, he is entitled to absolute authority over his subjects. Elliott argues that this conceited notion of his role ultimately leads to Richard's failure, adding that Bolingbroke's ability to relate and speak with the middle and lower classes allows him to take the throne.<ref>Elliott 253–267.</ref>

Although it is largely historically accurate, ''Richard II'' is a tragedy.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Elliott |first=John Rn |date=1968 |title=History and Tragedy in Richard II |journal=Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=253–271 |doi=10.2307/449658 |jstor=449658 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/449658 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> ''Richard II'' follows the arc of most of Shakespeare's tragedies: a series of catastrophes lead to a death, which resolves in forgiveness. A long line of mistakes, mostly on the part of Richard himself, lead to his incarceration and murder. But when his body is presented to Henry IV, the now-king declares, "although I did wish him dead, I hate the murderer, love the murderèd."<ref>William Shakespeare, ''The complete works of William'' ''Shakespeare.'' 2nd ed. (London: Amaranth press, 1985), Richard II, Act V, scene VI, lines 39-40 (pg. 399).</ref> This line affords Richard absolution and cements this play's place among Shakespeare's tragedies.

Unusually for Shakespeare, ''Richard II'' is written entirely in [[Verse (poetry)|verse]], one of only four of his plays, the others being ''[[King John (play)|King John]]'' and the [[Henry VI, Part 1|first]] and [[Henry VI, Part 3|third]] parts of ''Henry VI''. There are also great differences in the characters' use of language. Traditionally, Shakespeare  distinguishes social classes by having the upper classes speak in poetry while the lower classes speak in prose. In ''Richard II'', there is no prose, but Richard uses flowery, [[metaphor]]ical language in his speeches, whereas Bolingbroke, also of the noble class, uses a more plain and direct language. Besides the usual [[blank verse]] (unrhymed pentameters), there are long stretches of [[heroic couplet]]s (pairs of rhymed [[Iambic pentameter|pentameters]]). The play contains a number of memorable metaphors, including the extended comparison of England with a garden in Act III, Scene iv and of its reigning king to a lion or to the sun in Act IV.{{sfn| Mowat | Werstine|1996|pp=xxvi– xxvii}}

The language of ''Richard II'' is more eloquent than that of the earlier history plays, and serves to set the tone and themes of the play. Shakespeare uses lengthy verses, metaphors, similes and soliloquies to delineate Richard's character as analytical rather than active. He always speaks in tropes, using analogies such as the sun as a symbol of his kingly status. Richard is obsessed with symbols: his crown, the symbol of his royal power, is of more concern to him than his actual kingly duties.<ref name = riverside/>

===Historical context===
[[File:Richard II King of England.jpg|thumb|Coronation portrait of Richard II at [[Westminster Abbey]], mid 1390s|upright=1.25]]

The play was performed and published late in the reign of [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]], at a time when the queen's advanced age made succession an important political concern. The historical parallels in the succession of ''Richard II'' may not have been intended as political comment on the contemporary situation,<ref name="bate256" /> with the weak Richard II analogous to Queen Elizabeth and an implicit argument in favour of her replacement by a monarch capable of creating a stable dynasty, but lawyers investigating [[John Hayward (historian)|John Hayward]]'s historical work ''The First Part of the Life and Raigne of King Henrie IV'', a book previously believed to have taken from Shakespeare's ''Richard II'', made this connection. Samuel Schoenbaum contests that Hayward had written his work before ''Richard II'', joking that "there is nothing like a hypothetical manuscript to resolve an awkwardness of chronology", as Hayward noted he had written the work several years before its publication.<ref name="Shoenbaum101">{{cite book|last=Schoenbaum|first=Samuel|author-link=Samuel Schoenbaum|title=Richard II and the realities of Power|publisher=Cambridge|location=Cambridge|year=2004|pages=101–102|isbn=0-521-83623-9}}</ref> Hayward dedicated his version to [[Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex]], and when Essex was arrested for rebellion in February 1601 Hayward had already been imprisoned, to strengthen the case against the earl for "incitement to the deposing of the Queen". That Hayward had made his dedication was fortunate for Shakespeare;  otherwise he too might have lost his liberty over the affair.<ref name="bate256">{{cite book|last=Bate|first=Jonathan|author-link=Jonathan Bate|title=Soul of the Age|publisher=Penguin|location=London|year=2008|pages=256–286|isbn=978-0-670-91482-1}}</ref>

