Richard II
by William Shakespeare
Richard II is one of Shakespeare's finest works: conscious, meaningful, and boldly structured. This can be seen as a tragedy, a historical play, a political drama or part of a great dramatic cycle that has helped shape Britain's national identity. Richard II may seem conservative to some of us today; but, in Shakespeare's time, it could have seemed devastating: "I am Richard II," said an angry Queen Elizabeth. Countless recent revivals in theatre and on screen have demonstrated the enduring power and sharpness of this drama of the fall of a selfish but miserable ruler.
