Manipulative Language in Richard Iii Essay

Richard III" is a historical play script written by a well known play writer/poet William Shakespeare and cover's interlocking themes such as Power, Justice, Betrayal, Manipulation, Compassion and forgiveness. In this essay I will be focusing in detail on how Richard uses language techniques to manipulate his speech to have different interpretations which benefits him to get what he wants. Also I will compare the similarities and differences on how his persuasive language and decisive actions affect women especially in these extracts act 1, scene 2 where Richard aims to persuade Lady Anne to marry him, having had killed her husband and father in the war of the roses. And act 4, scene 4 where Richard asks Queen Elizabeth to help him with suggestions on how to woo her daughter-his niece. These will be my main points of which I will cover throughout this essay and then I will conclude my findings.

Manipulation is one of the most essential techniques that Richard III uses through his language to get what he wants in the play. Manipulation is language which is aimed at obtaining an unfair advantage or gaining control over others. Usually the sentence has an assumption (hidden meaning) embedded into it the target has implicitly (unclearly) agreed with the underlying assumption. Its almost as if the words are being put into your mouth. Richard uses this technique by saying a sentence and having an embedded perception within that sentence which tricks/forces the person to what he wants them to do or say. This form of language is very enigmatic to handle because you always have to think on your feet and be ready to reply in a controlled and devious manner. Think of this as a boxing fight, one person is on the attack and the other on the defense. Eventually the one on the attack will get tired and give up, so this would allow the one on the defense to knock him out. This is what Richard does so well he manipulatively controls his language and actions throughout the scene. And towards the end he reacts more direct by deceitfully asking for what he wants and getting it because the opponent is tired and has given up similar to the boxing fight example above.

More or less in Richard III male figures dominate in power and female's are often left to occupy an inferior role and usually portrayed as lacking power and authority. The main protagonist in the play "Richard III" dominates in power because he is very procure with his language therefore he is able to maintain his power by deliberately using powerful, reassuring and commanding words and most significantly using a loud tone of voice to be heard by doing this he is able to gain power. Richard compels those techniques very well over women having adequate control of the power and competence from the start of the scene.

An example of this is at the start of act 1, scene 2 Stay you that bear the corpse, and set it down. Another example is from act 4, scene 4 Stay, madam. I must talk a word with you. This shows that the similarities in both set scenes are that by using those powerful and specific words from the start Richard is in total control of the scene; In particular he deliberately uses the word stay because it is a command and it shows he seems fearless towards anything. Richard also gains power through another maneuver by expressing his language in a suitable tone of voice whether it is loud or quiet. Then he progresses on to use this power to his advantage and creates a confound and perplex atmosphere which makes the characters in the scene and also the audience watching feel fear running down there spine as if they were a child that has done smoothing wrong and await to be condemned by their parent. These factors are operated so well by Richard and that is why he is so successful in gaining power through his commanding language and expressive actions.

Throughout the play he is determined to prove a villain by doing so he is very manipulative with his language therefore the audience is engaged in the play and his enemies are under his manipulative power.