English 105A: Richard II Assignment

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TA: Geoff McNeil

English 105A: Early Shakespeare

University of California at Santa Barbara

Fall 2002

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[edit] Assignment 2: Richard II

Due October 16, 2002

1. Two good questions about Richard II

2. How do the characters view Richard: is he divinely appointed? is he merely a man, and a bad one at that? how does Richard’s overthrow affect the other characters’ perceptions of royalty and England herself? Is this a political victory or a religious tragedy? This is a big question, so use most of the page if you can – you won’t be able to answer it completely, just give it a good stab and remember to include a quote or two as evidence. The speeches of John of Gaunt, Bolingbroke, the Gardener, and Richard himself would be a good place to start looking.