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Richard III - Act I, Scene 4: Clarence's Murder

William Shakespeare

Richard III

Act I, Scene 4: Clarence's Murder

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Summary

Act I, Scene 4: Clarence's Murder

Richard III by William Shakespeare

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Clarence awakens in the Tower from a terrifying prophetic dream: he was aboard a ship with Richard, who 'stumbled' and pushed him overboard into drowning waters filled with corpses, jewels in dead men's skulls, and bones scattered on the ocean floor. The dream continues beyond death—he crosses the river Styx and encounters the ghost of Warwick and Prince Edward, whom he betrayed and killed, now calling for his torment in Hell. Two murderers arrive with Richard's warrant. Before killing Clarence, they debate—one feels 'dregs of conscience,' the other dismisses it: 'It makes a man a coward... every man that means to live well endeavours to trust to himself and live without it.' Clarence wakes and eloquently pleads for his life, appealing to law, conscience, and brotherhood. He offers them money: 'Go to my brother Gloucester, who shall reward you better for my life than Edward will for tidings of my death.' The murderers reveal the devastating truth: 'Your brother Gloucester hates you... 'tis he that sends us to destroy you.' Clarence refuses to believe it—'he bewept my fortune and hugged me in his arms.' They stab him and drown him in a barrel of malmsey wine. One murderer immediately regrets it—'I would he knew that I had saved his brother'—while the other remains cold. Richard's first major murder is complete, accomplished through proxies, maintaining his plausible deniability while eliminating the first obstacle to his throne.

Coming Up in Chapter 5

With Clarence dead, Richard moves to eliminate the next obstacles: the young princes who stand between him and the crown.

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Original text
complete·2,268 words
S

cena Quarta.

Enter Clarence and Keeper.

Keep. Why lookes your Grace so heauily to day

Cla. O, I haue past a miserable night,
So full of fearefull Dreames, of vgly sights,
That as I am a Christian faithfull man,
I would not spend another such a night
Though 'twere to buy a world of happy daies:
So full of dismall terror was the time

1 / 14

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Why This Matters

Connect literature to life

Skill: Recognizing Indirect Elimination

Some people eliminate obstacles indirectly, using systems and others to do their dirty work while maintaining clean hands.

Practice This Today

Watch for patterns where someone consistently benefits from others' removals without directly causing them. Practice identifying when someone is using systems to eliminate obstacles.

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Now let's explore the literary elements.

Key Quotes & Analysis

"O, I have passed a miserable night, So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights"

— Clarence

Context: Clarence describing his prophetic dream

Clarence's dream foreshadows his death, showing that even the victim senses the danger. But foreknowledge doesn't save him.

In Today's Words:

I had terrible nightmares last night, full of warnings

"Methought that Gloucester stumbled, and in falling Struck me, that thought to stay him, overboard"

— Clarence

Context: Clarence's dream of being pushed overboard by Richard

Clarence's dream accurately predicts his death - Richard (Gloucester) will cause his fall. The dream shows the truth that Clarence can't escape.

In Today's Words:

I dreamed my brother pushed me overboard

Thematic Threads

Betrayal

In This Chapter

Richard betrays his own brother, having him murdered

Development

Family bonds mean nothing to Richard - he'll eliminate anyone

In Your Life:

When someone betrays family or close colleagues, they have no limits

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You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.

Discussion Questions

  1. 1

    Why does Richard use intermediaries to kill Clarence? What does this reveal about his character?

    analysis • medium

Critical Thinking Exercise

8 minutes

The Proxy Pattern

Richard eliminates Clarence through others. Think of someone who consistently benefits from others' removals without directly causing them.

Consider:

  • •How do you distinguish between coincidence and pattern?
  • •What are the signs of indirect manipulation?
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Coming Up Next...

Chapter 5: Act II, Scene 1: King Edward's Death

With Clarence dead, Richard moves to eliminate the next obstacles: the young princes who stand between him and the crown.

Continue to Chapter 5
Previous
Act I, Scene 3: The Court Intrigue Begins
Contents
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Act II, Scene 1: King Edward's Death

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