Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight.
For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.
Now here a period of tumultuous broils. Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight. For Somerset, off with his guilty head. Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.
Now here a period of tumultuous broils. Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight. For Somerset, off with his guilty head. Go, bear them hence; I won't hear them speak.
yeah brutal
For my part, I’ll not trouble thee with words.
For my part, I’ll not trouble you with words.
For my part, I’ll not trouble you with words.
hm
Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
hm
So part we sadly in this troublous world,
To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
So part we sadly in this troublous world, To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
So part we sadly in this troublous world, To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
hm
Is proclamation made that who finds Edward
Shall have a high reward, and he his life?
Is proclamation made that who finds Edward Shall have a high reward, and he his life?
Is proclamation made that who finds Edward Shall have a high reward, and he his life?
hm
It is, and lo where youthful Edward comes.
It is, and lo where youthful Edward comes.
It is, and lo where youthful Edward comes.
hm
Bring forth the gallant; let us hear him speak.
What, can so young a man begin to prick?
Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,
And all the trouble thou hast turned me to?
Bring forth the gallant; let us hear him speak. What, can so young a man begin to prick? Edward, what satisfaction can you make For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects, And all the trouble you have turned me to?
Bring forth the gallant; let us hear him speak. What, can so young a man begin to prick? Edward, what satisfaction can you make For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects, And all the trouble you have turned me to?
war blood death everything is chaos
Speak like a subject, proud, ambitious York.
Suppose that I am now my father’s mouth;
Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou,
Whilst I propose the selfsame words to thee
Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.
Speak like a subject, proud, ambitious York. Suppose that I am now my father’s mouth; Resign your chair, and where I stand kneel you, Whilst I propose the selfsame words to you Which, traitor, you would have me answer to.
Speak like a subject, proud, ambitious York. Suppose that I am now my father’s mouth; Resign your chair, and where I stand kneel you, Whilst I propose the selfsame words to you Which, traitor, you would have me answer to.
war blood death everything is chaos
Ah, thy father had been so resolved!
Ah, your father had been so resolved!
Ah, your father had been so resolved!
hm
That you might still have worn the petticoat
And ne’er have stol’n the breech from Lancaster.
That you might still have worn the petticoat And ne’er have stol’n the breech from Lancaster.
That you might still have worn the petticoat And ne’er have stol’n the breech from Lancaster.
hm
Let Aesop fable in a winter’s night;
His currish riddle sorts not with this place.
Let Aesop fable in a winter’s night; His currish riddle sorts not with this place.
Let Aesop fable in a winter’s night; His currish riddle sorts not with this place.
hm
By heaven, brat, I’ll plague you for that word.
By heaven, brat, I’ll plague you for that word.
By heaven, brat, I’ll plague you for that word.
hm
Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
Ay, you were born to be a plague to men.
Ay, you were born to be a plague to men.
hm
Historically, Prince Edward of Westminster died at the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471 — it's unclear whether he was killed in battle or executed afterward. Shakespeare chooses the more dramatic option: all three York brothers stab him in sequence, each for a personal reason. Edward strikes for the insults. Richard finishes because he enjoys it. Clarence stabs for the perjury taunt. The sequence matters dramatically because it implicates everyone. No single villain, no clean execution — a collaborative murder driven by pride, sadism, and petty personal grievance. It is also, as Shakespeare structures it, the answer to Margaret's speeches about courage and legacy: the Lancaster heir, who was everything his father was not, is killed for being exactly that.
For God’s sake, take away this captive scold.
For God’s sake, take away this captive scold.
For God’s sake, take away this captive scold.
hm
Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.
no, take away this scolding crookback rather.
no, take away this scolding crookback rather.
hm
Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
hm
Untutored lad, thou art too malapert.
Untutored lad, you are too malapert.
Untutored lad, you are too malapert.
hm
I know my duty; you are all undutiful.
Lascivious Edward, and thou perjured George,
And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye all
I am your better, traitors as ye are,
And thou usurp’st my father’s right and mine.
I know my duty; you are all undutiful. Lascivious Edward, and you oath-breaking George, And you misshapen Dick, I tell ye all I am your better, traitors as ye are, And you usurp’st my father’s right and mine.
I know my duty; you are all undutiful. Lascivious Edward, and you oath-breaking George, And you misshapen Dick, I tell ye all I am your better, traitors as ye are, And you usurp’st my father’s right and mine.
war blood death everything is chaos
Take that, the likeness of this railer here.
Take that, the likeness of this railer here.
Take that, the likeness of this railer here.
hm
Sprawl’st thou? Take that to end thy agony.
Sprawl’st you? Take that to end your agony.
Sprawl’st you? Take that to end your agony.
hm
And there’s for twitting me with perjury.
And there’s for twitting me with perjury.
And there’s for twitting me with perjury.
hm
O, kill me too!
O, kill me too!
O, kill me too!
hm
Marry, and shall.
indeed, and shall.
indeed, and shall.
hm
Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much.
Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much.
Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much.
hm
Why should she live to fill the world with words?
Why should she live to fill the world with words?
Why should she live to fill the world with words?
hm
What, doth she swoon? Use means for her recovery.
What, does she swoon? Use means for her recovery.
What, does she swoon? Use means for her recovery.
hm
Margaret's grief speech in this scene — particularly 'you have no children, butchers; if you had, the thought of them would have stirred up remorse' and 'may what came to this Prince come to you and yours' — seeds the dramatic ground of Richard III. In that play, Margaret appears as a kind of ghost, cursing from the sidelines as everything she prophesies here comes to pass: Edward IV's children die in the Tower, Clarence is drowned, Hastings loses his head. Her curses work. She is the conscience of the play that hasn't been written yet.
The reason this moment is worth noting is that it establishes Margaret as a character with tragic greatness that transcends the losing side. She has been called 'the She-Wolf of France' since 1 Henry VI. Here, grief strips all that away, and what remains is a mother who has lost her only child. The audience has to feel that, whatever they think about Lancaster.
Clarence, excuse me to the King my brother.
I’ll hence to London on a serious matter.
Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
Clarence, excuse me to the King my brother. I’ll hence to London on a serious matter. before ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
Clarence, excuse me to the King my brother. I’ll hence to London on a serious matter. before ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
yeah brutal
What? What?
What? What?
What? What?
hm
The Tower, the Tower!
The Tower, the Tower!
The Tower, the Tower!
hm
O Ned, sweet Ned, speak to thy mother, boy.
Canst thou not speak? O traitors, murderers!
They that stabbed Caesar shed no blood at all,
Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by to equal it.
He was a man; this, in respect, a child,
And men ne’er spend their fury on a child.
What’s worse than murderer, that I may name it?
No, no, my heart will burst an if I speak;
And I will speak, that so my heart may burst.
Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals!
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropped!
You have no children, butchers; if you had,
The thought of them would have stirred up remorse.
But if you ever chance to have a child,
Look in his youth to have him so cut off
As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young prince!
O Ned, sweet Ned, speak to your mother, boy. can you not speak? O traitors, murderers! They that stabbed Caesar shed no blood at all, Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame, If this foul deed were by to equal it. He was a man; this, in respect, a child, And men ne’er spend their fury on a child. What’s worse than murderer, that I may name it? No, no, my heart will burst an if I speak; And I will speak, that so my heart may burst. Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals! How sweet a plant have you untimely cropped! You have no children, butchers; if you had, The thought of them would have stirred up remorse. But if you ever chance to have a child, Look in his youth to have him so cut off As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young prince!
