Love and Marriage an Affliction or an Alliance Deceit...

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance period marriage and love were idealized, divine and celebrated. Weddings were large events that included the entire families of both the groom and the bride. Reality was different; women were viewed as being fickle, inferior to men and a possession of men. Women had very little, if any, choice in who they would marry. Marriages were arranged so that both families would benefit in gaining wealth or power. Even though the ruler of England for over 4 decades was female, women were still not respected. Women were kept at home and not allowed to take place in public events. In Shakespeare’s Richard III, male and female relationships are displayed as deeply cynical and are based on lies, lust and political†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"At young Elizabeth, my brother’s daughter / And by that knot looks proudly on the crown / To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer (4.3.41-43)†. Queen Elizabeth, recently losing both her sons to Ri chard’s wickedness, protects her daughter by saying, â€Å"And I’ll corrupt her manners, stain her beauty / Slander myself false to Edward’s bed (4.4.207-208)†. Richard, in a stichomythic conversation with Queen Elizabeth, uses sexual references towards young Elizabeth. â€Å"If I have killed the issue of your womb / To quicken your incense I will beget / Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter (4.4.300-302)†. Richard plans to seduce young Elizabeth after defeating Buckingham, â€Å"The petty, dull-brained Buckingham / Bound with triumphant garlands will I come / And lead thy daughter to a conqueror’s bed (4.4.336-338)†. Richard now uses lust as a tool to secure his place as king. Third, the relationship seen at the end of the play between Princess Elizabeth and Richmond illustrates an example of one based on political gain. Both being from opposing sides, Elizabeth, of York and Richmond, of Lancaster may just be getting married t o create a bond between the two, as they have never met. As Richmond said, â€Å"We will unite the white rose and the red / Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction (5.5.19-20)†. To protect her daughter from Richard, Queen Elizabeth sent a proposal to Richmond through Stanley’s letter. â€Å"Withal say that the queen hath heartily consented /