IGCSE LITERATURE: RICHARD III - SHAKESPEARE
ONE WORD ANSWER TEST 30 MINUTES 50 MARKS
Answer the following questions in the spaces provided below.
1. What fruit does Richard ask for from the garden of the bishop of Ely? ......
2. What animal is Richard constantly associated with in the play? ......
3. What letter of the alphabet is given prominence in the opening scenes? ......
4. Who dreams that Hastings is gored to death by a wild pig? ......
5. Who is reputed to be a witch and associated with curses? ......
6. Whom does Richard ask to spread a rumour? ......
7. To whom/ what does Queen Elizabeth plead for mercy for her children? ......
8. What is Pomfret the name of? ......
9. Who is Queen Elizabeth’s brother? ......
10. Name one of Queen Elizabeth’s two sons......
11. Who curses Richard 111 in the middle of Act 4 Scene iv? ......
12. In Clarence’s dream, how does he die? ......
13. What day is 2 Nov, on which the dead are able to communicate with the living? ......
14. Whom does Richard 111 plan to finally marry to secure his position as king? ......
15. Name the mistress of King Edward IV......
16. "Now is the ...... of our discontent” Fill in the missing word......
17. What does Richard 111 fear more than ten thousand soldiers? ......
18. Who is hired to kill the two princes in the Tower? ......
19. What part of Richard’s body is deformed? ......
20. What is Richmond’s name after he becomes king? ......
21. For what would Richard trade his kingdom for during the final battle? ......
22. Whose son does Richard hold hostage? ......
23. In what century do the events of the play take place? ......
24. To whom does Richard give his sword, asking to be killed? ......
25. The Duke of Clarence is also called? ......
26. What other name is Queen Elizabeth referred to by Richard 111? ......
27. Whose corpse is Anne is walking along with? ......
28. What does Richard give Anne as a mark of their relationship? ......
29. Who is the mother of Edward IV, Clarence and Richard 111? ......
30. Whom does Richard blame for the imprisonment of Clarence? ......
31. Name the widow (former Queen) of King Henry VI......
32. The beheading of which of his allies does Richard order? ......
33. Name one of Clarence’s two children......
34. Who betrays Richard 111 to Richmond eventually? ......
35. Name one of the two killers of Hastings......
36. Who is asked to put out the word that Edward’s children are illegitimate? ......
37. Who kills Richard III? ......
38. Who does Richmond marry? ......
39. Where are the prisoners kept/ executed? ......
40. Name one of the two royal families in the conflicts here......
41. What happens to Anne? ......
42. Who is Richard’s most trusted and relied on adviser? ......
43. Which of Elizabeth’s close relatives flees and survives Richard? ......
44. Who is a gullible/ suggestible fellow whom Richard and Buckingham use? ......
45. Whose messenger pardoning Clarence is intercepted? ......
46. “I am determined to prove a ...... ” Fill in the missing word......
47. What other name is Richard known by earlier in the play? ......
48. Name one person in the play who dies of natural causes......
49. Who breaks the news of Clarence’s execution to the others? ......
50. Who does Richard claim conspired to kill him and Buckingham? ......
IGCSE LITERATURE: RICHARD III - SHAKESPEARE
ONE WORD ANSWER TEST 30 MINUTES 50 MARKS
Answer the following questions in the spaces provided below.
1. What fruit does Richard ask for from the garden of the bishop of Ely? ......
2. What animal is Richard constantly associated with in the play? ......
3. What letter of the alphabet is given prominence in the opening scenes? ......
4. Who dreams that Hastings is gored to death by a wild pig? ......
5. Who is reputed to be a witch and associated with curses? ......
6. Richard asks Catesby to spread a rumour? ......
7. To whom/ what does Queen Elizabeth plead for mercy for her children? ......
8. What is Pomfret the name of? ......
9. Who is Queen Elizabeth’s brother? ......
10. Name one of Queen Elizabeth’s two sons......
11. Who curses Richard 111 in the middle of Act 4 Scene iv? ......
12. In Clarence’s dream, how does he die? ......
13. What day is 2 Nov, on which the dead are able to communicate with the living? ......
14. Whom does Richard 111 plan to finally marry to secure his position as king? ......
15. Name the mistress of King Edward IV......
16. "Now is the ...... of our discontent” Fill in the missing word......
