Important In Bolingbroke's Speech example essay topic

It has been agreed upon by many scholarly sources that Richard II is one of Shakespeare's plays containing the most rhetoric. As discussed in class, rhetoric is "the art of using words to persuade" (handout). Since there are so many angles to Richard II, and so many people trying to persuade different things, rhetoric is present quite often. The rhetoric in Richard II is every effective in making the play's meaning as effective as it is. Looking closely at Bolingbroke's monologue in Act, i, 1-30, one can truly see how strongly an importance rhetoric has in this play. Shakespeare uses many devices to strengthen the rhetorical power of Richard II.

In Bolingbroke's monologue, he uses several of these devices to really stress what he is saying and to persuade the audience to go along with what he is saying... Bolingbroke's monologue was spoken to an audience who at the start of his speech was most likely not on his side. Rhetoric works well for him because he needs to convince the audience that he is a good guy. He also needs to justify his actions. There are several examples of anastrophe present in this speech.

In line 18, Bolingbroke says, "Till you did make him misinterpret me" ( , i, 18). Here it is clearly seen that the word order is not what a reader would grammatically expect. However, using this unusual word order, the stress is put upon how Bushy and Green are the reason in which the King does not trust Bolingbroke any longer. Putting the word order as it is, really emphasizes the persuasiveness Bolingbroke is trying on the audience. He wants the audience to feel bad for him and be on his side, when in reality, he deserves everything he has been given. Another rhetorical trope Shakespeare used in this monologue is alliteration.

This trope is extremely important in Bolingbroke's speech because it really places an emphasis on the lines which contain it. Again using line 18 Shakespeare writes, "Till you did make him misinterpret me" ( , i, 18). This line is very important because, as stated above, it really persuades the audience to think that it is Bushy and Green's fault that the King misunderstood Bolingbroke. Line 18 contains 2 different tropes, so when looking at its importance, it is easily seen that this is an important line. It is so important to look into this line for deeper meaning because it really brings out to the surface the kind of character Bolingbroke is. He wants everyone to be on his side, so he places the blame on other people.

He tries to persuade the audience into seeing the good in his character by making it seem absurd that the King would misinterpret him by his own doings. Another line that contains alliteration is line 21. Shakespeare writes, Eating the bitter bread of banishment" ( , i, 21). This line is also very important because not only does it contain alliteration, but it also is a good example of onomatopoeia. While hearing this line, one really can hear the stress Bolingbroke is putting on the bitterness of what he feels. He feels scorned that he no longer is a part of royalty.

The way the words are alliterated and their word order brings out the sound of chewing, as if Bolingbroke is really eating this sour bread that scorns him so. Assonance is the trope that is most present in Bolingbroke's monologue. This repetition of vowel sounds does not seem of importance by definition. However, in action, assonance really is a driving force in this monologue.

Specifically there are two instances where assonance is strongly felt. In lines 14-15, Shakespeare writes, "And stained the beauty of a fair queen's cheeks / with tears drawn... ". ( , i, 14-15). In these lines, it is clearly seen that Bolingbroke wants the audience to really feel for the Queen and to convince them that it was these two who caused the divorce of Richard and the Queen, making her so upset. Bolingbroke wants to gain the sympathy of the audience by showing how her grief is to him. He wants to kill the men who made her sad. It is here that the audience really starts to think that maybe Bolingbroke is not such a bad guy after all, or at least that is what he wants you to think.

Another excellent example of assonance in Bolingbroke's monologue is line 17. Shakespeare writes", Near to the King in blood and near in love" ( , i, 17). In this line, Bolingbroke is trying to make it seem like he and Richard had a great ardor for one another, that they were great friends and family joined by blood. This line is particularly ironic as well because it speaks of how the two are joined by blood, when it is Richard who has Bolingbroke to blame for his death. This line is also an anaphora because of the repetition of the word "near". This repetition really stresses that the Bolingbroke is trying to convey that he and Richard were both friends and related by blood and shared a love for one another.

However, since it is Bolingbroke who has Richard killed, it is clearly seen that this love is not so true after all. The climax of this entire monologue is toward the end of the speech. Bolingbroke says, "This and much more, much more than twice all this, /Condemns you to death... ". ( , i, 28-29). This is clearly the climax because everything leading up to these lines have been building up to this final consequence. Before this line, Bolingbroke states everything that Bushy and Green have done and in these final few lines, he states the consequences of their actions. This line has a great deal of importance to the monologue, it's placement as a climax is also a key to its significance.

Everything that Bolingbroke says up to these lines leads up to what these lines say; he tells the audience of Bushy and Green's actions then states their consequences. He has to first explain their offences so as not to seem like the bad guy in this situation. Again, he always wants to come off as the one who is not doing anything bad, but rather helping out the kingdom and Shakespeare's use of rhetoric in this monologue helps him to persuade the audience into thinking that. There is a great deal of rhetoric seen in Bolingbroke's monologue. He is less poetic and more pragmatic in his speech than other characters. Instead of making the way he speaks refined and pretty, he speaks in a more assertive and brusque manner.

Bolingbroke's way of speaking says a lot about his character. Because he is less poetic, he has an effect on the audience that is less warm-hearted than other characters in the play. It is because of that reason why Bolingbroke has so much persuading to do to get the audience on his side, which is why rhetoric works so well for his character. It is Bolingbroke's objective in this speech to convince the audience of his good merit and character. In his speech, he is able to sway both the nobility and the common people because he comes across as a hero for executing the King's foes. Rhetoric's strong presence is surely felt in Bolingbroke's monologue.

It is clear to see that he is a character who needs rhetoric in order to be liked by the audience. Bolingbroke uses rhetoric to persuade the audience into liking him and also uses it to justify his actions. Without his use of this powerful device, Bolingbroke's character would not be liked or understood.

Bibliography

Shakespeare, William. Richard II. New York: Bantam Books, 1988.55-56..