Journal 19: The death of kings
Richard goes through a lot of emotions in this act rather quickly. I think a major theme of this act is the death of kings. That phrase is brought up numerous times as a theme to what was going on and there was much commentary about it. York had some input into the situation when he was chastising Bolingbroke at the end of act two for disturbing the noble order and the various messengers in act 3 that deliver more and more bad news to the King filled their messages with sadness for the fall of kings or sorrow for the King in general. In this act I think Richard is the iconic King coming to terms with his mortality and fallibility. Richard is on an emotional roller coaster after hearing that more and more of his allies have been captured or have joined with Bolingbroke. I find it funny that towards the end Richard seems to realize that he is no different from any other man and doesn't deserve to be a king, and that kings are inherently tyrannical and eventually turn to vain monsters, but then switches back to king mode one more time before he finally realizes that there is no hope.
Richard is no different.
I agree that Richard is very emotional and realizes that he really isn't different from others. I don't think that the major theme is neccessarily the death of kings. I think it is more the death of Richard as King. When Richard says "And tell sad stories of the death of kings- How some have been deposed, some slain in war, Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed, Some poisoned by their wives, some sleeping killed, All murdered." that is where he realizes he isn't different than other kings that have been murdered in some way or another. Other than that, mostly the word King is singular and I think Richard is refering to how he should have been/should be/would be as a King should.
Megan Baeth-Brison
drawing parallels
If you recall the notion of concordances from the first week or so of class, when looking at Richard as the head of the nation, as the head of the body politic, then we can look at this play as not an allegory based upon Richard's demise as being emblematic of the nation's demise. He is the nation, as the king, and wither goes the king goes the nation. Bradley
Bradley