English 105A: second Richard II Assignment
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TA: Geoffrey McNeil
English 105A: Early Shakespeare
University of California at Santa Barbara
Fall 2002
[edit] Assignment 3: Richard II
1. A metaphysical conceit is a term which refers to an elaborate figure of speech which is developed extensively in the text. Although there are many types of conceits, it means, simply, an extended metaphor or simile: that is, a comparison between two objects. Rather than simply being one remark or line, however, the conceit is developed in the text. Example: on page 11, Act 1 Scene 2 lines 11-21, the Duchess of Gloucester, in an attempt to goad Gaunt into revenge, compares his father Edward to a tree, and his sons to its branches. Richard’s murder of Gloucester is like an axing of one of those branches. She’s appealing to Gaunt’s relationship to his murdered brother, his sense of the natural order of relations, and the horrifying nature of murder (all that blood).
These conceits occur all through Richard II. Find one and explain it: who or what is being compared, how does it work, literally, in the line, and what is the result? Here are some pages to look at: 9, 11, 18, 41, 55, 64, & 84. Remember: it’s only a long metaphor (a metaphor that appears in an extended paragraph). Moreover, it is developed: the Edward as tree metaphor is expanded to include “branches” and “chopping” – in other words, Shakespeare doesn’t stop by simply saying Edward is like a tree and leaving it at that. He plays with the image.
2. Richard’s last speech in Act 5, Scene 5 is the culmination of his transformation. How has he changed? What is his new philosophy? What has he learned? Give me a few good thoughts on what’s happening in this speech: has he become noble or merely poetic? Is he hysterical or enlightened?
