In Richard II, the divine right to rule is a controversial issue. In every Shakespeare play, kings are likely to make certain mistakes that arise from divine rule or from flouting it and seizing power for themselves. For example, Richard II believed throughout his life that his kingship was a gift from God and that his actions were an extension of God's will. Believing that everything he does is an act of the lord, he distances himself from his subjects and ends up losing his throne to Henry, who does not have the lord's authorization, but is more politically engaged than Richard. This creates a question that propagates through many of the historical plays written by Shakespeare; is it the right or the divine power that allows us to govern? This struggle leads to a myriad of problems throughout Richard II and contributes greatly to these representative works of some of England's famous rulers. Shakespeare begins with King Richard in the play Richard II who, having been born into the royal line and following the laws of succession, was raised to believe that he has the right to rule, g...