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Similes
Act 1, Scene 4
Explanation and Analysis—Snow in Harvest:
In Act 1, Scene 4, the First Murderer uses a simile to mock and ironize the Duke of Clarence’s faith in Richard’s kindness. Clarence believes that Richard cares for him, but the Murderer knows otherwise:
CLARENCE:
O, do not slander him, for he is kind.
FIRST MURDERER:
Right, as snow in harvest.
Come, you deceive yourself.
Related Themes:
Act 5, Scene 3
Explanation and Analysis—Have Mercy, Jesu!:
Just before the Battle of Bosworth Field comes a powerful scene where Richard experiences a prophetic nightmare. The words he utters when he wakes are both situationally ironic and dense with foreshadowing:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Richard starteth up out of a dream.
RICHARD: Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds! Have mercy, Jesu!—
Related Themes:
Act 5, Scene 4
Explanation and Analysis—A Horse!:
In Act 5, Scene 4 of Richard III, a wet and miserable scene unfolds that’s packed with situational irony. Richard—a character who throughout the play is depicted as cunning, ruthless, and power-hungry—finds himself in a dire situation on the battlefield. On foot and vulnerable in the mud, he cries out:
Unlock with LitCharts A+A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
Related Themes:
