Rhetoric_Of_Richard_II

Rhetoric Of Richard II In Act Two, Scene Three of Richard II, the audience gets a glimpse of Bolingbroke’s slow rise to power, which ultimately reaches its culmination when Richard II is deposed and he becomes king. As the characters followers realize the potential deposition of King Richard II, they begin to flatter Bolingbroke in hopes of rewards for their allegiance to him. Playwright William Shakespeare uses the pace and repetition of language in order to highlight comical exchanges of sycophancy used in dialogue with Bolingbroke. We shall see that Bolingbroke directly recognizes and expresses gratitude to Harry Percy, the only character that speaks honestly and without superficial compliments. The initial exchange between Bolingbroke and Northumberland at the beginning of the scene reveals Northumberland’s desire for acceptance and in hopes of acquiring money if Bolingbroke becomes king. The following presents Northumberland responding to Bolingbroke’s brief question with an answer along with an extensive, unnecessary speech of praise: BOLINGBROKE: How far is it, my lord to Berkeley now' NORTHUMBERLAND: bolingbroke, bolingbroke’s, percy, between, ross, northumberland, king, york, shall, service, scene, northumberland’s, thy, speech, repetition, lord, hopes, fortune, flatter, becomes, allegiance, words, word, weary, way, two, tender, superficial, shakespeare, richard, response, recompense, praise, power