Richard II abbreviated

Synopsis


The play begins in 1399 when the thirty-two year old English King Richard II calls forward his thirty-two year old cousin Henry Bolingbroke, along with a Thomas Mowbray, each having been accused of complicity in the death of the king’s uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, Edward III’s sixth of seven sons. The late King Edward III was Bolingbroke’s and the king’s grandfather. The Duchess of Gloucester seeks out John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, to help her avenge her husband’s murder, John of Gaunt being Bolingbroke’s father and Edward III’s fourth son. Gaunt offers her thin support, saying “It’s God’s quarrel,” the king in that era considered God’s substitute in England. (Grief, Act 1, Scene 2) She soon leaves for her castle at Plashy, not to heard from again, until we learn that she has died.

Richard II is the first in a series of eight Shakespeare histories that covers fifteenth century England; England led throughout the century by “fair branches springing from one root,” Edward III being the patriarch of this Plantagenet dynasty. And for at least three generations during that period, John of Gaunt’s descendents ruled England. To get back to the story, Bolingbroke and Mowbray are called before the king and John of Gaunt to defend themselves. They engage in a serious verbal spar. (Honor, Act 1, Scene 1) The king decides that the two of them must settle their differences in a duel at Coventry. Later, at Coventry, at the last minute before the duel, the king decides to ban Mowbray from England for life and to exile Bolingbroke to France for six years. Gaunt advises his son while in France “to imagine each flower a fair lady; each step a measured dance.” (Father to Son, Act 1, Scene 3) Soon after Henry Bolingbroke leaves for France, Gaunt turns seriously ill and is gently comforted by his younger brother, Edmund of Langley, the Duke of York, Edward III’s fifth son. (Insight, Act 2, Scene 1) As a weak and defenseless John of Gaunt is about to die, King Richard II enters and stands over him saying “Let them die that age and sullens have, for both hast thou, and both become the grave.” The king no doubt later regretted the line. Gaunt then dies, shortly after delivering his famous soliloquy “……This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.” (Pride, Act 2, Scene 1) As events develop, York’s support for the king begins to wane, York traditionally loyal to the crown, whoever he might be. (Pleading, Act 2, Scene 1) The late King Edward III’s surname was Plantagenet; Plantagenet having been the family name of Geoffrey, count of Anjou, an ancestor of Edward III’s, Anjou being a western French province. Though their surname was Plantagenet, this powerful family, for the balance of this series of eight histories, found itself split into two groups. There were the descendents of John of Gaunt, the Lancastrians, and the descendents of Edmund of Langley, the Yorkists. Political loyalties to these two Plantagenet branches was the source of the “War of the Roses,” a subject discussed in later history plays.

Richard II has plans to wage war with the Irish, expropriating Gaunt’s and Bolingbroke’s assets to help finance his war effort. Separately, biding his time in France, Bolingbroke, aware that Richard II is losing some domestic support and eager to reclaim his title and his rights to his father’s property, gains the support of France’s Duke of Brittany and leaves France with a substantial armada, planning to land at Ravensburgh on England’s north coast. It is also rumored about that he has plans to seize the crown from Richard II!

A friend of the king’s, John Bushy, counsels and consoles the queen, who justifiably fears for her husband. (Grief, Act 2, Scene 2) Meanwhile, Henry Bolingbroke and his entourage arrive at Ravensburgh and head south for Bristow Castle. The monarchist York, now old and afflicted, confronts the young, virile and ambitious Bolingbroke, making a brave and heart-felt attempt to encourage Bolingbroke to support the king. (Anger, Act 2, Scene 3) But Bolingbroke, with compassion and diplomacy, holds firm, winning York over. (Deference, Act 2, Scene 3) Separately, in a sign of things to come, the Welshmen, long the king’s allies, flee the king on his return from Ireland. While at Bristow Castle Bolingbroke captures Bushy and Green, two of the king’s confidants, and has them executed. (Courtesy, Act 3, Scene 1) Bolingbroke moves further inland. The king learns of his own deteriorating support among a number of key aides and their friends, many having defected to Bolingbroke, including the powerful Northumberland and his son, Harry Percy, known as Hotspur. Salisbury, a friend of the king’s delivers bad news to a depressed Richard II, followed by Stephen Scroop whose news is worse. (Despair, Act 3, Scene 2.1) The king talks freely of death, (Despair, Act 3, Scene 2.2) but is taken to task and temporarily encouraged by the Bishop of Carlisle. (Counsel, Act 3, Scene 2) Furthering his dismay, the king learns that his uncle York has joined Bolingbroke and his cause.

