# Scene II explained — Richard III

> Chapter companion for Richard III by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

Richmond rallies his troops near Tamworth, encouraging them to march against the usurping King Richard III, with support from his allies Oxford, Herbert, and Blunt.

## Themes in this chapter

### Tyranny and Legitimacy

Richmond frames Richard as a usurping tyrant, justifying his own claim to the throne.

### Conscience and Guilt

Oxford declares that conscience will fight against the 'bloody homicide,' highlighting moral opposition to Richard.

## Character check-ins

### Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond

Leads the rebel army, delivers a rousing speech against tyranny.

### Earl of Oxford

Supports Richmond, speaks of conscience as a weapon.

### Captain Blunt

Observes that Richard's friends are only loyal out of fear.

### Sir Walter Herbert

Expresses confidence that Richard's allies will defect.

## Key lines

> The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar, That spoil’d your summer fields and fruitful vines, Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough In your embowell’d bosoms

The miserable, murderous, and illegitimate pig that ruined your crops and drinks your blood like slop, feeding on your innards.

_Richmond dehumanizes Richard as a boar, emphasizing his tyranny and brutality._

> Every man’s conscience is a thousand swords, To fight against that bloody homicide.

Each person's moral sense is as powerful as a thousand weapons in opposing that murderer.

_Oxford invokes conscience as a unifying force against Richard._

> True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings; Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.

Genuine hope moves quickly like a swallow; it elevates kings to gods and commoners to kings.

_Richmond inspires his troops with the transformative power of hope._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/richard_iii_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/richard_iii_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/richard_iii_se/chapters