http://www.umich.edu/~shkspre/richardiii/list.html


Richard III List of Characters

Richard III

Richard III begins Richard III as the Duke of Gloucester. He and other characters in the play use his deformed body as an excuse and explanation for his evil personality. He hires thugs to kill most of his family and other people in power in order to gain the throne. At one point he seduces Lady Anne to gain power through her familial connections. He then rumors her sickness and impending death in order to kill her. Once he has killed his two young cousins, his brother, and other people who stand in his way, he becomes King Richard III.

Historical: King Richard III (1452-1485)
Richard was the son of Richard, Duke of York. He began his reign in 1483 and was the last ruler of the Plantagenet line. Before and during his reign some sources say that he killed Henry VI, Henry's son Edward, his own brother Clarence, and his nephews Edward and Richard. However, not all scholars agree that he killed Henry VI, Lady Anne, his nephews or his brother. Lady Anne and Richard married for seemingly legitimate reasons and lived together in peace until she died of disease, probably tuberculosis. Many sources say that Richard did not have physical deformities and that Shakespeare contrived them to show a correlation between physical and mental misshapenness. His right-hand man throughout Richard III, Buckingham, led an unsuccessful revolt against Richard, which helped the Tudor line to rise up against Richard. The Tudors successfully defeated Richard and his troops at Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485. Shakespeare portrays Richard as an evil villain who enjoys murder and chaos. However, historically scholars do not believe him to be as bad as Shakespeare's portrayal throughout Richard III.

Duke of Clarence
George, the Duke of Clarence is brother to Richard III and King Edward. He is imprisoned early on in Richard III because a prophecy tells that a man with a name that starts with "G" will usurp the throne. With full trust Clarence believes that Richard will save him from imprisonment. Once in the tower, Richard sends murderers to kill Clarence who drowns in a butt of malmsey wine.
Historical: (1449 - 1478)
In 1470-1471, Clarence took up arms against his brother Edward IV and challenged his legitimacy. Historically, King Edward IV killed Clarence for treason and Richard vehemently protested his execution.

Robert Brakenbury
Sir Robert Brakenbury was the lieutenant of the tower and therefore had Clarence and the young princes in his charge until their deaths.
Historical: ?-1485
Brakenbury was a constable of the tower, but he did not hold this position during the time of Clarence's imprisonment or death. Like Richard, Brakenbury was killed at the battle of Bosworth Field.

Lord Hastings
Hastings trusts, and is killed by Richard. He remains loyal to Edward IV and the Yorks throughout his life. Despite his loyalties, he benefits from Richard's rise until Richard accuses him of treason and has him killed.
Historical: Lord William Hastings (1430-1483)
Hastings was a member of a group that wanted to remove Richard from his position of Protector. He was probably executed for treason without a trial much like Shakespeare's portrayal.
Halberdier
Halberdier guards Henry VI's coffin in Richard III and tries to stop Richard from disturbing Anne.
***Most likely a fictional character; no historical information available.

Lady Anne
Lady Anne is the widow of Edward Prince of Wales who died before the play began. Richard III woos her over the corpse of her dead father in law. She marries him in desperation and soon after, he kills her.
Historical: Anne Neville (1456-1485)
Anne never attended the funeral of Henry VI and married Richard in 1474. Shakespeare uses the wooing scene with Anne to counter the wooing scene with Elizabeth after Anne's fictional murder. Historically Anne and Richard married for seemingly legitimate, although probably political reasons and lived together in peace until she died of disease, possibly tuberculosis.

Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth is the wife of King Edward IV who dies during Richard III. The play also refers to her as Lady Grey because of her late husband before Edward, Lord Grey. Richard has her brother, Rivers, and her son, Grey killed. She is also the mother of the two young princes, heirs to the throne, whom Tyrell kills in the tower on orders from Richard. After she becomes a widow for the second time, she must fight off Richard who wants to marry her daughter, Princess Elizabeth. She ambiguously tells him that she will reply to his inquiry about her daughter.
Historical: Elizabeth Woodville, Lady Grey, Queen Elizabeth (1437-1492)
Elizabeth was the first commoner to have the throne of England. Richard denied any attempts to marry Princess Elizabeth although Queen Elizabeth had already betrothed her daughter to Richmond.