Shakespeare's play appears to have played a minor role in the events surrounding the final downfall of Essex. On 7 February 1601, just before the uprising, supporters of the Earl of Essex, among them Charles and Joscelyn Percy (younger brothers of the [[Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland|Earl of Northumberland]]), paid for a performance at the [[Globe Theatre]] on the eve of their armed rebellion. By this agreement, reported at the trial of Essex by the [[Lord Chamberlain's Men|Chamberlain's Men]] actor [[Augustine Phillips]], the conspirators paid the company forty [[shilling]]s "above the ordinary" (i.e., above their usual rate) to stage this play, which the players felt was too old and "out of use" to attract a large audience.<ref name="bate256" /> Eleven of Essex's supporters attended the Saturday performance.

Elizabeth was aware of the political ramifications of the story of Richard II: according to a well-known but dubious anecdote, in August 1601 she was reviewing historical documents relating to the reign of Richard II when she supposedly remarked to her archivist [[William Lambarde]], "I am Richard II, know ye not that?" In the same historical report the Queen is said to have complained that the play was performed forty times in "open streets and houses" but there is no extant evidence to corroborate this tale. At any rate, the Lord Chamberlain's Men do not appear to have suffered for their association with the Essex group; but they were commanded to perform it for the Queen on [[Shrove Tuesday]] in 1601, the day before Essex's execution.<ref name="bate256" />

===Themes and motifs===

====''The King's Two Bodies''====
In his analysis of medieval [[political theology]], ''[[The King's Two Bodies|The King’s Two Bodies]]'', [[Ernst Kantorowicz]] describes medieval kings as containing two bodies: a body natural, and a [[Body politic#In statehood|body politic]]. The theme of the king's two bodies is pertinent throughout ''Richard II'', from the exile of Bolingbroke to the deposition of King Richard II. The body natural is a mortal body, subject to all the weaknesses of mortal human beings. On the other hand, the body politic is a spiritual body which cannot be affected by mortal infirmities such as disease and old age. These two bodies form one indivisible unit, with the body politic superior to the body natural.<ref name = kantorowicz>Kantorowicz, H. Ernst. ''The King's Two Bodies: A Study in Medieval Political Theology''. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1957, 24–31.</ref>

Many critics agree that in ''Richard II'', this central theme of the king's two bodies unfolds in three main scenes: the scenes at the Coast of Wales, at Flint Castle, and at Westminster. At the coast of Wales, Richard has just returned from a trip to Ireland and kisses the soil of England, demonstrating his kingly attachment to his kingdom. This image of kingship gradually fades as Bolingbroke's rebellion continues. Richard starts to forget his kingly nature as his mind becomes occupied by the rebellion. This change is portrayed in the scene at Flint Castle during which the unity of the two bodies disintegrates and the king starts to use more poetic and symbolic language. Richard's body politic has been shaken as his followers have joined Bolingbroke's army, diminishing Richard's military capacity. He has been forced to give up his jewels, losing his kingly appearance. He loses his temper at Bolingbroke, but then regains his composure as he starts to remember his divine side. At Flint Castle, Richard is determined to hang onto his kingship even though the title no longer fits his appearance. However, at Westminster the image of the divine kingship is supported by the Bishop of Carlisle rather than Richard, who at this point is becoming mentally unstable as his authority slips away. Biblical references are used to liken the humbled king to the humbled Christ. The names of Judas and Pilate are used to further extend this comparison. Before Richard is sent to his death, he "un-kings" himself by giving away his crown, sceptre, and the balm that is used to anoint a king to the throne. The mirror scene is the final end to the dual personality. After examining his plain physical appearance, Richard shatters the mirror on the ground and thus relinquishes his past and present as king. Stripped of his former glory, Richard finally releases his body politic and retires to his body natural and his own inner thoughts and griefs.<ref name = kantorowicz/> Critic [[J. Dover Wilson]] notes that Richard's double nature as man and martyr is the dilemma that runs through the play eventually leading to Richard's death. Richard acts the part of a royal martyr, and due to the spilling of his blood, England continually undergoes civil war for the next two generations.<ref>Thompson, Karl F. "Richard II, Martyr." ''Shakespeare Quarterly'' 8.2 (Spring 1957), 159–166. {{JSTOR |2866958}}</ref>

