King Richard II

The waning of the middle ages is exemplified in this history by the fall from power of King Richard II, whose medieval love for pomp and splendor is juxtaposed with Henry Bolingbroke's more modern-minded practicality. The plot unfolds when Bolingbroke and Mowbray resort to a duel after Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray of treason. King Richard II steps in before blood is shed, banishing both men from the kingdom. When Bolingbroke's father, Gaunt, dies in despair at the loss of his son, Richard II exploits the situation by illegally seizing his wealth to fund a military campaign in Ireland. The aristocrats' shock at this lawlessness, aimed at their own pockets, precipitates the deposition of King Richard by Henry Bolingbroke--who becomes Henry IV. The play was published in 1597, and probably written in 1595.