Literature
A feminist reinterpretation of
Richard III
She was the epitome of discovering true power of women and how they find personal strength. Queen Elizabeth, a minor character in Shakespeare’s eponymous history play Richard III, is despite the limitations women faced in her time, a true display of power and strength that is still appealing and inspirational today. Whilst Shakespeare’s play was an exploration of the political intrigues associated with the War of the Roses, we were captured by Elizabeth’s journey as a woman and individual with growing self awareness and personal power. Thus, our production, Elizabeth: a feminist reinterpretation of Richard III, makes the power hungry Richard the antagonist, whilst focusing on our protagonist, Elizabeth. Her story is told using edited scenes, Act I Scene III and Act IV Scene IV, and an original montage and clips based on Shakespeare’s depiction of the character. Using spectacle and Shakespeare’s powerful language, we explore Elizabeth’s transformation from lavishly titled but with limited power to personally rich whilst maintaining her morals and values as a strong woman.
“Bold, quick, ingenious, forward and capable”, these characteristics are prime in drawing our attention to the extraordinary character that is Elizabeth. Her raw strength through times of adversity such as the battle against Richard III, a man aimed at her demise is precisely what draws us as young women to her. Thus our feminist take on Richard III highlights her journey from dependent and personally powerless to strong, composed and personally capable. Our production entailed an expository montage, selected portions of Act 1 Scene 3, a brief clip, patterned parts of Act 4 scene 4 and a concluding clip. Elizabeth at the beginning saw through Richard’s disguise. Critic Shirley Galloway states “The women of this play function as voices of protest and morality. They often see through his intrigues and predict dire consequences from his acts.
Richard III
She was the epitome of discovering true power of women and how they find personal strength. Queen Elizabeth, a minor character in Shakespeare’s eponymous history play Richard III, is despite the limitations women faced in her time, a true display of power and strength that is still appealing and inspirational today. Whilst Shakespeare’s play was an exploration of the political intrigues associated with the War of the Roses, we were captured by Elizabeth’s journey as a woman and individual with growing self awareness and personal power. Thus, our production, Elizabeth: a feminist reinterpretation of Richard III, makes the power hungry Richard the antagonist, whilst focusing on our protagonist, Elizabeth. Her story is told using edited scenes, Act I Scene III and Act IV Scene IV, and an original montage and clips based on Shakespeare’s depiction of the character. Using spectacle and Shakespeare’s powerful language, we explore Elizabeth’s transformation from lavishly titled but with limited power to personally rich whilst maintaining her morals and values as a strong woman.
“Bold, quick, ingenious, forward and capable”, these characteristics are prime in drawing our attention to the extraordinary character that is Elizabeth. Her raw strength through times of adversity such as the battle against Richard III, a man aimed at her demise is precisely what draws us as young women to her. Thus our feminist take on Richard III highlights her journey from dependent and personally powerless to strong, composed and personally capable. Our production entailed an expository montage, selected portions of Act 1 Scene 3, a brief clip, patterned parts of Act 4 scene 4 and a concluding clip. Elizabeth at the beginning saw through Richard’s disguise. Critic Shirley Galloway states “The women of this play function as voices of protest and morality. They often see through his intrigues and predict dire consequences from his acts.