Richard II is the first part of the second of Shakespeare’s tetralogies of history plays. The remaining plays are the two parts of Henry IV and Henry V. The latter is presented as one of the great heroes of English history and one of the principal themes of the tetralogy is the nature of true heroism in a monarch, with Richard II acting as the base metal to Henry V’s gold.

The play was written in about 1595 and it is recognised as one of Shakespeare’s better history plays. The action centres on the eponymous hero who is presented as a mixed character, with various good qualities countered by what are portrayed as his vices and which tend to be associated as stereotypes with his homosexuality. Hence, he is said to spend too much time talking with his close colleagues, follows Italian fashions too attentively and spends too much money. Richard’s sexuality is not explicitly discussed on the stage (although it is possible that stage business might have illustrated the point) but the language employed by and about Richard makes such an interpretation perfectly possible. There is little to suppose that he was not a perfectly good king apart from these qualities but they are sufficient to bring about his downfall – bear in mind also that the play is described as the Tragedy of Richard II and, following the Greek tradition, tragedy brings about a catastrophic downfall because of some flaw in the character of the individual and this sexuality may be taken to Richard’s flaw.

Richard is contrasted with Henry Bolingbroke, who is portrayed as a great favourite of the people and is what termed a man’s man in his nature and temperament – just as was Henry VIII, father of the Queen Elizabeth in whose reign Shakespeare’s plays were performed. History, in Shakespeare’s history plays, is as much about the present and the eternal as about the past. Bolingbroke takes over the kingdom and imprisons Richard in a remote castle in Pomfret. Richard’s inability even to organise an army to fight on his behalf at a pitched battle is presented as another example of his lack of manly character – it is possible, on the other hand, to argue that by saving the country from needless bloodshed he is putting the interests of the people above his own. The close of the play shows Richard in his isolated prison when he considers the events that have brought him to this place and the nature of the world – there are some particularly strong speeches in this part of the play. A mysterious assassin also appears, possibly acting on behalf of Bolingbroke and possibly not; Richard’s death is sealed. It is interesting to observe that real dictators rarely if ever give direct orders and instead rely on their underlings to do what they think will make them happy. Stalin behaved in the same way.