Storyboarding is an excellent way to focus on types of literary conflict. Have your students choose an example of each literary conflict and depict them using the Storyboard Creator.
In the storyboard, an example of each conflict should be visually represented, along with an explanation of the scene, and how it fits the particular category of conflict.
Richard asks Lord Buckingham to kill the two young princes in the Tower of London. For the first time, Buckingham hesitates at Richard’s orders because the request is so heinous. Richard believes that Buckingham is weak and cannot be trusted, and Buckingham realizes he’s fallen out of favor with Richard. He flees to Wales and raises an army against Richard; however, he is captured, and Richard eventually has Buckingham beheaded.
As Richard goes to sleep the night before battle, he is visited by the ghosts of those whom he has killed: Prince Edward, Henry VI, Clarence, Rivers, Grey, Vaughan, the Princes, Hastings, Anne, and Buckingham. When Richard awakes, he is terrified, and realizes he hates himself, that he is guilty of murder, and that it is time to despair over what he has done.
The people of England do not want Richard to be crowned king. While Buckingham tries to drum up support for a Richard III bid for the throne, the people all recognize Richard for what he really is: a dangerous man. Richard’s deeds and reputation precede him, and the people do not want him as their king.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in Richard III.
Create a visual anchor chart listing the main types of literary conflict—such as Character vs. Character, Character vs. Self, and Character vs. Society—using examples from Richard III. This helps students quickly reference and remember each conflict type during lessons.
Begin by describing a simple, everyday situation for each conflict type (e.g., two classmates disagreeing = Character vs. Character) before connecting it to Richard III. This builds understanding by linking literary concepts to students’ real lives.
Read or display brief excerpts from Richard III and ask students to determine which conflict type is present. Encourage them to explain their reasoning, fostering critical thinking and engagement with the text.
Collaboratively fill in one cell of a storyboard as a class. Select a memorable conflict from Richard III, draw simple sketches or use character cutouts, and write a short scene description. This demonstrates expectations and sparks creativity.
Allow students to choose scenes or invent their own examples, then create storyboard cells showing each conflict type. Circulate to offer feedback, ensuring students accurately identify and illustrate the conflicts.
Richard III features several types of literary conflict, including Character vs. Character (e.g., Richard vs. Buckingham), Character vs. Self (Richard’s internal guilt and despair), and Character vs. Society (Richard against the people of England who reject his rule).
To teach literary conflict in Richard III with storyboards, have students select scenes that illustrate conflicts, categorize them (like Character vs. Character), and visually depict each scene with a brief written explanation. Storyboarding helps students analyze and organize conflict types clearly.
An example of character vs. self conflict in Richard III is when Richard is haunted by the ghosts of his victims before battle. He wakes up feeling terrified and guilty, realizing the full weight of his crimes against others and himself.
Understanding literary conflict helps students analyze characters’ motivations and the play’s themes. In Richard III, recognizing conflicts deepens comprehension of the plot, character development, and Shakespeare’s message about power and morality.
A helpful activity is to assign students to create a storyboard showing at least three types of conflict in Richard III, such as Character vs. Character, Character vs. Self, and Character vs. Society, with illustrations and short descriptions for each scene.