====The rise of a Machiavellian king====
The play ends with the rise of Bolingbroke to the throne, marking the start of a new era in England. According to historical research, an English translation of [[Machiavelli]]'s ''[[The Prince]]'' might have existed as early as 1585, influencing the reigns of the kings of England. Critic Irving Ribner notes that a manifestation of [[Niccolò Machiavelli#The Prince|Machiavellian philosophy]] may be seen in Bolingbroke.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ribner |first1=Irving |title=Bolingbroke, A True Machiavellian |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_modern-language-quarterly_1948-06_9_2/page/176 |journal=[[Modern Language Quarterly]] |date=1 June 1948 |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=177–184 |doi=10.1215/00267929-9-2-177}}</ref> Machiavelli wrote ''The Prince'' during a time of political chaos in Italy, and writes down a formula by which a leader can lead the country out of turmoil and return it to prosperity. Bolingbroke seems to be a leader coming into power at a time England is in turmoil, and follows closely the formula stated by Machiavelli. At the start of ''Richard II'', Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray and ulteriorly attacks the government of King Richard. He keeps Northumberland by his side as a tool to control certain constituents. From the minute Bolingbroke comes into power, he destroys the faithful supporters of Richard such as Bushy, Green and the Earl of Wiltshire. Also, Bolingbroke is highly concerned with the maintenance of legality to the kingdom, an important principle of Machiavellian philosophy, and therefore makes Richard surrender his crown and physical accessories to erase any doubt as to the real heir to the throne. Yet, Irving Ribner still notes a few incidents where Bolingbroke does not follow true Machiavellian philosophy, such as his failure to destroy Aumerle, but such incidents are minuscule compared with the bigger events of the play. Even Bolingbroke's last statement follows Machiavellian philosophy as he alludes to making a voyage to the Holy Land, since Machiavellian philosophy states rulers must appear pious.<ref>Newlin, T. Jeanne. ''Richard II: Critical Essays''. New York: Garland Publishing Inc, 1984, 95–103.</ref> Therefore, this particular play can be viewed as a turning point in the history of England as the throne is taken over by a more commanding king in comparison to King Richard II.

==Performance history==
On 9 December 1595, Sir [[Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury|Robert Cecil]] enjoyed "K. Richard" at Sir Edward Hoby's house in Canon Row, and it might have been Shakespeare's ''Richard II'', although some suspected that it was a different play, a painting, or a historical document.<ref>{{cite book |contributor-first=Charles |contributor-last=Forker |contribution=Introduction |first=William |last=Shakespeare |title=Richard II |series=Arden Shakspeare Third Series |editor-first=Charles R. |editor-last=Forker |publisher=Bloomsbury |year=2009 |pages=114–115}}</ref>

Another commissioned performance of a different type occurred at the [[Globe Theatre]] on 7 February 1601. This was the performance paid for by supporters of the [[Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex|Earl of Essex's]] planned revolt (see {{section link|#Historical context}} above).<ref>{{cite book |contributor-first=Charles |contributor-last=Forker |contribution=Introduction |first=William |last=Shakespeare |title=Richard II |series=Arden Shakspeare Third Series |editor-first=Charles R. |editor-last=Forker |publisher=Bloomsbury |year=2009 |page=10}}</ref>

It is said that on 30 September 1607, the crew of Capt. William Keeling performed ''Richard II'' aboard the [[British East India Company]] ship ''The Red Dragon'', off [[Sierra Leone]], but the authenticity of this record is doubted.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kliman|first=Bernice W.|date=2011|title=At Sea about Hamlet at Sea: A Detective Story|journal=Shakespeare Quarterly|volume=62|issue=2|pages=180–204|issn=0037-3222|jstor=23025627|doi=10.1353/shq.2011.0025|s2cid=192187966}}</ref>

The play was performed at the Globe on 12 June 1631.<ref>Charles Forker, "Introduction", William Shakespeare, ''Richard II'', Arden Shakspeare Third Series, ed. by Charles R. Forker (Bloomsbury, 2009), 1–169, p. 121.</ref>

