Act 3 Scene 4 Interpretation

Our interpretation of the scene focused on emphasizing two crucial aspects of the play: Gloucester’s constant facade masking his sinister nature and Hastings’ naivety. As Gloucester enters the scene, we purposefully depicted him as overly cheerful, blatantly contrasting with his subversive nature during his subsequent conversation with Buckingham. Even though Richard is only making a grandiose pretense of pleasantness, we portrayed Hastings as truly falling for Gloucester’s facade because he says: “with no man here [Richard] is offended; / For, were he, he had shown it in his looks,” (3.4.58-59). This interpretation aligns with our earlier understanding of the play, for it shows a continuation in Gloucester’s ability to manipulate people in order to achieve his goal and his lack of empathy for anyone who gets in his way.

In terms of Buckingham, we attempted to portray his subtle, seditious nature which we first see in Act 2 when he suggests to Richard that they not stay behind but rather go themselves to get the prince so that they may better influence and control him, “part[ing] the Queen’s proud kindred from the Prince,” (2.3.155). Here, in Act 3, Scene 4, we interpreted Buckingham to be attempting to fortify his own facade when he tells the rest of the company gathered around to discuss the coronation that he knows only Richard’s face and not his heart (lines 11-13). We interpreted this as an attempt to distance himself from Richard even though in reality he knows exactly what Richard’s intentions are, and is even facilitating and supporting his goals.

By: Shreya A. & Natalie N., Hockaday School