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"Henry VI Part 3" is one of Shakespeare's most historical plays. It povides a fascinating look, if rather biased, into the War of the Roses. In particular Edward IV and Richard (before he becomes king) are depicted in negative terms. Richard in particular is depicted as vilinous. This of course was necessary as Tudor legitimacy was based on painting Richard as an illegitimate ruler. Shakespeare writing during Tudor times had no alternative but to take the Tudor line.
Part 3 begins with a quarrel in London. York is already seated on the throne
in Parliament (though not officially crowned) when Henry arrives with weak
forces and begs to be allowed to wear the crown during his lifetime, agreeing
to make York his heir.
Queen Margaret, who has now become the dominant force
in the marriage, is disgusted by her husband's weakness and disinheriting of
their princeling son; she vows to raise and lead an army against the
usurpers. From this point onward Margaret becomes a military figure--a fierce
warrior wearing armor who contrasts with her pacific and weakly submissive
husband. The battle of Wakefield follows in which Margaret is victorious.
York is captured and cruelly tortured and slain, his head being set up over
the gates of the city of York after having been mockingly crowned with a paper
crown.
The York cause is now taken up by the sons of the dead York (Edward
and Richard--the future Edward IV and Richard III). At the battle of Towton,
the King is driven from the battle by his wife because of his ineffectiveness
in battle and gives a long pastoral soliloquy on the virtues of sheep-keeping
as opposed to the bloodiness of warfare. But Margaret's forces are defeated,
and Edward of York is declared King Edward IV. Meanwhile Henry VI, deposed
from his throne, hides in Scotland, where he is recognized by a gamekeeper,
taken prisoner, and sent to London as a prisoner in the Tower. The rest of the play is concerned with the ascendancy of the Yorkists--Edward
IV and his evil brother "Crookback Dick" (the crippled Duke of Gloucester, who
ultimately becomes Richard III).
King Edward, who is characterized as
lustful, marries unadvisedly the widow Elizbeth Grey, breaking his engagement,
carefully arranged by Warwick, to the Lady Bona, sister-in-law to the French
king (Louis XI). This disastrous mistake turns the powerful Warwick against
his master, King Edward, and Warwick now allies himself in revenge with Queen
Margaret who is trying to have her husband, Henry VI, reinstated as king.
Edward's brothers, Clarence and Richard, fall out with each other. Clarence
joins Warwick and Margaret in support of Henry VI. Richard ("Crookback") continues to support his brother King Edward, but only because he is secretly ambitious to wear the crown himself as Richard III. The invading force (Warwick, Margaret, Clarence and the Lancastrians) finally wrest the crown from Edward and release Henry VI from the Tower, but the passive King Henry resigns his government to Warwick and Clarence and plans to live a simple life in retirement. Edward IV, however, escapes from his captors, makes his way to
Burgundy to raise his own army, recovers his own estates in York, and marches
upon London. Henry VI once more is thrown into the Tower. Edward resumes the
crown and sets out to engage Warwick in battle. At the battle the vacillating
Clarence has second thoughts and changes sides, reverting back again to the
support of his brother, King Edward. Warwick is slain. Margaret, bringing
reinforcements from France, is met in battle at Tekesbury, defeated, and taken
prisoner. Prince Edward, Henry VI's son, is brutally stabbed by the three
brothers (Edward IV, Richard of Gloucester, and Clarence). Henry VI is
murdered in the Tower by Richard. In the final scene Edward IV and his queen
(Elizabeth), bearing their newborn son, Prince Edward (the future Edward V),
are newly crowned, and Margaret of Anjou, Henry VI's widowed queen, returns to
France, ransomed by her father.
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