Compare how your two texts

explore the themes of

ambition/power and appearance
versus reality due to their
contexts.
Both William Shakespeares Richard III and Al Pacinos Looking for Richard explore the
timeless and closely linked themes of power and duality. Shakespeares Elizabethan
context is far different from that of the humanist and secular context of Pacino.
Throughout Richard III Shakespeare highlights the importance of the church and divine
right in Richardss pursuit of and fall from power. This religious explanation is not relevant
for the modern context of Pacino and hence Pacino reframes the key themes to fit his
context, downplaying the role of the church whilst still exploring Richardss pursuit of
power through his duality. Through his portrayal of Richard, Shakespeare creates a
character meant to be hated by his audience who were familiar with the Tudor myth.
Shakespeare portrays a Richard that is exaggeratedly villainous in nature, animalistic and
heavily deformed conveying Richards death as an act of divine retribution. Pacino
similarly, conveys Richards as a villainous and Machiavellian character however
downplays the effects of Richards deformities, and conveys Richardss loss of power as
due to the effects of his conscience and his short-sighted alienation or betrayal of his
supporters. These changes to the character of Richard allow Pacinos modern audience to
understand the ambitions and duality of Richard whilst still gaining the intended insight
from the original Shakespearian text.
The desire for power serves as the central motivation for Richard, and both texts explore
this as a prominent theme. Shakespeare utilises the characterisation of Richards through
his soliloquies I am determined to play a villain to convey his true motives and
character to his audience in order for them to clearly recognise his deception in his path
to the throne,. The motif and animal imagery as Richard as the boar, his heraldic symbol
represents not only power but also Richards animalistic way in order to gain power, like a
boar he destroys everything in his way to achieve his ambition. Hence Shakespeare
positions his audience to see Richard as the antagonist and his path to the throne as an
evil and cruel usurpation. Pacino recreates these techniques within his modern context
reframing Richard not as an evil usurper, but as a cunning politician. Pacino expresses
Richardss characterisation through a parallel to the democratic ideals and current
political realities of his context to draw parallels with Richards situation through his
voiceover the fact is people are tired of the way its been and want a change conveying
power secularly as a human construct. Pacino utilises costuming to convey Richards
pursuit of power with Pacinos Richard dressed all in black and holding a riding crop,
modern symbols of power. Pacino utilises his portrayal of Richard to create a character
understood by his modern audience who understand his situation framed as political
discontent thus conceptualising Richard as a protagonist who is relatable to Pacinos 20 th
century audience. Through his portrayal and exaggeration of Richards evils Shakespeare
positions his audience to detest the villainous king whilst Pacino reshapes his character

of Richard in order to portray his as an intelligent and cunning politician admired by his
20th century audience.
Both composers convey Richards ability to gain power through his deception and
manipulation, expressed as Richards duality, his ability to appear as having one motive
but in reality having another. Shakespeare employs the double entendre of Richards
promise your imprisonment shall not be long to Clarence, to show how easily Richard
deceives those around him. Pacino reshapes these techniques to convey the same
insights. Pacino utilises an interview with actor Kevin Klein in order to convey how
Richard engages the audience in his plots Klein conveys to Pacino that Richard is always
saying to the audience this is what Ill do, then he does it and comes back to say wasnt
that good? Richard involves the audience as co-conspirators, and thus highlights his
duality through his now obvious deception of those around him. Both texts explore the
scene in which Richard woos Lady Anne in order to show the extent of his duality.
Shakespeare employs stichomythia to show Richards ability to manipulate those
surrounding him whilst hiding his true motives. Richard constantly confuses Anne by
redirecting her thoughts toward his purpose He is in heaven (Anne), Let him thank me
that holp to send him thither; for he was fitter for that place on earth (Richard). Through
Richards wooing of the poor and helpless Anne, Shakespeare portrays Richards
manipulation as ruthless and further conveys Richard as an evil and power hungry
character when the audience is revealed Richards true intentions through his aside, Ill
have her but I will not keep her long. Pacino emphasises Shakespeares use of
stichomythia during this scene to convey Richards calculated manipulation through the
use of visual stichomythia. Cuts in Pacinos corresponding scene move rapidly through a
variety of shots, showing Anne crying, Richard watching Anne from the shadows planning
his next movements, and Pacino and his fellow actors discussing Richards ability to
manipulate Anne. Pacino also utilises the chiaroscuro lighting of the scene to depict
Richard as a powerful and enigmatic figure who is easily able to find and target the
weaknesses of Anne. In doing this Pacino recreates Richard where his sexual power
replaces his wit. This character is more accessible by the modern audience, who are then
able to see Richardss duality as an intelligent form of manipulation in his pursuit of
power not as an evil plot in his divine usurpation. Pacinos recreation of the theme of
Richardss duality allows his audience to achieve a greater understanding through his
portrayal of Richard in a more modern light.

Shakespeare and Pacino convey Richards loss of power through their portrayal of
Richard. Shakespeare portrays Richard as a royal usurper and utilises the plot device of
the ghosts in Act 5 Scene 3 to convey to his audience, who are already familiar with the
Tudor myth, that Richard must die in order for peace to be restored, bloody and guilty
in a bloody battle end thy days!. Richards loss of power due to divine right and ghostly
intervention is not relevant for a humanist society; hence Pacino portrays Richard as
mentally unstable and lacking confidence, conveying Richard's loss of power as due to
his conscience, portrayed as an existential crisis. The ghosts from Richard III are
reframed into Richards dream using visual stichomythia obviously distorted to appear
dreamlike. Shots of Clarence, the young princes, and the nobles Richard has murdered,
along with Queen Elizabeth wrought with anguish are contrasted with shots of Richards
own death both in rehearsal and performance. Kimballs voiceover is used to state he
has let the pursuit of power totally corrupt him he is alienated from his own self
conveying the idea that It was in fact Richards conscience not his lack of support from
the church that caused his downfall. Hence Pacino reshapes Shakespeares original text
through his portrayal of Richard, conveying the impact of context on each text. Hence

through his downplay of the role of god in Richards death Pacino is able to convey that
Richards death arises from the burden of guilt and thus provides insight for his audience
on the impact of ones nature on their conscience leading to their eventual downfall.
Both Richard III and Looking for Richard are products of different times yet they are
connected through their exploration of Richardss duality and his pursuit of power. Pacino
in his docudrama looking for Richard reshapes Shakespeares original play Richard III
in order to bring the Tudor based drama with a heavily religious context, to his twentieth
century mainly secular audience, whilst still delivering the key ideas and insights to be
gained from the Shakespearian original. Through a study of the contexts and values of
the texts, the responder gains insight into the terrible consequences of suppressing your
humanity for the pursuit of power.