The tyrannous and bloody act is done,
The most arch deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.
Dighton and Forrest, who I did suborn
To do this piece of ruthless butchery,
Albeit they were fleshed villains, bloody dogs,
Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,
Wept like two children in their deaths’ sad story.
“O, thus,” quoth Dighton, “lay the gentle babes;”
“Thus, thus,” quoth Forrest, “girdling one another
Within their alabaster innocent arms.
Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,
And in their summer beauty kissed each other.
A book of prayers on their pillow lay,
Which once,” quoth Forrest, “almost changed my mind.
But, O, the devil—” There the villain stopped;
When Dighton thus told on: “We smothered
The most replenished sweet work of nature
That from the prime creation e’er she framed.”
Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse
They could not speak; and so I left them both
To bear this tidings to the bloody King.
The cruel and bloody deed is done—the most awful massacre this land has ever committed. I hired two men, Dighton and Forrest, to do this ruthless murder. Though they were hardened killers, they melted with pity and wept like two children when they had to do it. 'Like this,' said Dighton, 'lay the gentle babes.' 'And so,' said Forrest, 'holding each other, wrapped in their innocent marble arms. Their lips were four red roses on one stalk, and in their summer beauty they kissed each other. Their prayer book lay on their pillow, and once,' Forrest said, 'almost changed my mind.' But then—the devil—' He stopped there. Then Dighton continued: 'We smothered the most beautiful perfect thing nature has ever made from creation.' Both men left filled with guilt and remorse. They couldn't even speak. I left them both to carry this news to the bloody King.
It's done. The most horrible thing. I got two men, Dighton and Forrest, to do it. They were killers, real criminals, but they broke down. They cried like children. 'The little boys lay like this,' said one. 'They held each other,' said the other, 'their arms around each other like marble. Their lips were like four red roses together. They were beautiful even in death. There was a prayer book next to them. I almost couldn't do it,' he said. But then—the devil—he couldn't finish. The other one said: 'We killed the most perfect thing nature ever created.' Both of them left, filled with guilt. They couldn't speak. I'm bringing this news to Richard.
it's done the boys are dead suffocated they held each other they were beautiful the men cried the men broke even killers weep
Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?
Tyrrel, am I happy with your news?
Tyrrel, do I have good news?
am i happy does this please you richard's bloodlust measured in happiness
What makes Tyrrel's soliloquy so powerful is that Shakespeare gives us the story from a man who hired the killers, not someone who performed the act. This creates a distance—Tyrrel didn't do it himself, so maybe he'll have some detachment. Instead, he tells us that the men who DID do it were undone. They saw the children 'holding each other.' They saw the prayer book. The most hardened criminals broke into tears. This is not a story that justifies murder. It's a story that shows us the innocence of the victims so clearly that even the killers couldn't stay emotionless. The beauty of the language—'four red roses on a stalk'—is Shakespeare's way of showing us what innocence looks like, and therefore what was lost.
If to have done the thing you gave in charge
Beget your happiness, be happy then,
For it is done.
If doing the task you ordered brings you happiness, then yes—be happy. It is done.
If completing your order makes you happy, then you're happy. It's finished.
it's done the boys are dead your order is complete my work is finished
But didst thou see them dead?
But did you see them dead yourself?
Did you see them dead?
proof verification richard doesn't trust even finished murders
I did, my lord.
I did, my lord.
I did.
yes i saw them both dead by my hand or those i hired
And buried, gentle Tyrrel?
And they've been buried?
Were they buried?
disposed of hidden no body no evidence no witness
The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them,
But where, to say the truth, I do not know.
The Tower chaplain buried them. But honestly, I don't know where they are now.
The priest buried them. But I don't know where.
buried somewhere unknown no one knows no one will find them
Richard's response to Tyrrel's report is striking precisely because it's flat. He asks three questions: Did you do it? Did you see them dead? Are they buried? Each answer confirms the job was done and the evidence is gone. Then he immediately moves to the next problem: How do I secure my power? He has just ended the lives of two children, and his mind hasn't lingered on that fact for more than ninety seconds. This is the measure of Richard's monsterhood: not that he can order murders, but that he has completely divorced himself from the emotional reality of what murder means. To him, the princes are problems. When they're eliminated, they're no longer problems. That's all.
Come to me, Tyrrel, soon, at after-supper,
When thou shalt tell the process of their death.
