Richard III and his Manipulation

In Act I, scene II we see how Richard manipulates Lady Anne into marrying him. This scene truly shows how evil and manipulation Richard really is. This scene is interesting because Shakespeare further developes Richareds character as this smart and hateful man. Shakespeare surprises his audience when he has Lady Anne, the widow of king Henr VI’s son Edward, fall for the man she hates most. Before Richard comes into the scene Anne blames him for both Henry VI and Edwards deathe, adne ven prays that any child Richard might have be deformed and sick, and that he should make any woman as miserable as Anne herself. this being one of the reasons that it is surprising that she becomes the women she is praying that curse on. We see in earlier scenes Richards manipulation, such those as Charences death, but this scene really develops the theme of Richard as a character. He uses gentle words to romantically court Lady Anne such as, “your beauty was the cause of that effect- you beauty, that did haunt me in my sleep to undertake the death of all the world, so I might live on hour in your sweet bosom”(I.II.29). Although she continues to curse him as the murderer of her husband and father-in-law. Richard uses the smooth technique of saying that Anne ought to forgive him of his crime out of Christian charity, and even going as far as lying and denying that he killed her loved ones. Even as Richard lies to Lady Anne’s face he continues to persuade her to marry him. Shakespeare gives Richards character words in this scene which show how manipulating he is. Even though Richard is evil, Shakespeare makes him charismatic and fascinating. His actions to Lady Anne makes not only Lady Anne sympathize with him, but also the audience. His brilliant wordplay allows him to seduce Lady Anne enen though she has knowledge of how cruel he is.