Revenge Henry VI, Part 3

h.c. selous illustration of death of york in act 1, scene 4; plays of william shakespeare: historical plays, edited charles cowden clarke , mary cowden clarke (1830)

of characters advocate revenge however, clifford far passionate. obsession revenge death of father takes root before play begins, in penultimate scene of 2 henry vi;

wast thou ordained, dear father,

to lose thy youth in peace, , achieve

the silver livery of advis d age,

and in thy reverence , thy chair-days, thus

to die in ruffian battle? @ sight

my heart turned stone; , while tis mine

it shall stony. york not our old men spares;

no more babes. tears virginal

shall me dew fire,

and beauty tyrant oft reclaims

shall flaming wrath oil , flax.

henceforth not have pity.

meet infant of house of york,

into many gobbets cut it

as wild medea young absyrtus did.

in cruelty seek out fame.

(5.2.45-60)

early in 3 henry vi, clifford makes clear nothing has changed in desire revenge father s death. when warwick mentions father, clifford responds urge no more, lest instead of words,/i send thee, warwick, such messenger/as shall revenge death before stir (1.1.99–101). later, refusing bow york, clifford exclaims may ground gape , swallow me alive/where shall kneel him slew father (1.1.162–163). murder of rutland particularly important in terms of clifford s pursuit of vengeance, scene punctuated debate limits , moral implications of exacting revenge on did no wrong in first place;

rutland

sweet clifford, hear me speak before die:

i mean subject thy wrath;

be thou revenged on men, , let me live.



clifford

in vain thou speak st, poor boy: father s blood

hath stopped passage thy words should enter.



rutland

then let father s blood open again:

he man, , clifford cope him.



clifford

had thy brethren here, lives , thine

were not revenge sufficient me:

no, if digged thy forefathers graves

and hung rotten coffins in chains,

it not slake mine ire, nor ease heart.

the sight of of house of york

is fury torment soul,

and till root out accurs d line

and leave not 1 alive, live in hell.

therefore -

robert ker porter illustration of murder of rutland in act 1, scene 3; engraved cranston (1800)

he lifts hand.



rutland

o let me pray, before take death!

to thee pray; sweet clifford pity me.



clifford

such pity rapier s point affords.



rutland

i never did thee harm, why wilt thou slay me?



clifford

thy father hath.



rutland

but twas ere born.

thou hast 1 son: sake pity me,

least in revenge thereof, sith god just,

he miserably slain i.

ah, let me live in prison days,

and when give occasion of offence,

then let me die, thou hast no cause.



clifford

no cause? thy father slew father: therefore die.



he stabs him.



rutland

dii faciant laudis summa sit ista tuæ.



clifford

plantagenet, come plantagenet,

and thy son s blood cleaving blade

shall rust upon weapon, till thy blood

congealed this, make me wipe off both.

(1.3.19-52)

clifford subverts notions of morality , chivalry in dogged pursuit of revenge, determined visit onto house of york same type of suffering delivered onto him death of father. culminates during torture of york in act 1, scene 4. moments after capturing york, clifford wants execute him immediately, prevented doing margaret, wishes talk to, , taunt, york prior killing him. when margaret tells york die soon, clifford points out, office, father s sake (l.109). clifford remains relatively silent throughout of scene, speaking prior stabbing of york, , again, citing revenge foremost in mind; here s oath, here s father s death (l.175).

however, death of father s killer, clifford seems remain obsessed revenge. during single combat richard @ battle of towton, clifford attempts evoke desire revenge in richard pointing out how killed 2 members of richard s family;

now richard, here thee alone,

this hand stabbed thy father york

and hand slew thy brother rutland,

and here s heart triumphs in death

and cheers these hands slew thy sire , brother

to execute upon thyself;

and have @ thee.

(2.4.5-11)

even @ point of own death, clifford cannot let go of revenge, transferring own obsession onto enemies, , assuming in death, have measure of revenge yearns for; come york , richard, warwick , rest,/i stabbed father s bosom, split breast (2.6.28–29).