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- Clarence explains that he is being sent to the Tower because Edward has listened to the prophecy about the letter "G." Richard is quick to attribute the king's action to the fact that he is ruled by his wife, Elizabeth Woodville, who with her brother had had Lord Hastings imprisoned.
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Why does Clarence think Richard is the reason he's under arrest?
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Clarence is unaware that Richard is behind his imprisonment, but he nonetheless dreams that his brother causes his death. His vivid description of the terror of drowning is also memorable: “O Lord! Methought what pain it was to drown / What dreadful noise of waters in my ears, / What sights of ugly death within mine eyes!” (I.iv. 21–23 ).
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- Act I: Scene I
The first victim is Richard’s own brother, Clarence. Richard...
- Character List
A murderer whom Richard hires to kill his young cousins, the...
- Themes
Richard’s skill with language and argument is what enables...
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Richard paints a vivid picture in which the English have put...
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Clarence is convinced by Richard and doesn't suspect Richard is actually the reason he's under arrest. More specifically, here Richard is tricking his rival (Clarence) into complacency while also setting up the Queen (another rival) to be blamed for Clarence's death.
When Clarence tells the murderers that Richard will reward them for sparing his life, they reveal that Richard himself has ordered the death, which Clarence can't believe. "Relent, and save your souls," he cries.
The murderers tell him Richard hates him, but Clarence refuses to believe it. The second murderer seems moved by Clarence's pleas, but the first carries out his orders remorselessly, stabbing the duke and dragging the body into an adjoining room to throw it in a wine vat.
Clarence explains that he is being sent to the Tower because Edward has listened to the prophecy about the letter "G." Richard is quick to attribute the king's action to the fact that he is ruled by his wife, Elizabeth Woodville, who with her brother had had Lord Hastings imprisoned.
They wake Clarence, who tries to reason with them, but they throw his guilt in his face, inform him that their warrant is from the King, and when he begs them to go to Richard for help, tell him that it is Richard who sent them to kill him.
The first murderer reveals to Clarence that Richard isn't a likely source of help, seeing as he was the one who sent the murderers. Poor Clarence. He doesn't believe them at first, but he's soon pleading for his life.
