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looking on. To subjects in the battle ravaged land of the War of the Roses, the same horror and fascination would apply to the twisted plots and intrigues of the monarchy at the time. Peace, at least the benevolent peace reported by the Tudor line and advocated by playwrights, did not return to the land until Henry VII married Edward the IV's daughter, Elizabeth, making the two warring factions of Lancaster and York a unified whole again. Unified though it may have become, one side had sway. In Shakespeare's time it was the red rose of Lancanster that prospered from this alliance, winning the power and influence of the throne.

Richard's dual nature resolves itself in a similar fashion. While watching the play, you may note that as Duke of Gloucester, the audience is often made privy to the secret thoughts of Richard; they hear his inner intentions spoken aloud to them, even as he flatters and persuades deceivingly his friends on stage. But as he gains more and more power, this character turns less and less to his confidants. There seems little need; the greater his power and influence, the more easily his nature may come to the surface, resulting in the alienation and desertion by those who had called him friend. 'Good cousin Buckingham' is turned out of King Richard's intimacies the same way the audience is as his power becomes more apparent. Former confidant's quickly become unnecessary, or so Richard believes, as he sees all his whims acted out directly, thanks to the power bestowed in him as King. The resolution of his character into a whole obviously gives sway to the treacherous, inner Richard that the audience has seen throughout the play's progression. All semblance of friendship or loyalty to the people he has used to gain power dies as his character is unified, culminating at last in desertion by those once loyal to him. This in turn leads to the ultimate destruction of the character, alone and lowered (for want of horse) in the blood strewn battlefield at Bosworth.

We could delve here into the symbology of the horse, though I do not believe Shakespeare thought on it deeply. The battle steed carries glory on its shoulders, does the bidding of its master even beyond the true nature of a horse. In the wild, a horse will shy from danger, but a battle horse rides directly into it. Richard sat on the shoulders of those who endangered themselves to bring him into power. Without the work horses of his empire, Richard had nothing to raise him up, and was thus

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