The play retained its political charge in the [[English Restoration|Restoration]]: a 1680 adaptation at [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane|Drury Lane]] by [[Nahum Tate]] was suppressed for its perceived political implications. Tate attempted to mask his version, called ''The Sicilian Usurper'', with a foreign setting; he attempted to blunt his criticism of the Stuart court by highlighting Richard's noble qualities and downplaying his weaknesses. Neither expedient prevented the play from being "silenc'd on the third day", as Tate wrote in his preface. [[Lewis Theobald]] staged a successful and less troubled adaptation in 1719 at [[Lincoln's Inn Fields]]; Shakespeare's original version was revived at [[Royal Opera House|Covent Garden]] in 1738.<ref>F. E. Halliday, ''A Shakespeare Companion 1564–1964,'' Baltimore, Penguin, 1964; pp. 262, 412–413.</ref>

The play had limited popularity in the early twentieth century, but [[John Gielgud]] exploded onto the world's theatrical consciousness through his performance as Richard at the [[Old Vic Theatre]] in 1929, returning to the character in 1937 and 1953 in what ultimately was considered as the definitive performance of the role.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Shakespeare |first1=William |editor1-last=Dawson |editor1-first=Anthony B. |editor2-last=Yachnin |editor2-first=Paul |title=Richard II |date=2011 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-818642-7 |pages=87–89|quotation=Geilgud made the part his own}}</ref> Another legendary Richard was [[Maurice Evans (actor)|Maurice Evans]], who first played the role at the Old Vic in 1934 and then created a sensation in his 1937 Broadway performance, revived it in New York in 1940 and then immortalised it on television for the [[Hallmark Hall of Fame]] in 1954. In England, [[Paul Scofield]], who played the role at the Old Vic in 1952, was considered the definitive Richard of more modern times.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/paul-scofield-oscarwinning-actor-whose-phenomenal-range-was-unmatched-in-his-generation-798984.html | location=London | work=The Independent | date=21 March 2008 | title=Paul Scofield: Oscar-winning actor whose phenomenal range was unmatched in his generation | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925115254/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/paul-scofield-oscarwinning-actor-whose-phenomenal-range-was-unmatched-in-his-generation-798984.html | archive-date=25 September 2015}}</ref> In the 1968–1970 seasons of the [[Prospect Theatre Company]], [[Ian McKellen]] made a breakthrough performance as Richard, opposite [[Timothy West]] as Bolingbroke. The production, directed by [[Richard Cottrell (theatre director)|Richard Cottrell]], toured Britain and Europe, featuring in the [[Edinburgh Festival]] in 1969 and on [[BBC TV]] in 1970.<ref>{{cite web| title =Prospect Theatre Company| publisher =Ian McKellen Stage| url =http://www.mckellen.com/stage/r2/prospect.htm| access-date =26 April 2016| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140810064427/http://www.mckellen.com/stage/r2/prospect.htm| archive-date =10 August 2014| url-status =live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/jul/08/toby-robertson | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | access-date=2013-09-16 | date=26 April 2016 | title=Toby Robertson obituary | first=Michael | last=Coveney | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203154856/http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/jul/08/toby-robertson | archive-date=3 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Richard II archive of Ian McKellen|url=http://www.mckellan.com/stage/r2/|access-date=26 April 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602220720/http://www.mckellan.com/stage/r2/|archive-date=2 June 2016}}</ref> In 1973 [[Ian Richardson]] and [[Richard Pasco]] alternated the roles of Richard and Bolingbroke in a production from [[John Barton (director)|John Barton]] at the [[Royal Shakespeare Theatre]];<ref>{{cite web |title=RSC Performances  Richard II |url=https://collections.shakespeare.org.uk/search/rsc-performances/ri2197304/view_as/list/search/everywhere:richard-ii-9490/sort_by/press_night/order/desc/page/5 |publisher=Shakespeare Birthplace Trust |access-date=7 November 2025}}</ref> nearly fifty years later this was still a standard by which performances were being judged.<ref>{{cite news|title=Timothy O'Brien|last=Coveney|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Coveney|date=28 October 2022|work=The Guardian|location=London|quote=still unmatched|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/oct/25/timothy-obrien-obituary|page=R6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=McEachern |editor1-first=Claire |title=King Richard ll |date=2019 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-42330-4 |page=48 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/King_Richard_ll/DHaIDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Ian+Richardson+and+Richard+Pasco+richard+ii&pg=PA48&printsec=frontcover |language=en}}</ref> One of the most accessible versions was the 1978 television production by the [[BBC]] of the play, shown as part of "The Shakespeare Plays" (a several years-long project to put all of Shakespeare's plays on videotape). This version, still available on DVD, starred [[Derek Jacobi]] as Richard, with John Gielgud making an appearance as John of Gaunt. In 1997, [[Fiona Shaw]] played the role as a man.<ref name=MD>{{cite news |last1=Dobson |first1=Michael |title=Richard II: a play for today |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2011/nov/25/richard-ii-play-for-today |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=25 November 2011}}</ref> More recently, the play was staged by [[Trevor Nunn]] in modern costume at the Old Vic in 2005, with [[Kevin Spacey]] in the title role, and by [[Michael Grandage]] at the [[Donmar Warehouse]] in 2011–12 with [[Eddie Redmayne]] in the title role.<ref name=MD/>

