Richard III: Why does Richard want to marry Princess Anne?

Question

The question is straight forward. Also, if Richard does say why he wants to marry could you please give me the Act and Scene number.

Thanks

I mean Lady Anne, as she would be - in the play.

Answer 1

The history behind this would have been well known to a Tudor audience. Lady Anne was the widow of Edward Prince of Wales who died in 1471 at the battle of Tewkesbury. She was the daughter of Richard Neville the 'Kingmaker'. and had grown up with Richard III at Middleham Castle when he had been placed their with the 'Kingmaker' for his education. Marrying Anne gave Richard III rights to the 'Kingmakers' northern estates. The play suggests that he was attracted to her and that he was responsible for the death of her husband and father.

Answer 2

You have to bare in mind that this play was written about real people, but it was written in the time of Elizabeth I, the grand-daughter of Henry VII who defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field and who would have no claim to the throne had this not happened. As a consequence of the time in which it was written it is heavily biased in the Tudor version of these events, hence Richard being depicted as a hunch-back something that was never mentioned by his contemporaries and highly unlikely given his recorded prowess as a knight.

All records from when Richard was Duke of Gloucester show that he was a much liked and just lord and that his vassals respected and even loved him. He was a loving and kind husband to Anne Neville by the standards of the day.

There is much legitimate doubt as to whether Richard III was truly responsible for the deaths of Edward V and his brother Prince Richard (the so-called princes in the tower), the future Henry VII had far more to gain from their deaths not least of which being the incrimination of Richard. Their birth had been found to be illigitimate - their father Edward IV had entered into a secret marriage before his marriage to their mother Elizabeth Woodville and so their right to the succession had been invalidated. Richard had no reason to kill them. If you'd like to look further into this point of view look up The Richard III Society, the president (I think) of which is the present-day Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

Answer 3

is it REALLY plausible that Princess Anne would be persuaded as she was by someone with nothing more going for him than Richard? To paraphrase the scene,
Anne: You killed my husband and his father! I hate you I hate you I hate you!
Richard: But I only did it 'cause I'm hot for you, babe! Wanna marry me?
Anne: Welll...maybe. Let me think about it.

Act One Scene 2
(And, in fact, she marries him. Just like that.)

Answer 4

Act 1 Scene 2
Lady Anne attends the funeral of her father-in-law, who was murdered by Richard. She spits in his face - he offers his sword to kill him, she can't do it. She agrees to marry him.

Unfortunately I can't remember why he wanted to marry her.

Answer 5

Cos she's young, beautiful...she's got HUGE..........tracts of land......why wouldn't he want to marry her.

Perhaps he doesn't WANT land....perhaps he just wants to.....sing!