17. What does Richard 111 fear more than ten thousand soldiers? ......
18. Who is hired to kill the two princes in the Tower? ......
19. What part of Richard’s body is deformed? ......
20. What is Richmond’s name after he becomes king? ......
21. For what would Richard trade his kingdom for during the final battle? ......
22. Whose son does Richard hold hostage? ......
23. In what century do the events of the play take place? ......
24. To whom does Richard give his sword, asking to be killed? ......
25. The Duke of Clarence is also called? ......
26. What other name is Queen Elizabeth referred to by Richard 111? ......
27. Whose corpse is Anne is walking along with? ......
28. What does Richard give Anne as a mark of their relationship? ......
29. Who is the mother of Edward IV, Clarence and Richard 111? ......
30. Whom does Richard blame for the imprisonment of Clarence? ......
31. Name the widow (former Queen) of King Henry VI......
32. The beheading of which of his allies does Richard order? ......
33. Name one of Clarence’s two children......
34. Who betrays Richard 111 to Richmond eventually? ......
35. Name one of the two killers of Hastings......
36. Who is asked to put out the word that Edward’s children are illegitimate? ......
37. Who kills Richard III? ......
38. Who does Richmond marry? ......
39. Where are the prisoners kept/ executed? ......
40. Name one of the two royal families in the conflicts here......
41. What happens to Anne? ......
42. Who is Richard’s most trusted and relied on adviser? ......
43. Which of Elizabeth’s close relatives flees and survives Richard? ......
44. Who is a gullible/ suggestible fellow whom Richard and Buckingham use? ......
45. Whose messenger pardoning Clarence is intercepted? ......
46. “I am determined to prove a ...... ” Fill in the missing word......
47. What other name is Richard known by earlier in the play? ......
48. Name one person in the play who dies of natural causes......
49. Who breaks the news of Clarence’s execution to the others? ......
50. Who does Richard claim conspired to kill him and Buckingham? ......
Frequently Asked Questions
We frequently receive emails that relate to various areas of Richard III, and the Foundation. We, therefore, have taken the most commonly and frequently asked questions and provided the answers. We will continue to update the list as the questions arise. Keep it coming! Your feedback is much appreciated. You can send your question to .
A.) What was the Wars of the Roses?
The Wars of the Roses was fought between the years of 1455 to 1487 between the House of York and Lancaster. The name is derived from the badges utilized by the two sides: The red rose signifying the House of Lancaster, and the white rose signified the House of York. The conflict arose from the following points:
B.) Who were the Lancastrians?
The Lancastarian claim to the throne was via Edward III's third son John of Gaunt. In October 1460, an Act of Accord designated that the royal succession would move to the house of York after Henry VI's death
The Act of Accord was passed by the English parliament in October 1460 and drew up a new order of succession to King Henry VI of England. Henry "should enjoy the throne of England for as long as he should live", after which the throne would pass to Richard, Duke of York and his descendants, thus by-passing Prince Edward of Westminster, Henry's own heir.
C.) Who were the Yorkists?
Both the house of York and the house of Lancaster were descended from Edward III. Richard, duke of York, had a dual claim to the throne, one through his mother and one through his father. Richard believed his royal lineage was stronger than any person of the Lancastrian line and thus he (and his family) deserved to inherit the crown. Finally, in October 1460 it was agreed that after Henry VI's death the succession of the throne would transfer to Richard and his sons. This effectively disinherited Henry's young son Edward. Richard of York didn't present his claim to the throne until after many years of misrule by Henry VI and his favorites; and the apparent rejection by them of reform?
D.) Who were the Plantagenets?
The Plantagenet period was dominated by three major conflicts at home and abroad.
Edward I attempted to create a British empire dominated by England, conquering Wales and pronouncing his eldest son Prince of Wales, and then attacking Scotland. Scotland was to remain elusive and retain its independence until late in the reign of the Stuart kings.
