analyse the presentation of william shakespeare in richard the third in act 1 : scene 1

Richard's opening soliloquy frames much of the play, and reveals a great deal about the personality of Richard's character. The opening remarks are very logical in their progression: because Richard is deformed, he cannot be loved; because he cannot be loved, he must be a villain; because he must be a villain, he will strive for the throne. This logical progression is of course anything but logical. Rather, it hides the fact that for Richard, the deformity is merely an excuse to play the machiavel, a role which he enjoys.

The first act also brings in the imagery of mirrors and shadows, both of which are used extensively throughout the play to describe Richard. The comparison of Richard to a shadow is often used in relation to the sun. The sun is the symbol of the King, and therefore many allusions are to the fact that Richard is slowly overshadowing the throne.

Source(s): http://www.gradesaver.com/richard-iii/study-guide/section1/