The role was played by [[Mark Rylance]] in an all-male production at [[Shakespeare's Globe]] in 2003. <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2013/jan/24/richard-ii-actors-david-tennant|title=Shakespeare's Richard II: which actor wears the crown best?|first=Lyn|last=Gardner|date=24 January 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202101613/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2013/jan/24/richard-ii-actors-david-tennant|archive-date=2 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Isherwood |first=Charles |date=2003-08-01 |title=Richard II |url=https://variety.com/2003/legit/reviews/richard-ii-6-1200540164/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Theatre review: Richard II at Shakespeare's Globe |url=https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/richiiglobe-rev |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=British Theatre Guide |language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527215335/https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/richiiglobe-rev|archive-date=27 May 2022
}}</ref> The play returned to the Globe in 2015 with [[Charles Edwards (English actor)|Charles Edwards]] in the title role.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/whats-on/globe-theatre/richard-ii-2015|title=Richard II |publisher=Shakespeare's Globe|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907190602/http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/whats-on/globe-theatre/richard-ii-2015|archive-date=7 September 2015}}</ref>

In summer 2012, [[BBC Two]] broadcast a [[Richard II (2012 film)|filmed adaptation]] together with other plays in the Henriad under the series title ''[[The Hollow Crown (TV series)|The Hollow Crown]]'' with [[Ben Whishaw]] as Richard II.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2012/27/the-hollow-crown-richard-ii-pi.html|title=The Hollow Crown: Richard II|publisher=BBC Media Centre|access-date=2012-06-15|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618041215/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2012/27/the-hollow-crown-richard-ii-pi.html|archive-date=18 June 2012}}</ref>

No film version for cinema release has ever been made; however, the 1949 film ''[[Train of Events]]'' includes a sub-plot featuring an amateur dramatics society performing the last scenes of ''Richard II''.

The [[Royal Shakespeare Company]] produced the play with [[David Tennant]] in the lead role in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21159286|title=David Tennant to play Richard II in RSC's winter season|work=BBC News|date=23 January 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124112005/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21159286|archive-date=24 January 2013}}</ref> It has been released as a [[Cineplex Odeon]] special worldwide movie event.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cineplex.com/Events/Shakespeare |title=Summer of Shakespeare |access-date=2014-07-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722184218/http://www.cineplex.com/Events/Shakespeare |archive-date=22 July 2014}}</ref> Tennant reprised the role for his U.S. stage debut, at [[Brooklyn Academy of Music|BAM]], in April 2016.

The [[Almeida Theatre]], Islington, London, produced the play with [[Simon Russell Beale]] in the lead role in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cavendish |first1=Dominic |title=The Tragedy of King Richard the Second, Almeida, review: a Simon Russell Beale masterclass, but an irksome production |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/tragedy-king-richard-second-review-almeida-simon-russell-beale/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/tragedy-king-richard-second-review-almeida-simon-russell-beale/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=6 January 2019 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=19 December 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of William Shakespeare screen adaptations#Richard II|List of screen adaptations of ''Richard II'']]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==

