Explore the view that ‘at the end of the tragedy the audience’s sympathy is with Bolingbroke rather than Richard’.

Introduction – Suggest that there is a shift change in audience sympathy towards both Bolingbroke and Richard across the course of the play. Set up the initial responses in the scene of Richard’s treatment of Gaunt and the unfair revocation of Bolingbroke’s rights to the shift that occurs as the audience witnesses Richard leaving is body politic and inhabiting his body natural. Set up the difference between sympathies to the suffering of the mortal body and political sympathy.Paragraph 1: Argue that the audience sympathy is with Bolingbroke. Use Bolingbroke’s reasonable behaviour and his sense of moral right and wrong – his interest in the subjects of England and their love and trust of him – compare this to the way Richard abuses his power and suggest that the audience will not feel sympathy fpr Richard because of these crimes he commits early in the play and that Bolingbroke is the heroic saviour of the play.Paragraph 1: Argue that the audience’s sympathy is with Richard. Focus on the divine right of kings – Shakespeare clearly presents Bolingbroke as the rightful God anointed King. Reference the dark prophesising of York and Carlisle of the blood shed and evil that will be wrought by the deposition if Bolingbroke takes power, prophesising that is proved true in Henry IV part 1 and 2. Go on to explore the way Richard when stripped of his kingship is presented as a highly sympathetic character and Bolingbroke as morally corrupt, despite it being clear that Bolingbroke will practically be a better king than Richard.Paragraph 3: Bring in the historical context of the aging and heirless Queen Elizabeth, and the performance of the play before the Essex Uprising – the suggestion that a King can be deposed is highly politically sensitive at this time. Suggest therefore that whilst sympathy for Richard does grow through the play this could have been a device used by Shakespeare to protect himself from potential repercussions. So the play ends with political sympathy with Bolingbroke but a moral sense of sympathy is with Richard and his suffering.