Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify themes and symbols from the novel, and support their choices with details from the text.
Richard’s ambition to become king leads him to kill many people, and to be cursed by both Queen Margaret and his own mother, the Duchess of York. By the end of the play, he has virtually no allies left. His greed and lust for power lead him to murder two innocent young boys, his own brother, and his wife. However, this ambition does lead to his total ruin, prophesied by the ghosts of the souls he murdered in cold blood. The play highlights the evil that accompanies the quest for absolute power.
Richard can’t simply get by on his looks: he is ugly, deformed, and ill-made. He gets by on his words. His oratory skills allow him to win over Lady Anne, whose husband he had just murdered; he is also able to sway the Lord Mayor of London to believe that he is a reluctant (and pious) candidate for the crown. Much of Richard’s accomplishments in the play come from his pure ability to manipulate those around him, through betrayal and deceit.
At the beginning of the play, Richard tells the audience that because he is so ill-made, he has decided to become a villain in order to accomplish his goals. This would suggest that Richard has made a conscious choice to be evil; however, many people were thought at this time to be defined by their physiognomy. Because Richard was born deformed, this would suggest that he was born evil, and that it was not a choice.
Like many Shakespearean plays, this one also highlights the question of fate vs. free will. Because of Richard’s choices, it seems inevitable that everything will come crashing down on him eventually. However, he hires a soothsayer at the beginning to pit Edward against Clarence, saying that “G” will murder Edward’s children. The “G” seems to come to fruition when Richard, Duke of Gloucester, does indeed murder Edward’s children. In addition, Queen Margaret’s curses and the ghosts of Richard’s victims seem to indicate that fate is coming for Richard, even when he expresses some horror at the fact that he has committed so many murders.
Richard’s royal symbol is a boar, which Lord Stanley sees in a dream and subsequently begins to fear for his and Hastings’ safety from Richard (and rightly so). A boar is also an animal that can only be killed by a nobleman; this foreshadows Richard’s death at the hands of Richmond. Richard is also referred to as a spider, a toad, and a hedgehog. These ugly animals accentuate Richard’s deformities and appearance.
Richard’s deformities indicate an inner evil to his soul. He has a hunchback, his arm is withered (which he later attributes to witchcraft from Queen Elizabeth and Lady Shore, giving him a reason to kill Hastings), his face is ugly, and he was born prematurely. Shakespeare makes a point to focus on Richard’s physical defects to show the audience that yes, indeed, his defects run much more deeply: only someone this ugly could commit such horrible acts.
Richard uses a false prophecy to manipulate Edward into imprisoning Clarence; but this prophecy actually does highlight Richard’s plan to murder the two young princes, even if he does not know it yet. Queen Margaret’s curses come true: Edward IV and his son die; Queen Elizabeth lives to see it all happen; and she wishes that Richard never be able to trust his allies, and that he be tormented by nightmares. Clarence has a dream that Richard throws him overboard; Stanley has a dream that “the boar” will kill him and Hastings. The ghosts of Richard’s victims curse Richard and bring hope and high spirits to Richmond. All of these elements work together and to highlight fate’s role in driving the battle to the throne.
Richard’s request that the two princes be murdered seems to be the ultimate evil in many ways. First, it gives Buckingham pause, and essentially drives a wedge between his and Richard’s alliance. At the same time, if the audience had any sort of sympathy for Richard before this, it is the breaking point for sympathy. The two boys are young and innocent, and to kill children is the ultimate sin in most people’s eyes. This plan is quickly followed up by the announcement that Richard will also kill poor Queen Anne and marry his own niece. This is the beginning of the end for Richard’s quest for power.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes in The Tragedy of Richard III. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
Involve students in exploring the motivations, actions, and consequences of key characters in Richard III to deepen understanding of the play’s themes and symbols. Character analysis helps students connect personally with the text and encourages critical thinking.
Distribute character roles like Richard, Queen Margaret, Buckingham, or Lady Anne to individuals or small groups. Focusing on one character allows students to look closely at motivations, choices, and relationships throughout the play.
Encourage students to find quotes and specific actions that reveal their character’s personality, ambitions, and role in the story. Textual evidence supports their analysis and helps them practice close reading skills.
Lead a class or group conversation that links each character’s actions to major themes like ambition, manipulation, or fate vs. free will. Making these connections reinforces understanding and gives students a real-world reason to analyze literature.
Invite students to share their findings using a storyboard, skit, poster, or digital presentation. Creative presentations boost engagement and give students ownership over their learning.
Richard III explores themes like ambition and the corrupting nature of power, manipulation, the debate between fate and free will, and the origins of evil. These themes are shown through Richard’s actions, his rise and fall, and the consequences of his ruthless quest for the throne.
Shakespeare uses animal imagery (like boars, spiders, and toads), Richard’s physical deformities, and supernatural elements (prophecies, ghosts, curses, dreams) as recurring motifs and symbols to emphasize Richard’s evil nature and the play’s central themes.
Animal imagery helps characterize Richard as dangerous and unnatural. He is called a boar, spider, and hedgehog—symbols that highlight his physical and moral deformity, and foreshadow his violent downfall.
The play raises the question of fate versus free will by showing how Richard’s choices drive his destiny, while curses, prophecies, and ghosts suggest that fate is also guiding events toward his ruin.
Students can see that unchecked ambition and the pursuit of power at any cost can lead to betrayal, isolation, and destruction. Richard’s story is a warning about the dangers of sacrificing morality for personal gain.