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MonkeyNotes-Richard II by William Shakespeare
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Act V, Scene 1
This scene focuses on Richard's poetic farewell to his queen.
Queen Isabel is waiting with her attendants for Richard on a street
leading to the "ill-erected tower" of London. When Richard
appears, the queen melancholically compares Richard to a
"beauteous-inn" whose lodger is "hard-favor'd grief" as "triumph"
has "become an ale-house guest" (Bolingbroke). Richard urges
her not to give in to grief and to think of their glorious former
state as a "happy dream." He tells her to go away to France and
spend the rest of her life in a convent. The queen chides Richard
for showing such meekness in adversity. She exclaims in
amazement, "What! is my Richard both in shape and mind /
Transform'd and weaken'd! Hath Bolingbroke depos'd / Thine
intellect?"
She tries in vain to rouse his drooping spirits. Richard has given
way to despair and no one can help him. He bids her to prepare to
leave for France and to think that he has died. Northumberland
enters and disrupts their conversation to announce that Richard is
to be taken to Pomfret, instead of the Tower of London, while
Isabel must return to her native France. Richard denounces
Northumberland for acting as the ladder through which "The
mounting Bolingbroke ascends (his) throne." He warns him that
with the passage of time, "foul sin gathering head / Shall break
into corruption." He cautions that the love of wicked friends
changes to fear, which divides friends from each other. Richard
foresees an era of discord caused by the animosity that is bound to
erupt between Northumberland and Bolingbroke. Northumberland
merely tells Richard that they must soon leave. Richard's moving
parting with his queen follows. Northumberland turns down
Isabel's plea to banish both of them and to send Richard with her
to France. He also turns down her proposal to allow her to go with
Richard to Pomfret. Richard then sorrowfully kisses his wife
farewell and bids her to be brief in "wooing sorrow." The scene
ends as they part to go their separate ways and the stage is left
empty.
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MonkeyNotes-Richard II by William Shakespeare
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