The Final Soliloquy Of Richard
A Royal Reflection: II
Richard's final soliloquy (Richard II, V.v.1-66) marks both the culmination of his transformation from a callous monarch to a poetic philosopher and his moral ascent resulting from his deposition as the King of England. In this scene, Richard is alone, in a prison cell at Pomfret Castle, for the first time in the play. This privacy enables him to reveal an enlightened, reminiscent eloquence nurtured and developed since being freed from the burdens and constraints that weighed him down as king. However, this soliloquy does more than reveal the inner workings of a poet-King.
Of the several functions and purposes that this soliloquy has, none may be more ...
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The most important role that this passage plays is to demonstrate the transformation that Richard has undergone since relinquishing the crown. He is no longer a callous, self-absorbed elitist, but is self-reflective and poetic. An early example of this clever use of language is the hammer metaphor, which symbolizes his newfound ability to craft words and sentences in a rich and meaningful manner, and sets his brain and soul to breed thoughts.
Despite having surrendered the crown to his cousin early in Act IV, the unmasking of Richard is not complete until he has been imprisoned for a considerable length of time with nothing to do but think about the past. Despite whatever emotional or spiritual epiphanies Richard may have experienced, it is clear that he regrets his imprisonment. He explicitly states that he wishes he could dig his way out, or "tear a passage through… my ragged prison walls" (RII, V.v.20-21). However, with is newfound clarity, he acknowledges the futility ...
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while on the other hand, the beggar is a victim of 'crushing penury." Earlier in the play, he identified himself among the ranks of deposed and murdered kings (III.ii), yet here, he identifies with the common people, specifically the beggars in the stocks, recalling Bullingbroke's reference to the "Beggar and the King" in the previous scene (V.iii.80).
Further philosophizing, Richard abandons his faith in salvation. And acknowledges the only escape that he can possibly conceive is the state of nothingness, or death. Only in death will he be released from his discontentment and pain. In his mind, death is the "ultimate and ironic purpose of existence"
But what e'er I be,
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"The Final Soliloquy Of Richard." Essayworld.com. September 24, 2007. Accessed April 20, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Final-Soliloquy-Of-Richard/71661.
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