Richard Iii-William Hastings Character Analysis

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Lord William Hastings A lord who maintains his integrity, remaining loyal to the family of King Edward IV. Hastings winds up dead for making the mistake of trusting Richard. The chamberlain to Edward IV and loyal adherent of the Yorkist cause is also among those deluded by Richard. Because he was a victim of the machinations of the Woodvilles, he understandably first sided with Gloucester, whose protestations of innocence he accepted readily. Hastings long remains supremely confident, blithely ignoring portents of catastrophe. No one could have been more surprised than he when Richard ordered that he be seized and put to death. The one debit in his account is that he exults when he learns that members of the queen's faction have been executed. To that extent, he invites his own downfall. But as a devoted Yorkist, he also shares in the doom of that noble house. Character traits: Yorkist: HASTINGS O, 'twas the foulest deed to slay that babe (Rutland), And the most merciless that e'er was heard of! RIVERS And so in me; and so, I think, in all: Yet, since it is but green, it should be put To no apparent likelihood of breach, Which haply by much company might be urged: Therefore I say with noble Buckingham, That it is meet so few should fetch the prince. HASTINGS And so say I. CATESBY He for his father's sake so loves the prince, That he will not be won to aught against him. Gullible (Dramatic Irony): GLOUCESTER No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too; For they that were your enemies are his, And have prevail'd as much on him as you. HASTINGS More pity that the eagle should be mew'd, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. GLOUCESTER I do beweep to many simple gulls Namely, to Hastings, Derby, Buckingham; And say it is the queen and her allies That stir the king against the duke my brother. Now, they believe it; and withal

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