Maj Lynn
English 211
3 May 2017
“O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me? The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight. Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh. What do I fear? Myself? There's none else by.” (5.5.133-136).
Richard III is a remarkable, if not irregular, rendition of the renowned historical figure, Richard III. In it, Shakespeare poses Richard as a villain with no remorse towards others—without any fear. This is evident when Richard awakes and holds an internal dialogue in which he berates his conscience for giving him bad dreams. "What do I fear? Myself? There's none else by" (5.5.136). He continues in this vein, first blaming and then defending himself for a short while. Ratcliffe enters and gets