Lady Grey, Queen Elizabeth

            One particular relationship I found interesting in Shakespeare’s “Richard III” was the relationship that Queen Elizabeth and Richard shared. In Act I, Scene I, Richard is having a conversation with his brother Clarence, who has been arrested and being sent to the tower. In this conversation Richard appears to be pointing the finger at Queen Elizabeth as the reason behind Clarence arrest. Clarence is trying to figure out why his brother, King Edward IV has sent him to the tower and Richard convinces him that Queen Elizabeth is behind it all. He states, “Tis not the King that sends you to the Tower. My Lady Grey his wife, Clarence, ‘tis she that tempers him to this extremity.” It is apparent that Richard harbors animosity toward Queen Elizabeth because he refers to her as “Lady Grey,” the name given to her from her previous marriage. Richard doesn’t even acknowledge Elizabeth as a Queen in the beginning of the play. Richard is degrading Elizabeth by stripping her of her title as Queen.

            In Act I, Scene III, Richard and Queen Elizabeth are going head to head in an argument where he again insults her title as Queen. He states, “The world is grown so bad that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch. Since every Jack became a gentleman, there’s many a gentle person made a Jack.” In return Queen Elizabeth states, “Come, come, we know your meaning, brother Gloucester. You envy my advancement and my friends’. God grant that we never may have need of you.” In this Scene of the play Richard and Queen Elizabeth go back and forth in a disagreement. Richard points out in the scene that since Elizabeth has become Queen, people have become noble that are not really considered noble. Richard is accusing Elizabeth of trying to acquire a position of power by marrying his brother just to become Queen. Elizabeth on the other hand accuses Richard of being envious of her position of power.

            As the reader of Shakespeare’s, “Richard III” we are aware of Richard’s devious plans and we know that it is Richard, who is behind his brother, Clarence arrest. Richard is trying to turn his brothers against each other. He is simply putting the blame on Queen Elizabeth because of his pure dislike for her. He even goes as far as to accuse her of trying to do what he; himself is plotting, trying to acquire a position of power and control. Richard appears jealous of Elizabeth because she is in a powerful position. It is clearly understandable of why he wants to ruin her.