In the reign of Edward III the Hundred Years War began, a struggle between England and France. At the end of the Plantagenet period, the reign of Richard II saw the beginning of the long period of civil feuding known as the War of the Roses. For the next century, the crown would be disputed by two conflicting family strands, the Lancastrians and the Yorkists.
The period also saw the development of new social institutions and a distinctive English culture. Parliament emerged and grew, while the judicial reforms begun in the reign of Henry II were continued and completed by Edward I.
Culture began to flourish. Three Plantagenet kings were patrons of Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English poetry. During the early part of the period, the architectural style of the Normans gave way to the Gothic, with surviving examples including Salisbury Cathedral. Westminster Abbey was rebuilt and the majority of English cathedrals remodelled. Franciscan and Dominican orders began to be established in England, while the universities of Oxford and Cambridge had their origins in this period.
Amidst the order of learning and art, however, were disturbing new phenomena. The outbreak of Bubonic plague or the 'Black Death' served to undermine military campaigns and cause huge social turbulence, killing half the country's population.
The price rises and labor shortage which resulted led to social unrest, culminating in the Peasants' Revolt in 1381.
E.) Who were the Tudors?
The five sovereigns of the Tudor dynasty are among the most well-known figures in Royal history. Of Welsh origin, Henry VII succeeded in ending the Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York to found the highly successful Tudor house. Henry VII, his son Henry VIII and his three children Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I ruled for 118 eventful years.
During this period, England developed into one of the leading European colonial powers, with men such as Sir Walter Raleigh taking part in the conquest of the New World. Nearer to home, campaigns in Ireland brought the country under strict English control.
Culturally and socially, the Tudor period saw many changes. The Tudor court played a prominent part in the cultural Renaissance taking place in Europe, nurturing all-round individuals such as William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser and Cardinal Wolsey.
The Tudor period also saw the turbulence of two changes of official religion, resulting in the martyrdom of many innocent believers of both Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. The fear of Roman Catholicism induced by the Reformation was to last for several centuries and to play an influential role in the history of the Succession.
1.) Who was Richard III?
Richard Plantagenet, known as Richard of Gloucester and subsequently Richard III, was born at Fotheringhay Castle on 2nd October, 1452. He was the youngest son and the eleventh of twelve children born to Richard, Duke of York and Cecily Neville.
Richard's mother, Cecily Neville, also known as the "Rose of Raby" because of her beauty, was the youngest of twenty two children born to Ralph Neville, earl of Westmoreland. Cecilly and her future husband, Richard, duke of York, grew up in her father's household when Richard's wardship was bestowed upon the earl after the execution of Richard's father, the earl of Cambridge.
Richard appears to have resembled his father, being of medium height with dark hair while his taller and fairer brothers, Edward and George, resembled the Nevilles.
No authentic record exists regarding the birth of Richard III other than the date and place where it occurred. No reference was ever made to him being in any way deformed during his lifetime and little is known of his early childhood except that at the age of seven, Richard, his mother, brother George and sister Margaret were captured at Ludlow by the Lancastrians.
2.) Was Richard III a good king?
With the untimely death of his brother, Edward IV in 1483, he was petitioned by the Lords and Commons of Parliament to accept the kingship of England. On July 6 1483, Richard III was crowned. His first and only Parliament was held during January and February of 1484. He passed the most enlightened laws on record for the Fifteenth Century. He set up a council of advisors that diplomatically included Lancastrian supporters, administered justice for the poor as well as the rich, established a series of posting stations for royal messengers between the North and London. He fostered the importation of books, commanded laws be written in English instead of Latin so the common people could understand their own laws. He outlawed benevolences, started the system of bail and stopped the intimidation of juries.
During his royal progress of 1483, Richard refused great gifts of cash from various cities saying he would rather have their goodwill than their money. Bishop Thomas Langton said: "He contents the people where he goes best that ever did prince, for many a poor man hath suffered wrong many days, hath been relieved and helped by him, and his commands on his progress. And in many great cities and towns were great sums of money given to him, which he hath refused. On my troth, I never liked the conditions of any prince so well as his. God hath sent him to us for the weal of us all."
3.) What were Richard III's major accomplishments during his life?