Richard II - The Rape of a NationBy bowing to the needs of his subjects, a king allows others to dictate his actions and thus compromises the essence of his power. Paradoxically, ignoring the wishes of his subjects transforms a king into a complacent tyrant and propels his kingdom towards ruin and decadence. Can a sovereign govern his subjects without considering their general well-being? If a king reigns in an inconceivable way, do his subjects have the right to replace him? William Shakespeare's Richard II examines this authoritarian dilemma at length. In particular, John of Gaunt's "other Eden" monologue (2.1.31-68) explores the perilous nature of unfettered autocracy. Gaunt proclaims that King Richard should renounce his crown, because he has figuratively violated "mother" England by exploiting the loyalty of his subjects and demeaning the greatness of "this blessed plot" (2.1.50 ) for his own personal glory. the speech takes place from his deathbed. This context reinforces the resonance of his denunciation of Richard, for as Gaunt says, "Where words are scarce, they are seldom spent in vain / For they breathe truth who breathe their words in pain" (2.1.8- 9). Describing himself as "a newly inspired prophet" (2.1.31), Gaunt realizes that he has the opportunity to speak with immunity, since there is no physical harm that Richard can do to him. Every derogatory truth he states is a deadly arrow aimed directly at Richard's inflated sense of power. The first section of his monologue deals explicitly with identifying the nature of Richard's vices. Gaunt alludes to the character of Richard by employing several brief aphorisms that rely heavily on metaphors of self-destruction. This staccato like ...... middle of paper ...... these same problems not only signified a fundamental change in the concept of autocratic rule in England, but they also paved the way for the development of a socially more equitable. of parliamentary democracy, because once the will of the people is finally recognized, kings are reduced to simple anachronisms. When kings first lay down the sword of justice, they are not kings, although they possess the crown. The titles are shadows, the crowns are empty. things,The good of subjects is the end of kings. --Daniel DefoeWorks cited Defoe, Daniel. The true Englishman born 2.313. Excerpted from Bartlett's Familiar Quotes. 15th ed. Ed. Emily Morrison Beck. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1980, 318. Shakespeare, William. Richard II. The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: WW Norton & Company, 1997, 943-1014.