===Editions of ''Richard II''===
* [[Jonathan Bate|Bate, Jonathan]] and Rasmussen, Eric (eds.), ''Richard II'' (The RSC Shakespeare; London: Macmillan, 2010)
* Black, Matthew W. (ed.) ''The Tragedy of King Richard the Second'' (The Pelican Shakespeare; London, Penguin, 1957; revised edition 1970)
* Dawson, Anthony B. and Yachnin, Paul (eds.) ''Richard II'' (The Oxford Shakespeare; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012)
* Dolan, Frances E. (ed.) ''Richard II'' (The Pelican Shakespeare, 2nd edition; London, Penguin, 2000)
* [[J. Dover Wilson|Dover Wilson, John]] (ed.) ''Richard II'' (The New Shakespeare; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1939; 2nd edition, 1951)
* Edmondson, Paul (ed.) ''Richard II'' (The New Penguin Shakespeare 2nd edition; London: Penguin, 2008)
* [[G. Blakemore Evans|Evans, G. Blakemore]] (ed.) ''[[Riverside Shakespeare|The Riverside Shakespeare]]'' (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1974; 2nd edn., 1997)
* {{cite book |editor-last=Forker |editor-first=Charles R. |title=King Richard II |series=The Arden Shakespeare, 3rd Series |location=London |publisher=Arden |year=2002}}
* [[Stephen Greenblatt|Greenblatt, Stephen]]; Cohen, Walter; Howard, Jean E. and Maus, Katharine Eisaman (eds.) ''The Norton Shakespeare: Based on the Oxford Shakespeare'' (London: Norton, 1997)
* Gurr, Andrew (ed.) ''King Richard II'' (The Cambridge Shakespeare; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984; 2nd edition 2003)
* {{cite book |last1=Mowat |first1=Barbara A |last2=Werstine |first2=Paul |author1-link=Barbara Mowat |title=Richard II |date=1996 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=New York |isbn=978-0-7434-8491-6}}
* [[Kenneth Muir (scholar)|Muir, Kenneth]] (ed.) ''Richard II'' (Signet Classic Shakespeare; New York: Signet, 1963; revised edition, 1988; 2nd revised edition 1999)
* Powell, Ivor B. (ed.) ''King Richard II'' (The Arden Shakespeare, 1st Series; London: Arden, 1912)
* Ure, Peter (ed.) ''King Richard II'' (The Arden Shakespeare, 2nd Series; London: Arden, 1956)
* [[Stanley Wells|Wells, Stanley]] (ed.) ''Richard II'' (The New Penguin Shakespeare; London: Penguin, 1969; revised edition 1997)
* Wells, Stanley; [[Gary Taylor (scholar)|Taylor, Gary]]; Jowett, John and Montgomery, William (eds.) ''The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986; 2nd edn., 2005)

===Secondary sources===
* Barroll, Leeds. "A New History for Shakespeare and His Time." ''Shakespeare Quarterly'' 39 (1988), 441–444.
* Bergeron, David. "The Deposition Scene in Richard II." ''Renaissance Papers'' 1974, 31–37.
* Bullough, Geoffrey. "Narrative and Dramatic Sources of Shakespeare". ''Early English History Plays: Henry VI Richard III Richard II'', volume III, Routledge: London, New York, 1960.
* Huke, Ivan and Perkins, Derek. ''Richard II: Literature Revision Notes and Examples''. Celtic Revision Aids. 1981. {{ISBN|0-17-751304-7}}.
* [[Edmund Kerchever Chambers|Chambers, E. K.]] ''William Shakespeare: A Study of Facts and Problems''. 2 Volumes. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1930.
* Rose, Alexander. ''Kings in the North – The House of Percy in British History''. Phoenix/Orion Books Ltd, 2002, {{ISBN|1-84212-485-4}}
* Smitd, Kristian. ''Unconformities in Shakespeare's History Plays'', St. Martin's Press: New York, 1993.
* [[E. M. W. Tillyard|Tillyard, E. M. W.]] ''Shakespeare's History Plays'', Chatto & Windus: London, 1944.

==External links==
{{Wikisource|Richard II (Shakespeare)}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{Commons category|Richard II (play)}}
* {{StandardEbooks|Standard Ebooks URL=https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/william-shakespeare/richard-ii}}
* {{gutenberg|no=1512|name= Richard II}}
* {{librivox book | title=Richard II | author=William Shakespeare}}
* [http://www.swipespeare.com/king-richard-the-second.html#.UtMgN2RDvV4 ''King Richard the Second''] – Modern version of the play

{{Shakespeare}}
{{Henriad}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1595 plays]]
[[Category:Henriad]]
[[Category:English Renaissance plays]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of English monarchs]]
[[Category:Plays set in England]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Richard II of England]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Henry IV of England]]
[[Category:British plays adapted into films]]
[[Category:Biographical plays about English royalty]]
[[Category:Plays set in the 14th century]]
[[Category:Plays about kings]]