“Naked Villainy”: Richard as a Satanic Hero Essays -- Literary Analy

In many religions and cultures, a demonic entity embodies the spirit of evil, ruler of hell, resistance of God, and tempter of humankind. This arch rebel figure often emerges in literature, and one of the about well-kn consume is Satan, a defiant epitome of evil from John Miltons epic poem Paradise Lost. There must be bully in the presence of evil, thus there must be a fighter with whom the villain clashes with, a bold character whom the audience root for. In Shakespeares tragic play Richard III, Richard plays the role of both the hero and the villain by utilise his marvelous traits to underscore his satanic persona. He is a satanic hero because he uses his political eloquence to rebel, his isolation causes him to oppose all moral constraints, and he wears a mask of personal appeal to hide his selfish lust for power. In other words, Richard, like Satan, is imposing by heroic traits like alluring eloquence but is so deeply self- inattentive and bent on revenge that he pr ecipitates his own destined downfall.Richard is skilfully eloquent however he chooses to convey this heroic trait satanically by using it to emphasize his rebellious nature against love, politics, and religion. erotic love is built upon reciprocated affection between two individuals, but Richard rebels by using it as a political tool, to the extent that he suggests incest at miscellaneous points throughout the play. During the wooing scene, he wins the heart of Lady Anne by saying, Your violator was the cause of that effect / Your beauty, that did haunt me in my sleep (1 .2, 126-127), accusing Annes beauty as inducement for murder. This quote implies that he plays upon the emotions of others, winning women all over and bringing out their vulnerability by his insinuating discourse (Wilhelm, 20)... ...conscience finally surfaces. Richards seclusion is a result of his ambition and isolation, and he is so absorbed in his schemes of personal gain that he does not realize how he is lending himself to catastrophe. Richard, like Satan, is heroically amiable and well-spoken, but his greediness and seditious lust for power lend him to his predestined downfall. When Richard says, I am resolved to prove a villain, he implies a tragic creative activity that he controls his predestined fate, and the providentialism eventually endorses this meaning. He uses his political eloquence to rebel, he is isolated and therefore his mental and physical energy is unhampered by his moral deformity, and he masks his satanic traits with charisma. Though the ending is tragic for Richard, it is a new beginning for England, and in a way, Richard purges England of its collective guilt.