May 11, 2018 the book spawned a whole genre of historical fiction dedicated to a sympathetic richard iii and is often used in universities to teach students that history is a matter of interpretation. Richard iii, historical fiction 200 richard iii, princes in the tower 198 richard iii, historical 180 richard iii, biography 164 wars of the roses, historical fiction 122 wars of the roses, fiction 112 15th century, england, historical fiction 66 plantagenet, historical fiction 64 henry vii, historical fiction 55. He writes actionpacked fiction now the violent events of 1483 are played out in the sequel, the blood of princes. Historical fiction on richard iii fuzzy history shades of gray in. Richard iii is said to have murdered his nephews for their throne, but this second historical novel in the rose of york serieswinners of a remarkable ten awardstells a different, welldocumented, and dramatic story. The foremost work of literature featuring richard iii is william shakespeare s richard iii, which is believed to have been written in 1591, a century after the kings death. The elizabethan drama was a great popular art form, created not for royal courts but for poor groundlings who paid a penny to stand in the pit beneath the stage, or bourgeois such as pepys, who. Richard iii, chronicle play in five acts by william shakespeare, written about 159294 and published in 1597 in a quarto edition seemingly reconstructed from memory by the acting company when a copy of the play was missing. Once she decided to write fiction, there was little.
Richard iii belongs to the genre of shakespeares plays known as the histories, which deal with events in englands historical past after the norman conquest, in 1066. This dazzling recreation of his life is filled with the sights and sounds of battle, and the passions of the highborn. This son of york, the order of the white boar, tante le desiree, by loyalty bound, sovereign, figures in silk, under th. Robinson finds that much of what has been understood about richard as historical fact turns out to be at best mistaken, at worst completely fabricated by subsequent generations. Richard iii is dead after the climactic battle and is in charons boat along the river styx bound for hadess palace. Of course, theres the historical mystery, the daughter of time by josephine tey. A story of tudor power and secret art 2007 by carola hicks if you are interested in such things. Wood is daniel webster professor of history and comparative literature at dartmouth. Richard iii and the princes in the tower novels historical. Historical fiction on richard iii fuzzy history shades of. Jul 16, 2019 anne neville june 11, 1456march 16, 1485 was first married to the young edward of westminster, prince of wales and son of henry vii, and later became the wife of richard of gloucester richard iii and thus queen of england. This section of the library contains over 400 novels set in the fifteenth century or featuring ricardian themes. The relationship between monarch and stained glass is explored in depth in the kings glass. The late john ashdownhill is the author of the mythology of richard iii amberley publishing, april 2015.
Robinson finds that much of what has been understood about richard as historical fact turns out to be at best mistaken, at. It depicts the machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of king richard. The play then chronicles the rise and fall of richard iii, who ruled england from 1483 to his death in 1485. Rhoda edwards wrote two historical novels examining richards youth up to his betrothal to anne neville, fortunes wheel 1979, and his reign as king up to his. However, the bard took considerable artistic license and the facts are not quite as bloody. Sympathetic retelling of the story of richard s life from 1463 to 1485, a life dedicated to the service of his brother. Although it is often viewed as a sequel to three of shakespeares earlier history plays 1 henry vi, 2 henry vi, and 3 henry virichard iii is usually read and performed on its own. This page is a blatant ripoff of the historical fiction page of the distributed proofreaders wiki origin of this list. An unromantic account of the two who were to be king, richard iii and henry tudor, from 1459 to 1485. May 11, 2018 derek is interested in a wide range of historical themes but his particular favourite is the late medieval period. May 14, 2019 richard iii was a child when his family, the house of york, engaged in battle against the lancastrians for control of the country. Richard iii, also called 146183 richard plantagenet, duke of gloucester, born october 2, 1452, fotheringhay castle, northamptonshire, englanddied august 22, 1485, near market bosworth, leicestershire, the last plantagenet and yorkist king of england. The book spawned a whole genre of historical fiction dedicated to a sympathetic richard iii and is often used in universities to teach students that history is a matter of interpretation. York was the most prominent duke in england, of royal descent, and the most powerful nobleman of his day.
This article was written by the late john ashdownhill and was first published by history extra in march 2015. Also explains the historical and literary context that influenced richard iii. Dickon, a play by gordon daviot, aka joesphine tey. Richard iii is a historical play by william shakespeare by. It was the final part of a tetralogy of plays about the wars of the roses. However, he was dogged by rumours, almost certainly true, that he had murdered edward and his younger brother. Richard iii, if he is as portrayed was a very heroic figure. Historical novels i cant really rate, as it has been too long since i read them. Richard iii and the beginnings of historical fiction wood. A short william shakespeare biography describes william shakespeares life, times, and work. The detective novel that convinced a generation richard. Jul 02, 2008 since richard iii reigned at the time of their disappearance, and since the battle of bosworth, where he died, marks the end of the wars, it was perhaps inevitable that he become a frequent subject of historical fiction. Marjorie bowen 18851952 was a very prolific author of historical fiction, romance, crime and horror, producing over. Edward ivs 12yearold son, edward v, assumed the throne after his death.
