The Progress of Evil and the Return of Justice in Shakespeare’s Richard III

Shakespeare’s Richard III is a warning about the danger of tyrannical political leaders. Richard has no legitimate claim to the throne, but he devises his own way to achieve that goal. All along the path he follows, he leaves a trail of dead bodies. Richard becomes a fratricidal, child-murdering, Machiavellian usurper, who takes delight in breaking nearly every one of God’s commandments. This essay traces the progress of evil in Richard III under the following rubrics: (1) Ambition and The Tactics of Deception, (2) The Erosion of Conscience, (3) The Deeds of a Tyrant, (4) The Return of Justice, and (5) Implications for an Education in Political Theory.