Earl Rivers
Anthony Woodville, known as Earl Rivers, is brother to Queen Elizabeth. Richard kills him along with most of Elizabeth's family.
Historical: (1442-1483)
Rivers served King Edward IV and governed Wales. He attempted to remove Richard from the role of Protector and was subsequently executed.

Marquis of Dorset
Marquis of Dorset is a son of Queen Elizabeth and nephew to Lord Grey. He is a child of her first marriage before King Edward. Dorset is sent abroad to join Richmond when Richard becomes king.
Historical: Thomas Grey (1451-1501)
Grey was a hostage in France who served as blackmail to prevent his mother, Elizabeth, from working against Richard's forces.

Lord Grey
Lord Grey is a brother of Queen Elizabeth and uncle to the Marquis of Dorset. Richard kills him along with Rivers and Vaughan. He often mentions Queen Margaret's curses and their effects.
Historical: Sir Richard Grey (?-1483)
Lord Grey is not Elizabeth's brother, rather, he is her son from her first marriage. Richard III remains ambiguous about the relationship between Elizabeth and Lord Grey.
Queen Margaret
Queen Margaret is the widow of King Henry VI, killed by Richard, who also killed their children. She has lost all of her power and resents many characters who do have power. Margaret harasses Elizabeth because she believes that Elizabeth has taken her place. However, she teaches Elizabeth to curse and puts her own curses on many characters, especially Richard.
Historical: Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482)
Margaret was not alive during the conflict about Richard's Kingship. Shakespeare uses her character to continue the Henry trilogy and continue the recurrent theme of curses.

Duke of Buckingham
Buckingham serves as Richard's right-hand man and cohort. He wants Richard to become king and helps him with his plots against all who stand in his way. When Richard does not give Buckingham the Earldom that he wants, he decides to stop supporting Richard. Richard consequently executes him.
Historical: Henry Stafford (1455-1483)
Henry Stafford is the son of Humphrey Stafford who preceded him as the Duke of Buckingham in the Henry VI trilogy. Buckingham supported Richard's attempt at the throne and later deserted the cause; however, Richard gave Buckingham the Earldom before he stopped supporting Richard. Scholars do not know why he deserted, but they speculate that he sensed impending defeat.

Lord Stanley
Lord Stanley, also known as the Earl of Derby is Richmond's stepfather. He aids Richmond throughout his fight against Richard. Because Stanley betrayed Richard, Richard takes his son hostage to ensure Stanley's cooperation. After Richard dies on the battlefield, Stanley brings Richmond the crown at the end of Richard III.
Historical: Sir Thomas Stanley (1435-1504)
Stanley aligned himself with the winning party in all situations. He held a high office in King Edward IV's court and after Edward died, he moved on to serve Richard III.

William Catesby
One of Richard III's followers who often appears as a messenger.
Historical: Sir William Catesby (?-1485)
Catesby was a lawyer who worked for Lord Hastings. He died after the battle at Bosworth Field.

Keeper
The Keeper guards Clarence at the tower and listens to Clarence's dream.
***Most likely a fictional character; no historical information available.

King Edward IV
King Edward is the king from the beginning of Richard III until his sickness and death midway through the play. He is only shown once during the play and he is on his deathbed. He is the brother of Richard III and Clarence and the husband of Queen Elizabeth.
Historical: Edward IV, King of England (1442-1483)
Edward plays a very small part in Richard III. He is necessary only for his death and resulting wars over succession. Scholars suggest that excessive amounts of wine and women may have contributed to Edward's early death.
Lord Woodville
Father of Queen Elizabeth
Historical: Lieutenant Richard Woodville (?-1440)

Boy
This young son of Clarence refuses to believe that Richard killed his father. Richard imprisons him and does not kill him because he is mentally slow.
Historical: Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick (1475-1499)
Edward was imprisoned not by Richard, but by Henry VII (Richmond).

