Richard III: The Other King

Richard III is one of the most disreputable kings of British history. He is accused of a series of murders, including the death of his two nephews, his wife’s ex-husband and her ex-father-in-law, all for one reason; to seize and hold the throne. The reason why this king, who was on the throne for about two years and, according to the reliable historical documents, did not showed an unsuccessful management, has such a bad reputation is William Shakespeare's main character in Richard III. The author wrote this play during the reign of Richard's natural enemy, the Tudors. Because of the resources he used and the political environment of the time, Shakespeare had to create a monster, not a national hero. As a result a character who is as evil as Iago and Lear’s daughters (Goneril and Regan), but more colourful than them, emerged. However; Shakespeare's text has many exaggerated and inconsistent aspects. The exaggerated evil of Richard III can be explained by the impact of his physical disability on his psychology. Besides it is clear that his cruel and masculine behaviours were influenced by social expectation