Richard II (play)

Richard II (play) (1595-1596), play by William Shakespeare. Richard II is viewed as the most original of Shakespeare's early chronicle plays. In spite of its thematic similarities to playwright Christopher Marlowe's Edward II (1592?), Richard II is where Shakespeare emerges from Marlowe’s influence. Shakespeare's play differs from his predecessor’s in structure, characterization, and diction. The action of Richard II covers a shorter space of time and is more compact; the lyric flow of the dialogue contrasts strongly with the declamation and occasional direct dramatic expression of Marlowe. Most important of all, Shakespeare's characterization of his hero is a far more subtle study than Marlowe's portrayal of his vacillating monarch. The character of Richard, self-indulgent, self-pitying, and blind to the actualities of life, is brought out by contrast with that of his opponent, the hard realist, Bolingbroke. In the end, Richard's fall is due not so much to outside forces as to a fatal flaw in his character, and in this respect, the play foreshadows the later and greater tragedies.