King Richard II

William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.4

Word count: 134K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.King Richard II by William ShakespeareAuthor: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jun 1, 1999

Editor's review

King Richard II opens Shakespeare's second tetralogy, centering on the turnover of the English crown and staging a tragedy about legitimacy and the limits of power. The play is celebrated for its beautiful verse, and Richard's psychological shift is drawn in clear layers, from a confident monarch to a fallen man forced to surrender his crown, his soliloquies profoundly moving. The conflict between divine right and realpolitik offers readers an important entry into Shakespeare's history plays. The Project Gutenberg edition preserves the original English text, making it suitable as a base text for reading in the original or for comparative study. As you read, watch for the recurring imagery of the crown, land, and mirror, which links the rise and fall of power and identity. For readers who want a systematic grasp of Shakespeare's history plays, this is an indispensable starting point.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literature lovers who want to read Shakespeare's history plays in order
Students of history and literature studying the English monarchy and the legitimacy of power
Readers who want to improve their reading of English poetry and drama through the original text

Not a good fit for

Beginners who only want modern Chinese retellings or simplified versions
Readers wholly unfamiliar with the English medieval background who are unwilling to consult notes
Casual readers expecting a light comic atmosphere

Reading tips

Read a plot summary and historical background first, then go to the original text for smoother understanding
Pay attention to the rhythm of Richard II's abdication scene; read it aloud to feel the verse's cadence
Read it alongside Shakespeare's other history plays in chronological order to observe the continuity of the kingship theme

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I understand this play without any background in English history?

You can read it, but it is advisable to first learn about the background of the throne struggle between Richard II and Bolingbroke. The relationships are dense; making a character chart as you read will help. If you focus only on language and psychology, the historical barrier is not very high.

What is this Gutenberg edition suitable for?

The Gutenberg edition provides a free electronic text in the original English, suitable for reading in the original, excerpting lines, and comparative study, and it is easy to search for keywords on electronic devices. It contains no modern annotations; if you need detailed notes, consult an annotated edition separately.

How does this play relate to Shakespeare's other history plays?

King Richard II is usually regarded as the opening of Shakespeare's second tetralogy, forming a connected sequence with Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V. Reading this play first and then the later works makes the causal chain of royal succession clearer.

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About the author

William Shakespeare Author · English · 1564–1616

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was the greatest playwright, poet and actor of the English Renaissance. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he is known as the "Bard of Avon." He wrote roughly thirty-seven to thirty-nine plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets and narrative poems. His representative works include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. His works span tragedy, comedy and history play, distinguished by rich, poetic language and profound characterization. His explorations of human nature, power, love and fate have had a lasting influence, and his works have been translated into many languages and circulated widely around the world.