Academic Sources
Briana Pascascio's Annotated Bibilography
Morris, Sylvia. "Shakespeare's Richard II and the Essex Rebellion." The Shakespeare Blog. Wordpress, 7 Feb. 2014. Web.
In the digital resource “Shakespeare’s Richard II and the Essex Rebellion,” the author discusses the conspiracy that Shakespeare’s play “Richard II” was meant to convince the audience to get rid of their ruler. The play was meant to have people stand in support of the Essex although he was killed 17 days after the performance was done. Since Richard II dealt with the politics and downfall of a ruler, many thought the play would be in connection with Queen Elizabeth and so the spokesperson of Shakespeare’s company, Augustine Phillips, tried to clarify why the play was being performed in order to separate themselves from the Essex’s death. The audience for this blog may be for students who are interested in learning the history behind Shakespeare's play and will have a better grasp on the historical context due to how simplified the author has the information.
Moyer, Samantha Rae. "Fit to Govern?: Charismatic and Traditional Kingship in Richard III, Richard II, and Macbeth." Dickinson College Honors Theses (2015). Web.
In this article, the author discusses the differences of kings due the charisma they have or if they have gained their position through traditional rules. It explores the depths of trying to find the ideal king and how Shakespeare has presented this ideal king when connecting the traits of all three kings in these plays. When discussing King Richard, the author addresses why Bolingbroke is a better fit. Moyer also mentions Richard’s lack of support from his people as well as how he obtained his position due to his divine right to rule. Although he does have a justified reason as to why he had become king, he suffers from a lack of good judgment and “abuses the rights of nobility” when he has Gloucester killed. It is these traits that lead to Richard’s downfall. The intended audience of this article may be scholars who are interested in looking at connections between certain kings in Shakespeare's work and what the kings either have that is positive or what they may be lacking.
Scannell, Sarah J. "Shakespeare's Richard II and Henry V and Political Rebellions in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I." Honors Scholar Theses: 1-42. Web.
In Scannell’s article, she discusses that Shakespeare was aware of the political issues occurring during his time and his plays reflect those moments. In regards to the play “Richard II,” she writes that the play “contains not-so-subtle critiques and approvals of men and women in power.” She also discusses the conspiracy of the play and its connection to the Essex and the play being meant to implant the idea of the people starting a rebellion. She also gives examples of how Richard II and Elizabeth are similar, one example she gives is that they both are viewed as not being beneficial to their country. The audience this author may be writing for are scholars who are interested in the political background of when Richard II was written.
Brandon Sookhoo's Annotated Biblography
Articles:
Suzman, Arthur “Imagery and Symbolism in Richard II.” Shakespeare Quarterly 7.4 (1956): 355-70. Web.
In the article “Imagery and Symbolism in Richard II” by Arthur Suzman, he discusses one of the central themes presented in The Tragedy of King Richard the Second by playwright William Shakespeare. The theme of rise and fall reflects the characteristics/characterization and actions of the play main characters Richard II and Bolingbroke. Suzman argues and states the following in his article’s preface “Spiritually, one might add, as Richard rises, so Bolingbroke declines. This dual theme of rise and fall provides in turn the dominant imagery and symbolism of the play, indeed, it may just be described as leitmotif” (355). Throughout his article he highlights, cites and recounts events in the play in relation to the theme of rise and fall in through the literary lens of imagery and symbolism. In other words, the theme of the play is being interpreted and being seen as an image and symbol as opposed to a common revolving issue that is present in The Tragedy of King Richard the Second. Suzman’s article is useful because it can help many scholars of Shakespeare get a better understanding of the play’s central themes because he shows evidence (specific lines) in his article to support his claims rather than making broad vague observations. It is also useful because it can also make the reader/critic look at the play from a different perspective and can clear up any confusion or questions they had while reading.
Reed, Robert R. "RICHARD II: PORTRAIT OF A PSYCHOTIC." The Journal of General Education 16.1 (1964): 55-67. Web.
In the article “RICHARD II: PORTRAIT OF A PSYCHOTIC by Robert R. Reed, Jr, he gives an in depth character analysis of Richard II from the play The Tragedy of King Richard the Second by William Shakespeare. In the opening paragraph of his article, Reed provides the reader with a variety of different perspectives from numerous literary critics describing the character of Richard II. These difference of perspectives enable the reader to see and interpret the character of Richard II in a variety of different angles. However, in his article he focuses on the claims provided by literary critics Wilson and Thompson. For instance, in his article he states the following about the two literary critics “Both Wilson and Thompson have absolved Shakespeare’s Richard of any serious moral guilt or psychic weakness.” (55) Furthermore, in his article Reed expands on these arguments by citing textual evidence and historical evidence to build off these observations. In addition, Reed uses characterization to help the reader better understand the character of Richard II. Reed also develops these arguments in structured and organized paragraphs and spends sufficient time explaining the two claims rather than being bias to a particular critic. This article can be very useful to Shakespeare scholars because it sheds light on the play’s main character through a psychoanalytic lens. Since Richard II, is already a complex character to begin with readers now can make a proper diagnosis of the character. The article because it can also aid a student who is studying the psychology of a non-fictional character because it can provide better insight of the character’s actions and motives.
Digital Resource:
J. Caleb Mozzocco on December 13, 2016, Amanda MacGregor on December 13, 2016, Travis Jonker on December 13, 2016, Elizabeth Bird on December 13, 2016, Karyn Silverman on December 12, 2016, Grace Enriquez on December 12, 2016, Robin Willis on December 12, 2016, Karen Jensen, TLT on December 12, 2016, Sharon McKellar on December 12, 2016, and Travis Jonker on December 12, 2016. "Shakespearean Resources | Mix It Up." School Library Journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.
http://www.slj.com/2015/01/collection-development/mix-it-up/shakespearean-resources-mix-it-up/#
In this particular digital resource visitors of the site, can access a variety of different Shakespeare online resources that can appeal to not only scholars of Shakespeare but to students of all ages attending school from pre-school (“PreS”) to high school. This digital resource is packed with websites that have fun interactive activities and games for young students who want to learn about the plays written by William Shakespeare. It is also more visually appealing in terms of website layout opposed to looking up a scholarly article in an online database that is filled with complex terms, analysis, and arguments. The digital resource also provides a brief summary and overview of each website before the visitor can click on it. However, with that being said the website does not provide any assistance to college students or literary critics studying Shakespeare. Although, the digital resource proves useful because it has numerous ways in which Shakespeare’s plays can be studied and looked at in modern day pop culture and societal trends.