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Last updated: Fri, Jul 31, 2015

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Act and scene list

Characters in the Play
Entire Play As Richard III opens, Richard is Duke of Gloucester and his brother, Edward IV, is king. Richard is eager to clear his way to the crown. He manipulates Edward into imprisoning their brother, Clarence, and then has Clarence murdered in the Tower. Meanwhile, Richard succeeds in marrying Lady Anne, even though he killed her father-in-law, Henry VI, and her husband.When the ailing King Edward dies, Prince Edward, the older of his two young sons, is next in line for the throne. Richard houses the Prince and his younger brother in the Tower. Richard then stages events that yield him the crown.After Richard’s coronation, he has the boys secretly killed. He also disposes of Anne, his wife, in order to court his niece, Elizabeth of York. Rebellious nobles rally to Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond. When their armies meet, Richard is defeated and killed. Richmond becomes Henry VII. His marriage to Elizabeth of York ends the Wars of the Roses and starts the Tudor dynasty.
Act 1, scene 1 Richard, alone onstage, reveals his intention to play the villain. He then pretends to console Clarence, the first victim of this villainy. After Clarence is led off toward prison, Richard greets Hastings, who tells him that King Edward is very ill. Richard, once again alone onstage, outlines his plan to have Clarence killed and to marry Lady Anne.
Act 1, scene 2 Richard woos Lady Anne over the corpse of King Henry VI, Anne’s father-in-law, whom Richard murdered.
Act 1, scene 3 Queen Elizabeth bemoans her situation in the face of her husband’s serious illness; Richard quarrels with Queen Elizabeth, her brother, and Grey, her son by her first marriage. Queen Margaret, King Henry VI’s widow, curses them all. After the others have departed, Richard dispatches his agents to kill Clarence.
Act 1, scene 4 Richard’s agents murder the imprisoned Clarence.
Act 2, scene 1 The dying King Edward IV attempts to reconcile the quarreling factions in his royal court. Queen Elizabeth and her kindred, on the one side, and Hastings, Buckingham, and Richard, on the other, vow to make and keep peace among themselves. Rejoicing about this “united league” is interrupted by news of Clarence’s murder, which King Edward blames on himself and Richard blames on the Queen’s kindred.
Act 2, scene 2 As the Duchess of York mourns Clarence’s death, Queen Elizabeth enters grieving for the death of King Edward IV. Richard and Buckingham make plans to escort King Edward’s heir, Prince Edward, to London.
Act 2, scene 3 Three citizens discuss the possibly tumultuous succession of Prince Edward.
Act 2, scene 4 As Queen Elizabeth awaits the coming of Prince Edward, news arrives that Richard has imprisoned her brother Rivers, her son Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan. She rushes to sanctuary with her son the Duke of York.
Act 3, scene 1 Richard and Buckingham arrive in London with Prince Edward and order that Edward’s brother, the Duke of York, be taken from sanctuary. Richard and Buckingham put both boys in the Tower and send Catesby to sound out Hastings about supporting Richard’s intention to take the throne for himself.
Act 3, scene 2 Responding to Catesby, Hastings flatly refuses to support Richard’s bid for the throne, and takes great satisfaction in the news that the Queen’s son and brother are to be beheaded that very day.
Act 3, scene 3 The Queen’s brother Rivers, her son Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan are led to execution. They recall Margaret’s curse, and pray that it will fall as well on Hastings, Buckingham, and Richard, whom she also cursed.
Act 3, scene 4 A council of lords meets to plan the coronation of Edward V. Richard, learning from Buckingham of Hastings’ refusal to support them, accuses Hastings’ mistress of witchcraft and orders Hastings’ execution. Hastings, led off to his death, remembers Stanley’s warning dream and Margaret’s curse.
Act 3, scene 5 Richard and Buckingham excuse the summary execution of Hastings to the Mayor of London by staging an “uprising” that they blame on Hastings’ treachery. Richard then sends Buckingham to persuade Londoners that the crown should be taken from the heirs of Edward IV and given to Richard. Buckingham is to claim that Edward IV himself was illegitimate, and that therefore Richard is the legitimate heir.
Act 3, scene 6 The professional scribe who has just finished transcribing Hastings’ indictment shows how the charge against Hastings had been prepared and the transcribing begun long before Hastings had even been accused or arrested.
Act 3, scene 7 Richard and Buckingham, having failed to persuade London’s officials and citizens that Richard should be king, stage a scene of Richard’s great piety. Richard “yields” to the Mayor’s plea that Richard accept the kingship.
Act 4, scene 1 Queen Elizabeth, her son Dorset, and the Duchess of York meet Lady Anne and Clarence’s daughter as all approach the Tower to visit Prince Edward and the Duke of York. They are denied entry. Then Stanley comes to take Lady Anne to be crowned Richard’s queen. At Elizabeth’s urging, Dorset leaves for France to join Stanley’s stepson, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond.
Act 4, scene 2 The newly crowned Richard asks Buckingham to arrange the deaths of Prince Edward and the Duke of York. When Buckingham resists the request, Richard procures “a discontented gentleman,” James Tyrrel, to kill the boys. Richard decides to have Lady Anne killed and to marry Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth. He then refuses a promised earldom to Buckingham, and Buckingham flees.
Act 4, scene 3 Tyrrel reports the deaths of Edward IV’s sons. Richard then reveals that Anne is dead and that he will now woo his niece Elizabeth, whom Richmond also seeks in marriage. Ratcliffe informs Richard that Morton, Bishop of Ely, has fled to Richmond, and that Buckingham is “in the field.” Richard musters his army.
Act 4, scene 4 Queen Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, and the Duchess of York grieve for their dead. Richard enters on his way to confront Buckingham’s army, and he tries to persuade Queen Elizabeth to give him her daughter Elizabeth in marriage. Then a series of messengers bring Richard news of his enemies’ maneuvers against him, and of Buckingham’s capture.
Act 4, scene 5 Lord Stanley sends news to Richmond, whose army is marching on London: Stanley will be unable to help because Richard is holding Stanley’s son George hostage.
Act 5, scene 1 Buckingham is led to execution.
Act 5, scene 2 Richmond and his army march against Richard.
Act 5, scene 3 Richard and Richmond and their supporters prepare for battle. Asleep, Richard and Richmond are each visited by the ghosts of those whom Richard has killed or has had killed; the ghosts curse Richard and cheer Richmond. In the morning Richmond and Richard address their troops before battle.
Act 5, scene 4 In battle Richard has been unhorsed and faces defeat.
Act 5, scene 5 Richmond kills Richard and is given the crown that he will wear as King Henry VII. His coming marriage to Elizabeth of York is hailed as the end of the Wars of the Roses and the beginning of a time of “smooth-faced peace.”

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Act 1, scene 1

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