Textual conversations reveal that composers are responding to the values of their time: A comparison of Richard III and Looking for Richard Rebecca Cordeaux Bell 12th Grade

The resonances and dissonances between Shakespeare Richard III and Al Pacino’s Looking For Richard reveal that composers are responding to the contextual influences of their time. Shakespeare’s Richard III is heavily influenced by the value legitimizing the Tudor monarchy which is evident as the Portrayal of Richard mirrors the Vice character, derived from morality plays. In contrast, Pacino’s Looking for Richard is centralized around the post-modern validity of American lower class and actor opinions relating to Shakespeare, represented through academia depicted in a disparaging manner and juxtaposition enticing the audience with an attractive portrayal of method acting. In Richard III, it is evident that the power of theatre and rhetoric is valued in the play, with Richards archetypal villainous and manipulative character demonstrated through dramatic, performative conventions and the power of verbal language, resonant with Elizabethan playwright. However, dissonant to Shakespeare, Pacino’s Doco-drama reflect the contemporary value placed on film which is evident as Pacino relies on less on verbal communication but rather cinematic language and the power it holds.

In Shakespeare’s Richard III, Richard mirrors the ‘Vice’...