Human Nature Lfr & Kriii

Human nature is the concept of where there are certain notable characteristics that we as humans all share in common such as the way we act, think and feel. These characteristics are inherited as perceived through the exploration of the two texts that we have studied, Shakespeare's play, 'King Richard the third' and Al Pacino's docudrama Looking for Richard as they both depict a range of similar aspects of human nature such as ambition and conscience, regardless of their differing contexts. The two texts explicitly linked by the historical events of England exhibit how these aspects can become destructive upon oneself, through a wide range of dramatic and cinematic techniques. These broaden the concept and understanding of human nature for the audience compared to one.

The Elizabethan context of the Shakespeare's play demonstrates the values at the time and how conscience is portrayed through them which enable the audience to understand better. Shakespeare's context presents the concerns and fear of god's vengeance and superstition which enables the audience of the Elizabethan Era to bond to the play easily.   This fear is demonstrated in the scene of the ghost apparitions, who have come to curse Richard and bless Richmond. The repetition of 'Despair and therefore die' proclaimed by Richard's victims highlight god's wrath upon him. This underscores his mental and emotional torment showing how his mind is slowly corrupting, as he becomes conscious of his sins.
'I am so far in blood that sin will pluck on sin'
From this point Richard cannot deny his conscience any longer and this leads him to lose control.
Shakespeare also explores the idea of conscience by creating the central character, Richard to be physically deformed. At the beginning soliloquy Richard states that he is 'Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time'. This allows us to comprehend that he is very aware of his distortion, although the tone he uses is very ironic and he himself denies of...