Original: No! why? When he that is my husband now
Modern: No! Why did this happen? When the man who is now my husband

Original: Came to me, as I follow’d Henry’s corse,
Modern: Came to me while I was following Henry’s dead body,

Original: When scarce the blood was well wash’d from his hands
Modern: When the blood was barely washed from his hands—

Original: Which issued from my other angel husband
Modern: Blood that had flowed from my other perfect husband

Original: And that dead saint which then I weeping follow’d;
Modern: And that holy dead man I was crying over and following;

Original: O, when, I say, I look’d on Richard’s face,
Modern: Oh, when I looked at Richard’s face,

Original: This was my wish: ‘Be thou,’ quoth I, ‘ accursed,
Modern: This was what I wished for him: “Be cursed,” I said,

Original: For making me, so young, so old a widow!
Modern: “For making me a widow twice over at such a young age!

Original: And, when thou wed’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed;
Modern: And when you get married, let sadness ruin your marriage bed;

Original: And be thy wife—if any be so mad—
Modern: And let your wife—if any woman is crazy enough to marry you—

Original: As miserable by the life of thee
Modern: Be as miserable living with you

Original: As thou hast made me by my dear lord’s death!
Modern: As you have made me by killing my beloved husband!”

Original: Lo, ere I can repeat this curse again,
Modern: Look, before I could even say this curse a second time,

Original: Even in so short a space, my woman’s heart
Modern: In such a short time, my woman’s heart

Original: Grossly grew captive to his honey words
Modern: Foolishly became trapped by his sweet-talking words

Original: And proved the subject of my own soul’s curse,
Modern: And I became the victim of my own curse,

Original: Which ever since hath kept my eyes from rest;
Modern: Which has kept me from sleeping peacefully ever since;

Original: For never yet one hour in his bed
Modern: Because I have never had even one hour in his bed

Original: Have I enjoy’d the golden dew of sleep,
Modern: Where I’ve enjoyed peaceful, refreshing sleep,

Original: But have been waked by his timorous dreams.
Modern: But I’ve been woken up by his fearful nightmares.

Original: Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick;
Modern: Besides, he hates me because of my father Warwick;

Original: And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.
Modern: And he will, without a doubt, get rid of me soon.

In Act IV, Scene 1 of Richard III, Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess of York, and Dorset encounter Anne (now Queen Anne, Richard’s wife) and Margaret Plantagenet (Clarence’s daughter) at the Tower of London. The women have come to visit the young princes - Edward V and the Duke of York - who are imprisoned there. However, Brakenbury, the Lieutenant of the Tower, informs them that King Richard has forbidden anyone from seeing the princes. Stanley then arrives with news that Richard has commanded Anne to come to Westminster to be crowned as queen, and that Elizabeth must send her daughter (also named Elizabeth) to court to prepare for her coronation as well.

The scene reveals the growing tensions and fears among the royal women as Richard consolidates his power. Anne expresses reluctance and foreboding about her coronation, while Queen Elizabeth becomes increasingly distressed about being separated from her children and forced to send her daughter to Richard. The Duchess of York curses Richard’s actions, and the women share their mutual grief and anxiety about their circumstances under Richard’s rule. Stanley urges haste in following Richard’s commands, emphasizing the dangerous consequences of delay or disobedience.

Richard III opens with Richard, Duke of Gloucester, revealing his villainous intentions to claim the throne of England. Despite his physical deformities, he is determined to remove all obstacles to his coronation. He begins by manipulating his brother Clarence into imprisonment and death, convincing King Edward IV that Clarence poses a threat. Richard also courts Lady Anne, widow of Prince Edward (whom Richard killed), successfully wooing her despite having murdered both her husband and father-in-law. When King Edward IV dies, Richard is named Lord Protector for the young Prince Edward, heir to the throne.

Richard systematically eliminates his rivals and supporters of the rightful heirs. He has Lord Hastings executed for opposing his claim to the throne, and convinces the Duke of Buckingham to help him secure power. Richard and Buckingham spread rumors about the legitimacy of Edward IV’s children, claiming they are bastards. They stage a public scene where Richard reluctantly accepts the crown after appearing to refuse it. Once crowned King Richard III, he orders the murder of the two young princes (Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York) in the Tower of London, though their deaths occur offstage.

Richard’s reign becomes increasingly tyrannical and unstable. The Duke of Buckingham eventually rebels against him and is captured and executed. Richard attempts to consolidate power by proposing to marry Elizabeth of York, his niece, but faces growing opposition. Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, lands in England with an army to claim the throne. The play culminates in the Battle of Bosworth Field, where Richard is haunted by the ghosts of all those he has murdered. Richmond defeats and kills Richard in battle, then marries Elizabeth of York to unite the warring houses of Lancaster and York, establishing the Tudor dynasty and bringing peace to England.