When did Shakespeare write Richard III?

William Shakespeare wrote 'Richard III' sometime between 1592 and 1594, in the first part of his career. It was the last part of the 'first tetralogy' of Shakespeare's history plays, completing the story begun in the three-part 'Henry VI'.

What historical events are covered in Shakespeare's play Richard III?

Shakespeare's 'Richard III' covers the final phase of the Wars of the Roses - from the start of the second reign of Edward IV in 1471, to the ascension of Richard III in 1483, to Richard's final defeat and death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

Why is Richard III depicted so villainously in Shakespeare's play?

Shakespeare depicts Richard III as a villain partly because this is how he is depicted in the historical sources Shakespeare used, but also to please the reigning Tudor dynasty, whose first king, Henry VII, was the one who overthrew and supplanted Richard III.

The Tragedy of Richard III: Shakespeare's First Great Villain

Definition

The Tragedy of Richard III, often referred to as simply Richard III, is a history play by William Shakespeare (1564-1616), probably written around 1592-94. It is the fourth and final installment of the 'first tetralogy' of Shakespeare's history plays which, along with the three parts of Henry VI, chronicle the Wars of the Roses (1455-1487), a series of bloody dynastic conflicts in England that pitted the houses of York and Lancaster against one another. Richard III picks up toward the end of the conflict and follows the Machiavellian rise of the hunchbacked Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as he schemes and murders his way to the English throne, eventually becoming King Richard III of England (r. 1483-1485).

More about: The Tragedy of Richard III

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