O Ned, sweet Ned, speak to your mother, boy. can you not speak? O traitors, murderers! They that stabbed Caesar shed no blood at all, didn't offend, nor were not worthy blame, If this foul deed were by to equal it. He was a man; this, in respect, a child, And men ne’er spend their fury on a child. What’s worse than murderer, that I may name it? No, no, my heart will burst an if I speak; And I will speak, that so my heart may burst. Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals! How sweet a plant have you untimely cropped! You have no children, butchers; if you had, The thought of them would have stirred up remorse. But if you ever chance to have a child, Look in his youth to have him so cut off As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young prince!
they are dead look at the blood proof right here how did that even happen
Away with her; go bear her hence perforce.
Away with her; go bear her hence necessarily.
Away with her; go bear her hence necessarily.
hm
Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here.
Here sheathe thy sword; I’ll pardon thee my death.
What, wilt thou not? Then, Clarence, do it thou.
no, never bear me hence, dispatch me here. Here sheathe your sword; I’ll pardon you my death. What, will you not? Then, Clarence, do it you.
no, never bear me hence, dispatch me here. Here sheathe your sword; I’ll pardon you my death. What, will you not? Then, Clarence, do it you.
they are dead
By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
By heaven, I will not do you so much ease.
By heaven, I will not do you so much ease.
hm
Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do you do it.
Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do you do it.
hm
Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?
did you not hear me swear I would not do it?
did you not hear me swear I would not do it?
hm
Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself.
’Twas sin before, but now ’tis charity.
What, wilt thou not? Where is that devil’s butcher, Richard,
Hard-favoured Richard? Richard, where art thou?
Thou art not here. Murder is thy alms-deed;
Petitioners for blood thou ne’er putt’st back.
Ay, but you usest to forswear thyself. ’Twas sin before, but now ’tis charity. What, will you not? Where is that devil’s butcher, Richard, Hard-favoured Richard? Richard, where are you? you are not here. Murder is your alms-deed; Petitioners for blood you ne’er putt’st back.
Ay, but you usest to forswear thyself. ’Twas sin before, but now ’tis charity. What, will you not? Where is that devil’s butcher, Richard, Hard-favoured Richard? Richard, where are you? you are not here. Murder is your alms-deed; Petitioners for blood you ne’er putt’st back.
proof right here
Away, I say! I charge ye, bear her hence.
Away, I say! I charge ye, bear her hence.
Away, I say! I charge ye, bear her hence.
they charged at us
So come to you and yours as to this prince!
So come to you and yours as to this prince!
So come to you and yours as to this prince!
hm
Where’s Richard gone?
Where’s Richard gone?
Where’s Richard gone?
hm
To London all in post, and, as I guess,
To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
To London all in post, and, as I guess, To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
To London all in post, and, as I guess, To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
proof right here
He’s sudden if a thing comes in his head.
Now march we hence. Discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks, and let’s away to London
And see our gentle Queen how well she fares.
By this, I hope, she hath a son for me.
He’s sudden if a thing comes in his head. Now march we hence. Discharge the common sort With pay and thanks, and let’s away to London And see our gentle Queen how well she fares. By this, I hope, she has a son for me.
He’s sudden if a thing comes in his head. Now march we hence. Discharge the common sort With pay and thanks, and let’s away to London And see our gentle Queen how well she fares. By this, I hope, she has a son for me.
how did that even happen they charged at us
The Reckoning
The play's most morally brutal scene. Three men stab a teenager who, moments before, was speaking with perfect princely composure. Margaret's grief speech is one of Shakespeare's great anguished monologues — and then she has to keep going because they won't kill her. Richard exits with 'The Tower, the Tower!' like a man who has somewhere to be. Edward says 'He's sudden if a thing comes in his head.' An understatement for all time.
If this happened today…
A new CEO walks in after a hostile takeover. The founder's son — twenty years old, clearly brilliant, absolutely refusing to concede anything — is brought in. He tells the CEO he's a fraud and he'll fight him until the end. The CEO punches him. His two brothers join in. The mother screams. Richard leaves immediately to deal with something else. 'He's impulsive when he gets an idea,' says Clarence. The mother is told she can live but she has to watch.