Deformity as Clarification

                This past Friday, we in Literature and Philosophy discussed how deformity and monstrosity play a part in Richard III. We approached this discussion through the lens of several other works we’ve read over the past week, including pieces such as WEB Dubois’ “The Souls of Black Folks” and Linda Charnes’ “On Reading the Monstrous Body in Richard III,” as well as the general ideology of Aristotle.

We next considered another view on deformity during Shakespeare’s time, as well as his society’s view on villainy. In “On Reading the Monstrous Body in Richard III,” Linda Charnes states that during this time, outward deformity was considered a sign of inward moral deformity. Any sort of deformity signified vileness and malignance in the heart and soul of a person.

We set aside that definition for a moment to consider the society’s view on villainy. In our society, we can immediately see the Richard is villainous, evil. Killing on any scale is, in general, not socially acceptable at all. We consider it a flagrant sign of immorality. However, during Shakespeare’s time, this may not have the case. Shakespeare lived in an era where men dueled to the death for their honor, where executions were public entertainment, where the Black Plague raged. For those who were watching Shakespeare’s plays, death was simply a part of life. Killing may not have had the same moral significance for them as it does for us.
Furthermore, there is a great deal of killing that goes on in the play, many of which originates from different characters. How, then, could the audience know who was the most evil. The villain. 

In light of both perspectives on Shakespearean life, we discussed that perhaps Richard’s deformity was not solely metaphorical. Perhaps it was meant to clarify to the audience that Richard is, in fact, the villain. While scheming to kill might not have alerted the audience to Richard’s malignant nature, his deformity certainly would have.

To read more on deformity, see "Deformity and Feminization" and "Deformity and Social Pressures"

By: Jessica C., Hockaday School