There, he has one chance to convince hades to let him reign again as the living king of england. It was light on romance, and honestly light on history, reading more like a ya novel. Aug 15, 20 king richard iii has been portrayed as a tyrant and killer, largely due to the play by william shakespeare. In addition to the many historical books written about him, his life and mystery have produced countless fictional works of which many are listed here. Shakespeare, who created a depiction of richard that has lasted for four hundred years, likely made use of the abovementioned fictional mirror, as it covered the same time period as his two tetralogies of history plays, from richard ii to richard iii. The text in the first folio of 1623 is substantially better, having been. Sep 05, 2007 the ten rules for writing ricardian historical fiction some time ago i never was accused of being au courant, rules for writing various sorts of historical fiction were circulated in blogdom.
Throughout history the rich, especially royalty have used the medium of stained glass to promote their image. This historical novel of richard iii is well written and believable even though the dialogue and stream of consciousness thoughts are in modern english. To the tower born by robin maxwell, figures in silk and portrait of an unknown woman by vanora bennett. Thats the story of richard iii, and some of this is certainly real. The detective novel that convinced a generation richard iii. The 6 biggest myths about richard iii historyextra. Mar 24, 2015 the detective novel that convinced a generation richard iii wasnt evil. The period of the wars of the roses has always been a favourite with historical novelists and the controversy surrounding richard iii has generated some classic novels such as the daughter of time. A glorious novel of the controversial richard iiia monarch betrayed in life by his allies and betrayed in death by history. The ten rules for writing ricardian historical fiction blogger. Aug 07, 20 richard iiis mistress and his defeat at bosworth at the end of the medieval period, historical novelist, elizabeth ashworth, speculates upon the identity of the mother of richard the thirds two illegitimate children. May 21, 2016 richard iii is a historical play by william shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1592.
Most of these people did exist, and the tension and infighting that was present in all of this was caused. Fact or fiction medieval tyrant documentary timeline. The end of the book of course is the battle of bosworth, and the author handled richard iii s death in a very interesting and plausible manner. We can only speculate about the effect it had on its first audiences.
While helen of troy may have been the face that launched a. Richard also appears in the two plays preceding it, henry vi, part 2 and henry vi, part 3. In this stirring historical novel, sharon kay penman redeems richard iii from his villainous role in history as the hulking, evil hunchback. Though writers and historians have been arguing since the seventeenth century that richard iii wasnt the villain whom shakespeare described, it was a 1951 mystery novel that sparked mass interest. He usurped the throne of his nephew edward v in 1483 and perished in defeat to henry tudor thereafter henry vii at the battle of. All three make use of a background characters view of events, some fictional such as bennetts isabel lambert and maxwells nell caxtonand. Cultural depictions of richard iii of england wikipedia. This long and bloody civil conflict is known as the war of the roses. England, but rife with historical errors as it takes its facts from alison weir. Richard iii was too trusting, and was constantly betrayed, some times even by friends, all motivated only by self interest. Jun, 2017 richard iii reminds us that historical facts can be fictionalised, but also that the fictional can just as easily turn into fact. The friend, a woman named roxanne, bought smith her first membership to the richard iii society, which issues scholarly journals on the king.
May 28, 2015 richard iii and the princes in the tower novels arleigh may 28, 2015 may 28, 2015 comments off on richard iii and the princes in the tower novels there are three princes in the tower novels that have intrigued me over the years. His defeat and death at the battle of bosworth field, the last decisive battle of the wars of the roses, marked the end of the middle. Richard iii,written in about 1591, is said to be shakespeares first great play. Astonishingly, as far as i know, no one provided any for the aspiring ricardian novelist. How treacherous were so many of the nobility of that time. Mantels tudor cycle has been haunted by similar anxieties. He was the last king of the house of york and the last of the plantagenet dynasty. When richard iii opens, edward iv has just been recrowned king of england, which sets the year at 1471. And as we learned from richard ii, a child rarely makes an effective king. The future richard iii was the fourth son of richard, 3rd duke of york died 1460, and his duchess, cecily neville, to survive to adulthood. Just days after the announcement that confirmed richard iiis remains were found, i received this correspondence purchased from a document seller on ebay between eleanor hibbert jean plaidy, victoria holt, philippa carr, eleanor burford, elbur ford, kathleen kellow, ellalice tate, anna percival and a reader from the university of illinois english department on jane shore, and along with.