Richard's Marriage and Sexuality
Julia Snider
It is unclear which of Richard's wives is portrayed in the play because she is referred to only as the queen. Though his first wife, Anne of Bohemia, had died by the time the play is set, it is possible that the character of the queen is based upon her. Richard was married to his second wife, Isabella of Valois, when she was only six years old. Though she was his queen at the time the events in the play occurred, she would only have been ten years old and it’s difficult to imagine that Shakespeare used her as a model for the character of the queen. It’s likely that he based the character upon Anne, considering that they are described in the source texts as having the loving marriage that is presented in the play.
Neither of Richard’s marriages produced any children. The importance of having a child (or many children) to serve as a legitimate heir is essential for a monarch to ensure their family's right to the throne. Richard may have still been a young king when he was deposed, but the fact they he had produced no children is still concerning. The queen indirectly calls attention to this matter in Act two scene two when she is speaking of her sorrow for being separated from the king:
Neither of Richard’s marriages produced any children. The importance of having a child (or many children) to serve as a legitimate heir is essential for a monarch to ensure their family's right to the throne. Richard may have still been a young king when he was deposed, but the fact they he had produced no children is still concerning. The queen indirectly calls attention to this matter in Act two scene two when she is speaking of her sorrow for being separated from the king:
Yet again, methinks,
Some unborn sorrow, ripe in Fortune's womb,
Is coming towards me, and my inward soul
With nothing trembles. At something it grieves
More than with parting from my lord the King. (II.ii.9-13)
Though she is not speaking directly of her lack of children, she is alluding to the King's deposition using terminology that evokes thoughts of reproduction, such as "Fortune's womb," "unborn sorrow" and "nothing trembles." Through mixing a sense of hopelessness with indirect thoughts of childbirth, the queen speaks about the state of England's monarchy at large. This topic would have been on the mind of Shakespeare’s audience as well. Queen Elizabeth was nearing the end of life and had neither produced a legitimate heir nor named a successor. Read more about this connection here .
Rumors concerning Richard’s sexuality may have arose shortly after his death. Chronicler Thomas Walsingham (not to be mistaken with Sir Thomas Walsingham, courtier to Queen Elizabeth) was the first to question Richard’s sexuality in print. He suggests a homosexual relationship between the king and one of his favorite courtiers, Robert de Vere (Saul, 437). This rumor was likely sparked by a general disapproval of de Vere as a close advisor to the king at the time, and must therefore be taken with a grain of salt.
There is some textual evidence in the play that Shakespeare may have been aware of these rumors and played upon Richard’s sexuality. In Act Three, Scene 1, Bolingbroke has Bushy and Green brought forth and accuses them of having misled the king and causing Bolingbroke to be banished. Though he is accusing them of being poor advisors to the king, he uses imagery that suggests a sexual relationship: "You have in manner with your sinful hours Broke the possession of a royal bed, And stained the beauty of a fair queen’s cheeks / With tears, drawn from her eyes by your foul wrongs" (III.i.11-15). I have found no textual evidence that suggests a sexual relationship between the king, Bushy, and Green, but it’s likely that Shakespeare uses this imagery to remind the audience that Richard’s sexuality has been in question for a long time.
Rumors concerning Richard’s sexuality may have arose shortly after his death. Chronicler Thomas Walsingham (not to be mistaken with Sir Thomas Walsingham, courtier to Queen Elizabeth) was the first to question Richard’s sexuality in print. He suggests a homosexual relationship between the king and one of his favorite courtiers, Robert de Vere (Saul, 437). This rumor was likely sparked by a general disapproval of de Vere as a close advisor to the king at the time, and must therefore be taken with a grain of salt.
There is some textual evidence in the play that Shakespeare may have been aware of these rumors and played upon Richard’s sexuality. In Act Three, Scene 1, Bolingbroke has Bushy and Green brought forth and accuses them of having misled the king and causing Bolingbroke to be banished. Though he is accusing them of being poor advisors to the king, he uses imagery that suggests a sexual relationship: "You have in manner with your sinful hours Broke the possession of a royal bed, And stained the beauty of a fair queen’s cheeks / With tears, drawn from her eyes by your foul wrongs" (III.i.11-15). I have found no textual evidence that suggests a sexual relationship between the king, Bushy, and Green, but it’s likely that Shakespeare uses this imagery to remind the audience that Richard’s sexuality has been in question for a long time.