Guide Note

Richard II is a classic history play by William Shakespeare based on the life of King Richard II of England and is the first part of a tetralogy including: Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, and Henry V.

Fast Facts

1. Writer: William Shakespeare
2. Setting: Various parts of England
3. Written: 1595
4. Primary source: Chronicles by Raphael Holinshed
5. Registered: August 29, 1597
6. Written entirely in verse
7. First performance: December 9, 1595 at Sir Edward Hoby's house, Canon Row
8. Broadway Run: 133 performances in 1937

The play begins with Henry Bolingbroke accusing Thomas Mowbray of assassinating Richard II's uncle, the Duke of Gloucester. Richard is unwilling to pass judgement on the matter and Bolingbroke challenges Mowbray to a duel. At the duel Richard intervenes and banishes Bolingbroe and Mowbray from England. This sets off a series of events that eventually leads to the usurpation of his power by Bolingbroke, crowned King Henry IV, imprisonment and subsequent murder.

• Richard II: King of England
• Henry Bolingbroke: Duke of Hereford, afterwards King Henry IV
• Thomas Mowbray: 1st Duke of Norfolk
• John of Gaunt: Duke of Lancaster, uncle to the king

• "Things sweet to taste prove in digestion sour." 1.3

• "Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle." 2.3

• "Things past redress are now with me past care." 2.3

• "The worst is death, and death will have his day." 3.2