Meantime, but think how I may do thee good,
And be inheritor of thy desire.
Farewell till then.
Come see me later tonight, after dinner. Tell me how it all happened. Meanwhile, think about how I can reward you and give you what you want. Goodbye until then.
Come to me tonight after supper. Tell me exactly what happened. I'll figure out how to reward you. See you later.
later after dinner we'll talk more details the reward the payment for murder
I humbly take my leave.
I respectfully take my leave.
Yes, my lord.
he goes he leaves he carries the weight of what he's done
The son of Clarence have I pent up close;
His daughter meanly have I matched in marriage;
The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham’s bosom,
And Anne my wife hath bid the world good night.
Now, for I know the Breton Richmond aims
At young Elizabeth, my brother’s daughter,
And by that knot looks proudly on the crown,
To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.
I have locked away Clarence's son. I've married off his daughter to some low nobleman. The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham's bosom—they're dead. Anne, my wife, has said goodbye to the world. Now, because Henry Tudor of Brittany has his eye on young Elizabeth, my brother's daughter, and through marriage to her thinks he can claim my crown, I will go to her as a cheerful suitor seeking a wife.
Clarence's boy is locked up. His daughter married off to nobody. Edward's boys are dead. Anne is dead. Now Henry Tudor wants to marry Elizabeth of York to claim my throne. I'll go court her first. I'll marry her before he can get to her.
checked tin-canned killed disposed everyone a threat all eliminated all contained except elizabeth who he now must marry
One line reveals enormous story: 'And Anne my wife hath bid the world good night.' Anne is dead. We never see it. We never see her final moments. She walked out of Scene 1 being forced to her coronation, dreading it, wishing to die. Now, just three scenes later, Richard reports that she has indeed died—and he doesn't care. He's already thinking about who to marry next. For Anne, death was a mercy. For Richard, she was an obstacle that removed itself.
My lord!
My lord!
My lord!
urgent exclamatory something is wrong
Good or bad news, that thou com’st in so bluntly?
Is it good news or bad that brings you so abruptly?
What's wrong? You burst in like something terrible happened.
good or bad richard knows from the entrance it's bad always bad
Bad news, my lord. Morton is fled to Richmond,
And Buckingham, backed with the hardy Welshmen,
Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.
Bad news, my lord. The Bishop of Ely has fled to Richmond, and Buckingham—backed by Welsh soldiers—has raised an army that grows stronger every day.
Bad news. The Bishop fled to Richmond. Buckingham's gathered Welsh troops and is building an army.
enemies assembling growing riley spreading richard's enemies are building
Ely with Richmond troubles me more near
Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.
Come, I have learned that fearful commenting
Is leaden servitor to dull delay;
Delay leads impotent and snail-paced beggary;
Then fiery expedition be my wing,
Jove’s Mercury, and herald for a king!
Go, muster men. My counsel is my shield.
We must be brief when traitors brave the field.
The Bishop of Ely in Richmond concerns me more than Buckingham and his hastily gathered force. I've learned that fearful hesitation is a slow servant to dull inaction. Delay itself is like begging with weak and slow feet. So let action be my wings—Mercury's wings, like Jove's messenger—and speed my words as a king should speak. Go, gather soldiers. My plans are my shield. We must move fast when traitors stand against us.
The Bishop matters more than Buckingham's army. Worrying and hesitating just wastes time. Delay makes everything worse. I need to move fast. I need wings. Go get soldiers. I'll plan as we go. We can't afford to be slow when we're at war.
fear is slow delay is death richard must move must act must be aggressive meeting force with force
The Reckoning
This is the shortest scene in the play's second half and one of the most emotionally intense. Tyrrel's opening soliloquy about the murdered princes is devastating precisely because it comes from a hired killer — someone who went in without sentiment and came out undone. The murderers wept. The children were holding each other. There was a prayer book. Richard receives this news with something close to satisfaction and pivots instantly to his next scheme. The scene leaves the audience with one overwhelming sensation: Richard is beyond feeling anything the rest of humanity feels, and that is both the source of his power and the beginning of his end.
If this happened today…
A fixer texts back to confirm the job is done. He adds, unprompted, that the two people he dealt with were different from what he expected — they were kids, innocent, they were praying. He says his two contractors couldn't talk afterward. The client reads this and responds: 'Great. Come by tonight and tell me everything.' Then immediately starts calling his PR team about the announcement of his new relationship.