The Boar
The boar is an important symbol in the play, as it comes to stand in for Richard himself. The boar is Richard's heraldic symbol, and he is frequently compared to the animal by other characters throughout the play. In medieval England (where the play is set), the boar was considered one of the most dangerous animals to hunt. Thus, Richard's heraldic symbol is also a symbol of the danger he poses to other characters in the play.
Richard's Deformity
While most performances of Richard III take Richard's hunchback literally, there is still an argument to be made that his deformity also operates on a figurative level. After all, in early modern drama, physical ugliness often denoted foul intentions, while angelic-looking characters were morally righteous. Richard's deformity is also what spurs his decision to become a villain, suggesting that his outward appearance dictates his descent into malice.
Curses
One of the ways that the female characters intervene in the male-dominated sphere of English politics is through the motif of Queen Margaret's fateful cursing of Richard. Throughout the play, she "curses" the new king and asks for his death with such fervency that her curses transform into types of prophecies. King Richard's III's demise eventually happens on the battlefield against Richmond, fulfilling many of the wishes that Queen Margaret included in her various curses against him.
The Tower
In the play, the Tower of London is where Richard sends Prince Edward and Prince Richard to stay before Prince Edward's coronation. However, Richard plans to murder the two princes once he assumes the crown for himself. The Tower of London was already a functioning symbol in early modern England, as it was the place where enemies of the crown were frequently imprisoned. That Richard decides to send the young princes to the Tower suggests, even before audiences are aware of his plan, that they will not fare well in their encounters with their uncle.
Ghosts
The supernatural plays a significant role in many of Shakespeare's tragedies and histories, and Richard III is no exception. Ghosts are a significant motif in the play, most notably when they appear the evening before the battle between Richard and Richmond: Richard dreams that he sees the ghosts of all the people he has murdered, and each ghost condemns him to death. As was typical in early modern English theater, ghosts are usually harbingers of bad news and ill fate. Indeed, the ghosts that appear to Richard in his dream ultimately foreshadow his demise on the battlefield and the birth of the Tudor dynasty.
