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King Richard II

Chapter 1: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND
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About This Book

A ruling monarch’s disputes with leading nobles escalate from formal accusations and legal challenges into exile, the armed return of a rival claimant, and ultimately forced abdication and confinement. The action moves between courts, councils, and camps as loyalties shift, trials of honor are staged, and political maneuvering replaces ceremonial authority. The play examines sovereignty and legitimacy, the power of language and ritual to create or erode royal status, and the personal consequences for those whose identities and honours hinge on public recognition.

The Project Gutenberg eBook of King Richard II

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Title: King Richard II

Author: William Shakespeare

Release date: October 1, 1998 [eBook #1512]
Most recently updated: September 18, 2025

Language: English

Credits: the PG Shakespeare Team, a team of about twenty Project Gutenberg volunteers

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING RICHARD II ***

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND

by William Shakespeare