Shakespeare’s play ‘Richard II’ was written in 1592 and is based on the life of the English monarch who ruled from 1377 to 1399. The play is part of a tetralogy of historical works and focuses on Richard’s controversial reign, including his banishment of Henry of Bolingbroke and the eventual overthrow of Richard by Bolingbroke. The play explores the role of monarchical power and was significant in Shakespeare’s day due to King Henry VIII’s claim as a God-anointed ruler. Some academics argue that the play was also significant in Shakespeare’s development as a writer.
English playwright William Shakespeare is believed to have written the play ‘Richard II’ in the year 1592. Shakespeare’s play is based on the life of the English monarch who ruled his nation from 1377 to 1399. ‘Richard II’ is the first part of the tetralogy of plays which also includes “Henry IV” parts one and two, and “Henry V”. Like the other plays in the tetralogy, “Richard II” is classified as a historical work, although when it was first performed it was classified as a tragedy.
Richard ascended the English throne upon the death of Edward III in 1377. At the time, Richard was only 10 years old, so a committee was created to effectively govern the nation until the monarch was deemed old enough to manage the country’s affairs. The introduction of an unpopular tax in 1381 led to the so-called Peasants’ Revolt during which large numbers of peasants descended on the capital and stormed the royal fortress at the Tower of London. Rather than flee, the 14-year-old monarch confronted the mob and his intervention finally put an end to the popular uprising. Subsequently, the young Richard II took a more active role in the running of the nation.
After successfully putting down the Peasants’ Revolt, many historians argue that Richard II was very popular with his subjects for a number of years, but William Shakespeare’s work begins later in his reign, after Richard had become a more controversial figure. Early in the play, Richard intervenes in a dispute between his cousin Henry of Bolingbroke and a man named Thomas Mowbray during which Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray of murdering the Duke of Gloucester. Richard II eventually banishes both men before claiming the family estate of Bolingbroke for himself. In the play, Richard’s reign ends when Bolingbroke overthrows him and reclaims the English crown.
Key details in Shakespeare’s play are based on true events as the real life Bolingbroke was exiled and eventually became King Henry IV. On the surface, the play is seen as a historical drama, but some viewers at the time perceived it as an allegorical tale with the character Richard based on the aging monarch Elizabeth I. Also, much of the play is concerned with explaining the role of Richard as divinely appointed monarch. This exploration of monarchical power was also significant in Shakespeare’s day because Queen Elizabeth’s father, King Henry VIII, had indicated his role as a God-anointed ruler when he chose to break away from the Catholic Church. Aside from the historical references and topical subtext, many academics argue that “Richard II” was also a play through which Shakespeare honed his skills as a writer; some of the elements seen in later plays such as Hamlet are touched on for the first time in this play.
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