A collection of all necessary symbol quotes to revise Richard II for the Tragedy paper in the AQA English Literature B A-Level. I achieved an A* in this subject.
Divine Right of Kings ‘God’s substitute’ Richard represents God on earth
‘God’s … deputy’ He has been chosen by God
‘The figure of God’s majesty’ He is all that God represents
‘Sacred blood’ The king’s blood is as sacred as God
‘Annointed king’ He has been specially chosen
‘I wash away my balm’ Taking away his devotion
‘Arm, arm my name!’ His title comes with power
Gardens ‘Catipillars of the The king’s favourites are seen as pests, they
commonwealth’ [About Bagot, Bushy are ruining the ‘garden’ of England, it is their
and Green] fault that England is falling
‘Farm our royal realm’ Richard is a landowner, not a king
‘Old Adam’s likeness, set to dress this Comparison to the Garden of Eden, Richard is
garden’ the gardener, it is his responsibility
‘The weeds which his sprawling leaves The weeds are his favourites, they are ruining
did shelter’ England while Richard protects them
‘The whole land is full of weeds’ Reflecting how ruined England is
‘Suck the soil’s fertility from wholesome Richard has destroyed the prosperity of
flowers’ England
King Edward III ‘Edward’s seven sons’ Introducing familial bonds
‘Seven vials of his sacred blood’ They are linked by special blood
‘Seven fair branches’ They come from the same tree, linking
The Bible ‘Each one thrice worse than Judas’ Comparison to traitorous Judas
‘Some of you with Pilate wash your They are guilty of condemning an innocent,
hands’ indirectly comparing Richard to Jesus
‘Deliver’d me to my sour cross’ Clearly comparing Richard to Jesus
‘Sluiced out his innocent soul … like Introducing familial bonds, traitorous acts
sacrificing Abel’ between family members
‘With Cain go wander through shades Exton is as bad as Cain, however really this is
of night’ Henry / Bolingbroke
Mirrors ‘Command a mirror hither straight that He has lost his identity in losing his title,
it may show me what face I have’ confusion as to who he is
‘Hath sorrow struck so many blows Emphasising his suffering and the pain that he
upon this face of mine and made no has gone through, linking emotional pain to
deeper wounds?’ physical pain
‘O, flatt’ring glass … thou dost beguile He still cannot see the truth, needs to be
me’ flattered
‘Crack’d in an hundred shivers’ Richard is broken emotionally
Rising and Falling ‘The emptier ever dancing in the air, the Contrasting Richard and Bolingbroke’s
other down, unseen’ situations (wheel of fortune)
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