Question: why is King Richard is not considered not a tragic hero?

Before we venture into the play itself and identifying the reason why Richard was not considered as a tragic hero, we must understand what is a true meaning of ‘tragic hero’.
A tragic hero is a hero in a tragedy who makes errors that would eventually leads to his own downfall. A tragic hero must go through a few phases before he could be called one; according to Aristotle a hero must 1) go through a complete downfall from a very high status to catastrophe and misery, 2) there must have a tragic flaw in the hero, 3) the hero must recognize his flaws and mistakes and flaws and lastly 4) there must be a need of getting rid all negative emotions of the hero by the audience.
Richard was not considered as a tragic hero because he was true villainy. He did not go through the phases and also he does not have the characteristic of a tragic hero mentioned by Aristotle. First we shall investigate is Richard had been through a great downfall.
“Why, I in this piping time of peace
Have no delight to pass away the time
Unless to spy my shadow in the sun
And descant my own deformity.
And therefore since I cannot prove a lover
To entertain these fair well –spoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.”
(Act 1, Scene1)
These lines were spoken by Richard III, in the beginning of the play. In these lines he states that he wants to take over the throne left by King Edward IV by means of evil. We could also identify that Richard was not born great and nor born to be king through this evident “…And therefore since I cannot prove a lover to entertain these fair well –spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain”
The first characteristic of a tragic hero was peripateia which implies the complete utter downfall from a very high position to misery and catastrophe. This does not happen to Richard as he has to climb up through villainy ways.
Next, a hero must have a tragic flaw. “Tragic flaws” here brought the meaning of “error” or “lacking” in personality which eventually leads him to his down fall. Richard did not have a tragic flaw. He was, as mentioned earlier, true villainy.
“Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv’st
And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends.
No sleep close up that deadly eye of thine,
Unless it be while some tormenting dream.
Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog,
Thou that wast sealed in thy nativity
The slave of nature and the son of hell.
Thou slender of thy heavy mother womb.
Thou loathed issue of thy father’s loins
Thou rag of honor, thou detested-“
(Act 1, Scene 3)
The lines were spoken by Queen Margaret. These lines foreshadow the evils Richard commits afterwards in the play. The evils such as murders and deceptions prove his true villainy and actually lead to his success. It is establish of Richard does not have a tragic flaw.
Next, the hero must recognize his flaws and mistakes and flaws. This trait is known as anagnorsis. In the play, Richard has no change in character and stays as the character until the end.
“Richard loves Richard; that is I am I
Is there a murderer in here? No. Yes, I am
Then fly! What, from myself? Great reason. Why:
Lest I revenge. Myself upon myself?
Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good
That I myself have unto myself?
O no, alas, I rather hate myself
For hateful deeds committed by myself.
I am a villain.
(Act 5, Scene 3)
These lines were spoken by Richard when he was visited by the ghosts of his victims and they reminded him of his misdeeds. These lines also proves that he did not change or have regret being himself and acted the way he does and therefore he stayed in the character until the end.
Finally the last characteristics, there must be a need of getting rid all negative emotions of the hero by the audience. This is known as catharsis.
“God, and in your arms, be prais’d, victorious friends,
The days is ours, the bloody dog is dead.”

“We will unite the white rose and the red-
Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction”
The two phrases were spoken by King Richmond after he had slain Richard in the battle of Bosworth Field. The phrase “bloody dog” is used to indicate the victory and relief of the death of Richard III. It indicates that the audience still has negative emotions towards Richard. The second phrase indicates that the play ended in happy ending.
As a conclusion, Richard III was not a true hero as he did not went through the characteristics of a true tragic hero; peropateia, hamartia, anagnorsis and catharsis. He was proven to be pure villain. Though he was born with royal blood he has no rights towards the throne.


huh..gigih bikan? nie kalu dpt 3/10 lagik aku x tau laaa....Mr. Udaya..have mercy pls..