Contrasts of Conscience: Richard and Buckingham as Two of a Kind Max Hanover 12th Grade

Buckingham largely acts as a foil to Richard of Gloucester throughout much of Richard III. Both hubristic in their own ways, the pair are clearly two of a kind when it comes to their mastery of rhetoric and persuasion, having little difficulty in manipulating their way to the throne, or rather Richard’s way to the throne. Whilst Kevin Spacey argued that Richard III 'is a play about a man who doesn't have a conscience and grows a conscience', it is debatable as to whether Richard does actually develop any sense of guilt. By contrast, Buckingham does show some transition from his greed to a desire to repent in the face of ultimate doom.

Both Richard and Buckingham are obviously cunning and manipulative, employing vast rhetoric and persuasive strategy as a means to achieve their aims. Bloom argues that Richard is “a master of persuasive language” and this can be seen in Richard’s apparent seduction of Anne, in which even he marvels at his own powers of persuasion: “Was ever woman in this humour wooed?”. Whilst some, such as Nuttall, have criticised the implausibility of Richard’s silver tongue having success in this instance, Richard’s manipulative abilities are undeniable throughout the narrative. At the same time, Buckingham’s...