That being said (and as many posts so far have discussed), Shakepeare's emphasis on Richard's kingliness through Boilingbroke juxtaposes the assumptions we make of a king, especially one who is saved by the grace of history, with the blatant cowardice of his actions. Unless being king exempts him from cowardice? Does power overcome deception, or is power itself a deception if lies are needed to keep it?
I like your question about power at the end. Somebody else mentioned Machiavelli I think, and that is certainly one way to look at it. In a Machiavellian mindset, one would say that power with deception is certainly still power, and that no lies can counteract the power. However, a classic hero might feel differently, as honor is an important aspect of being heroic. PS: I'm glad we have another class together because I loved your perspectives in Brother Hall's class.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had fleshed that idea out more, but I'm definitely going to be looking to see if it continues past Act 2 (where I got to).
DeleteP.S. I was excited to see you, too!
Love how Machiavelli got brought into this :) But I do think that deception can add to power. I definitely don't agree with it, though, because - as we can see in this play - it has it's consequences!
ReplyDelete