The young Harry Percy (Hotspur) then informs Bolingbroke that the king and a few of his supporters have sought protection in Flint Castle. Bolingbroke dispatches Northumberland to talk with the king and to let him know that he only seeks to have his banishment repealed and to have his lands and other assets returned. Initially, Richard II puts up a good front, but soon succumbs to talking a little incoherently; addressing many issues, but doesn’t address Bolingbroke’s stated objectives. (Resentment, Act 3, Scene 3) The king soon buckles and is bloodlessly deposed, a discouraging moment for his supporters and a defining moment in English history. (Acceptance, Act 3, Scene 3) Separately, the dispirited queen and her aide are walking in the queen’s garden when the Gardener offers a metaphor for the realm, irritating the queen. (Disillusionment, Act 3, Scene 4) Later, the Duke of York reports to Bolingbroke that Richard II is ready to publicly give up his crown. York declares that Henry Bolingbroke is now King Henry IV. Richard II comes forward. Gently, Northumberland tells Richard II that he must sign certain papers acknowledging his crimes against the state. Richard puts up an emotional defense, saying “I have hardly yet learned to bend my knee.” Finally he says, “Here, cousin, seize the crown.” When Bolingbroke asks him “I thought you had been willing to resign,” Richard replies, “My crown I am, but still my griefs are mine, for I must nothing be.” (Capitulation, Act 4, Scene 1) After a period of verbal sparing, Henry IV holding firm, the new king sends Richard to the Tower, a prison initially constructed by Julius Caesar. Northumberland proceeds to tell the queen that she has been banished to France and that Richard will be transferred to Pomfret Castle. To no avail, the queen cries “whither he goes, thither let me go.” Richard says, “Weep for me in France, I for thee here.” Separately, Henry IV pardons his cousin Aumerle, York’s son, who throughout the play had been politically naïve and had treated Bolingbroke poorly. (Pleading, Act 5, Scene 3)

So, Richard is relegated to Pomfret Castle to be its lone prisoner. Shakespeare has Richard reflect on his life and his own sense of being and what was and what might have been. (Introspection, Act 5, Scene 5.1) (Introspection, Act 5, Scene 5.2) A badly misguided but well intentioned friend of the new king kills Richard at Pomfret Castle, an act that will haunt kings and England for a century. The deposing of Richard II, followed by his murder at Pomfret, leads to rumors and innuendos and gossip and justification for acts for decades to come, burdening Henry IV’s reign and those of his son and grandson. But Richard’s loss of his crown and his life, sad as that is, leads to a wonderful series of history books.


Principal Characters


Aumerle.
Aumerle is the Duke of Aumerle, York’s older son, the stepson of the Dutchess of York. He is a first cousin to both Richard II and Henry Bolingbroke. He remains a close confidant to Richard II throughout, and is never close to Bolingbroke. Late in the play he is implicated in an earlier plot designed to take the life of Bolingbroke, who by then is Henry IV. The new king takes the accusation lightly and pardons Aumerle.

Duke of York.
The Duke of York is Edward of Langley, the fifth son of Edward III. Throughout the play York is the “glue” who helps hold the family together, having a nice relationship with his brother Gaunt, and his nephews, Richard II and Henry IV. Lionel, Duke of Clarence, was Edward III’s third son, and had one child, a daughter, Philippa. Later, York’s younger son, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, marries Anne, the granddaughter of Philippa, leading inevitably to proper succession-to-the-crown issues, which leads to the War of the Roses, a “war” that consumes England in the fifteenth century.

Henry Bolingbroke.
Henry Bolingbroke is the Duke of Hereford, the son of John of Gaunt, and a future king. Early in the play he is exiled for six years to France; Richard II, his cousin, fearing him as a competitor. While in France Bolingbroke gains political, military and financial strength as Richard II continues to exercise poor judgment. Well prepared, Bolingbroke returns to England while Richard II is off fighting in Ireland, and with mature finesse usurps his cousin’s crown, about as smoothly as one can imagine, becoming in Act four England’s King Henry IV.

John of Gaunt.
John of Gaunt, Edward III’s fourth son, is the father of Henry Bolingbroke, who becomes King Henry IV. He is also the grandfather of Henry V and great-grandfather of Henry VI; known, understandably, as the father of kings. John of Gaunt was born in Gaunt, England, was the Duke of Lancaster and the patriarch of the Lancastrians who ruled England for seven decades. A beloved figure in English history, Gaunt dies early in Act two.

Northumberland.
Northumberland is Henry Percy, the Earl of Northumberland, an early supporter of Richard II. Disappointed with the way the king is leading the country, Northumberland defects to Bolingbroke. He comes to act as Bolingbroke’s chief-of-staff and near the end is described by Richard II as “being the ladder wherewithal the mounting Bolingbroke ascends his throne.” Northumberland and his son, Harry Percy, later known as Hotspur, are central players in the next history, Henry IV Part 1.

Richard II.
Richard II is Richard Plantagenet, the only son of Edward, the Black Prince, the first son of Edward III, both deceased. In 1379, the twelve year old Richard becomes king, King Edward III having just died. Richard’s father had predeceased his father, leaving the young Richard first in line as heir to England’s crown. In 1399, King Richard II is thirty-two and married, but they have no children. Richard II makes some weak choices, almost not knowing what it’s like not to be king, being king since he was a boy.

 A portrait of William Shakespeare