Summary
Act IV, Scene 4 (cont.): The Verbal Duel
Richard III by William Shakespeare
Richard's wooing argument continues with devastating absurdity: proposing to 'bury' the murdered boys 'in your daughter's womb' where they'll 'breed selves of themselves.' Elizabeth engages him in one of Shakespeare's most brilliant verbal duels. Richard tries every rhetorical approach. Elizabeth demolishes each instantly: 'What were I best to say, her father's brother would be her lord? Or shall I say her uncle? Or he that slew her brothers and her uncles?' The exchange becomes rapid-fire poetry. Richard: 'Say she shall be a high and mighty queen.' Elizabeth: 'To veil the title, as her mother doth.' Richard: 'Say I will love her everlastingly.' Elizabeth: 'But how long shall that title ever last?' Richard: 'Sweetly in force, unto her fair life's end.' Elizabeth: 'But how long fairly shall her sweet life last?' Richard: 'As long as heaven and nature lengthens it.' Elizabeth: 'As long as hell and Richard likes of it.' Richard tries to swear oaths. 'Now by my George, my Garter, and my Crown.' Elizabeth: 'Profaned, dishonored, and the third usurped.' He tries to swear by himself—'Thy self is self-misused.' By the world—''Tis full of thy foul wrongs.' By his father's death—'Thy life hath it dishonored.' By heaven—'Heaven's wrong is most of all.' By time to come—'That thou hast wronged in the time o'er-past.' Elizabeth systematically destroys every oath, every argument, every justification. Yet suddenly she appears to relent: 'Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?' Richard, relieved: 'And be a happy mother by the deed.' Elizabeth exits. Richard immediately shows contempt: 'Relenting fool, and shallow-changing woman.' But has Elizabeth actually agreed? Or has she just escaped with a lie? News arrives: Richmond's navy on the western coast, Buckingham in rebellion. Richard's world begins to collapse. The verbal duel reveals Richard's desperation and Elizabeth's devastating wit—but leaves her true intentions ambiguous.
Coming Up in Chapter 19
Richard's evil actions begin to turn against him as enemies gather and his support crumbles.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~442 words)
The tyrannous and bloody act is done, The most arch deed of piteous massacre That ever yet this land was guilty of. Dighton and Forrest, whom I did suborn To do this piece of ruthless butchery, Albeit they were flesh'd villains, bloody dogs, Melted with tenderness and mild compassion, Wept like two children in their deaths' sad story. 'O thus,' quoth Dighton, 'lay the gentle babes.' 'Thus, thus,' quoth Forrest, 'girdling one another Within their alabaster innocent arms: Their lips were four red roses on a stalk, Which in their summer beauty kiss'd each other. A book of prayers on their pillow lay; Which once,' quoth Forrest, 'almost changed my mind; But O, the devil'—there the villain stopped; When Dighton thus told on: 'We smothered The most replenished sweet work of nature That from the prime creation e'er she framed.' Richard's wooing argument continues with devastating absurdity: proposing to 'bury' the murdered boys 'in your daughter's womb' where they'll 'breed selves of themselves.' Elizabeth engages him in one of Shakespeare's most brilliant verbal duels. Richard tries every rhetorical approach. Elizabeth demolishes each instantly: 'What were I best to say, her father's brother would be her lord? Or shall I say her uncle? Or he that slew her brothers and her uncles?' The exchange becomes rapid-fire poetry. Richard: 'Say she shall be a high and mighty queen.' Elizabeth: 'To veil the title, as her mother doth.' Richard: 'Say I will love her everlastingly.' Elizabeth: 'But how long shall that title ever last?' Richard: 'Sweetly in force, unto her fair life's end.' Elizabeth: 'But how long fairly shall her sweet life last?' Richard: 'As long as heaven and nature lengthens it.' Elizabeth: 'As long as hell and Richard likes of it.' Richard tries to swear oaths. 'Now by my George, my Garter, and my Crown.' Elizabeth: 'Profaned, dishonored, and the third usurped.' He tries to swear by himself—'Thy self is self-misused.' By the world—''Tis full of thy foul wrongs.' By his father's death—'Thy life hath it dishonored.' By heaven—'Heaven's wrong is most of all.' By time to come—'That thou hast wronged in the time o'er-past.' Elizabeth systematically destroys every oath, every argument, every justification. Yet suddenly she appears to relent: 'Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?' Richard, relieved: 'And be a happy mother by the deed.' Elizabeth exits. Richard immediately shows contempt: 'Relenting fool, and shallow-changing woman.' But has Elizabeth actually agreed? Or has she just escaped with a lie? News arrives: Richmond's navy on the western coast, Buckingham in rebellion. Richard's world begins to collapse. The verbal duel reveals Richard's desperation and Elizabeth's devastating wit—but leaves her true intentions ambiguous.
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Ultimate Evil
The process by which elimination becomes routine, eventually targeting people who pose no real threat, with no natural stopping point
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
When manipulators start eliminating people who pose no real threat, they've entered dangerous territory. This skill helps you recognize the elimination spiral.
Practice This Today
Watch for people who eliminate others who pose no threat. This is a sign of the elimination spiral - a pattern that doesn't stop on its own. The spiral has no natural end.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Elimination Spiral
The process by which elimination becomes routine, eventually targeting people who pose no real threat
Modern Usage:
Like someone who starts by eliminating threats, then eliminates potential threats, then eliminates anyone who might become a threat
Ruthless Butchery
Extreme violence committed without mercy or consideration for innocence
Modern Usage:
Like destroying someone's career or life purely for power, without regard for their innocence or vulnerability
Characters in This Chapter
Tyrrel
The murderer hired by Richard
Tyrrel represents those who carry out evil acts for others. Even he is moved by the innocence of the victims, showing the depth of the evil.
Modern Equivalent:
Someone who carries out harmful actions for a manipulator, even when they recognize the harm
Dighton and Forrest
The actual killers of the princes
Even hardened killers are moved to tears by the innocence of the children, showing that the evil is so great it affects even those who commit it.
Modern Equivalent:
People who carry out harmful actions but are still affected by the harm they cause
Key Quotes & Analysis
"The most arch deed of piteous massacre That ever yet this land was guilty of"
Context: Describing the murder of the princes
The murder of innocent children represents the ultimate evil - killing those who pose no threat, purely for power.
In Today's Words:
The most evil act of murder this country has ever seen
Thematic Threads
Ruthlessness
In This Chapter
Innocence offers no protection
Development
Elimination becomes routine
In Your Life:
When someone eliminates people who pose no threat, they've entered the elimination spiral
Evil
In This Chapter
The murder of innocent children
Development
Evil becomes routine and normalized
In Your Life:
Recognize when elimination becomes routine - this is a sign of dangerous escalation
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why does Richard kill the princes? Do they pose a real threat? What does this reveal about the elimination spiral?
analysis • deep - 2
What does the murder of innocent children reveal about Richard's character? How does the elimination spiral work?
reflection • medium - 3
Have you witnessed the elimination spiral? How did someone start eliminating people who posed no threat?
application • surface
Critical Thinking Exercise
The Spiral Recognition
Richard kills the princes who pose no threat. Think of someone who eliminated people who weren't actually dangerous.
Consider:
- •What does it mean when someone eliminates non-threats?
- •How does the elimination spiral work?
- •What are the signs that someone has entered this spiral?
Journaling Prompt
Write about the elimination spiral. Have you seen it in action? How does it progress?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 19: Act IV-V: Paranoia, Rebellion, & Buckingham's End
Moving forward, we'll examine consequences catch up, and understand manipulation creates enemies. These insights bridge the gap between classic literature and modern experience.