We rely on your support to help us keep producing beautiful, free, and unrestricted editions of literature for the digital age. Will you support our efforts with a donation ? Against the advice of his counselors, Richard II has been taking money from England's coffers and spending it on fashion and close friends. In order to continue his wasteful spending, he raises taxes on the commoners and leases portions of English land to wealthy noblemen. He also sees an opportunity to seize more land and money after hearing news of John of Gaunt's failing health. King Richard arrives at Windsor Castle to settle a dispute between Henry Bolingbroke, the Duke of Hereford and son of John of Gaunt, and Thomas Mowbray, the Duke of Norfolk. Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray of numerous counts of treason: embezzling funds for Richard's soldiers, conspiring against the king for the past eighteen years, and murdering the Duke of Gloucester. Mowbray denies these charges and claims to have repented for any wrongs he has caused in the past. John of Gaunt tries to convince the two to reconcile, but his attempts fall on deaf ears. Richard determines that a trial by combat will settle the matter.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) var engelsk digter og dramatiker.
Da han ikke var så kendt i sin samtid, ved man ikke meget om hans opvækst. Han fødtes og døde i byen Stratford-upon-Avon og var gift med den 8 år ældre Anne Hathaway med hvem han havde tre børn. Han ernærede sig først som skuespiller, siden som manuskriptforfatter og instruktør, og var ved sin død en velhavende mand.
Shakespeare er en af de helt store skikkelser i litteraturhistorien, og hans teaterstykker er verdensberømte. Hans popularitet skyldes især hans forståelse for den menneskelige psyke, som ses i de nuancerede personportrætter, og hans evne til at skrive i flere genrer - og blande dem sammen.
Læs mere om William Shakespeare hos Den Store Danske.
