The Complete Idiot's Guide to Shakespeare's Plays by Cynthia Greenwood

Author:Cynthia Greenwood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2010-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

Old Queen Margaret Curses and Prophesies

Queen Elizabeth, King Edward’s wife, has reason to worry. (Don’t confuse her with Elizabeth I, who ruled a century later.) Richard is in line to become the protector of her young sons, the two princes who stand to inherit the throne. During one scene, Richard strategically casts doubt on the queen’s motives to make the rest of the court believe that she and her family are responsible for having Clarence locked up.

Enter Margaret of Anjou, the widow of dead Henry VI. A former queen herself, Margaret has her own ax to grind. In a series of bitter asides, she accuses the murderous Richard, calling him a “devil” and “murth’rous villain.” Then, mindful that she would still be queen had Richard not murdered her husband, she angrily accuses the court of depriving her of her rightful crown. Then she curses Queen Elizabeth and her family: Can curses pierce the clouds and enter heaven?

Why then give way, dull clouds, to my quick curses!

Though not by war, by surfeit die your king,

As ours by murther, to make him a king!

Edward thy son, that now is Prince of Wales,

For Edward our son, that was Prince of Wales,

Die in his youth by like untimely violence!

(I.3.194-200)

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