Duchess of York
Duchess of York is the mother of King Edward IV, Clarence and Richard III. She is Elizabeth's mother-in-law through Edward. Her own son Richard has killed many members of their family.
Historical: Cicely Neville (1415-1495)
Cicely was the daughter of Ralph, Earl of Westmoreland.

Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York
Rotherham is a friend of Elizabeth who gives her advice.
Historical: (1423-1500)
Rotherham was the Chancellor of England and a powerful clergyman. He opposed Richard's Kingship and was imprisoned but released without penalty.

Young Duke of York
Richard, Young Duke of York, one of the two princes killed in the tower by Tyrell on orders from Richard.
Historical: (?-1483)



Prince Edward
Young Prince Edward, one of the two princes killed in the tower by Tyrell on orders from Richard. Rightful heir to the throne. He and his brother stayed in the tower according to Richard's wishes and here he had them killed.
Historical: Edward Prince of Wales, Edward V, King of England (1470-1483)
Although Shakespeare makes Richard sound evil for sending the princes to the tower, historically, uncrowned kings stayed in the royal chambers of the tower while waiting for their coronation. The princes entered the tower and were never seen again. Their fate is still unknown.

Lord Cardinal Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury
Buckingham talks Bourchier into removing the young Duke of York from the safety of a church.
Historical: Thomas Bourchier (1404-1486)
Bourchier crowned Edward IV, Richard III and Henry VII (Richmond).

Lord Mayor of London
The mayor gullibly believes Richard and Buckingham and consequently allows Richard to become king.
***Most likely a fictional character; no historical information available.

Sir Richard Ratcliffe
One of Richard III's followers who executes Rivers, Grey, Vaughan and Hastings.
Historical: (?-1485)
Ratcliffe advised Richard and fought with him. He died with Richard at Bosworth Field.

Sir Thomas Vaughan
Vaughan was an ally of Queen Elizabeth who was killed by Richard along with Rivers and Grey. |
Historical: (?-1483)
Vaughan was a loyal subject of Edward IV who tried to remove Richard from his role as Protector.

Duke of Norfolk
Norfolk commands the forces of Richard III's side in the battle of Bosworth Field. He dies at this battle.
Historical: John Howard (1430-1485)
Received his dukedom for helping Richard to retain his power.

Scrivener
The scrivener copies a document for Richard that orders the death of Lord Hastings. He discovers that the document is false and laments the injustice of this situation.
***Most likely a fictional character; no historical information available.

Sir James Tyrrel
The murderer who Richard Hires to kill his two young cousins, the princes, in the tower.
Historical: (1450-1502)
Tyrrel possibly admitted to the deaths of the princes according to Thomas More's account. He was knighted in the battle of Tewkesbury and served the monarchs of England faithfully until he was killed for unknown charges.

Sir James Blunt
Blunt is a follower of Richmond and is used as a messenger.
Historical: (?-1493)
The Blunt family was related to Shakespeare's friends. Shakespeare probably wanted to pay Blunt tribute.

Earl of Richmond
Henry, Earl of Richmond challenges Richard for the throne. He doesn't appear until the end of Richard III but he affects the entire outcome of the play. In the final battle he kills Richard and claims the throne. He then takes Princess Elizabeth as his wife and unites the Lancasters and Yorks as King Henry VII.
Historical: Henry Tudor, King Henry VII (1457-1509)
Henry was as ruthless as Richard in Shakespeare's plays and Shakespeare often blames Richard for Henry's deeds. For example, Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick, was imprisoned not by Richard, but by Henry.