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There are 52 named characters in Richard III and their relationships are quite complex. It can be beneficial to get your head around how they all fit together before closely studying the play: be it through family, employment, loyalty to title or position etc. Refer to the Key characters page for more detail on the relationships between the characters in the play.
Activity:
Create your own visual character map for Shakespeare’s Richard III with the following characters:
Richard, Edward IV, Clarence, Queen Elizabeth, Margaret, Duchess of York, Rivers, Dorset, Lady Anne, Prince Edward, Richmond, Buckingham, Tyrell, Catesby, Bishop of Ely, Hastings.
The map can be as creative and visual as you wish. The most important thing is that it is clear and can prove helpful to you throughout your studies as a quick reference for characters and relationships, and how they change over the five acts of the play.
On the map show:
- The historical family line of the Royalty and what house they belong to (York, Lancaster, Woodville, other).
- Differentiate those who are Lords, church, followers and employees, and show who they are loyal to.
- As much detail as possible with regards to the relationships between the characters.
- Indicate where loyalty changes throughout the play. Mark at which points characters flee, change allegiances, etc.
- Most importantly, chart Richard’s journey throughout the play. When does he start to lose support and who is left by his side? (You can make a separate graph for this if need be.)
