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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Richard III
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(c.1592) Historical melodrama by *Shakespeare, the first indication of the young author's ability to create a fascinating larger-than-life character. The villainous hunchback hero, *Richard III, revels in his evil powers and takes us into his confidence from his famous opening couplet: Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York. His aside to the audience is in similar vein after he has virtually proposed marriage, in front of one of the coffins, to a woman whose husband and father-in-law he has murdered: Was ever woman in this humour woo'd? Was ever woman in this humour won?
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After murdering his way to the throne, Richard is eventually challenged by the earl of Richmond. The final scenes depict their confrontation at *Bosworth Field. In the battle Richard is reduced to the indignity of fighting on foot, thus providing his most famous line: 'A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!'. But he loses his kingdom to Richmond, who kills him on the battlefield and is crowned as *Henry VII.
The play was superbly filmed in 1955, with Laurence Olivier both directing and giving one of his greatest performances in the title role.
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