Thursday, July 16, 2009

The Mental Subway

So I did some research on my character. I am so up on my English history. :)

  1. Who am I? I am the Duchess of York, whose real name is actually Cecily Neville, widow of Richard Plantagenet and mother of (get this, thirteen children) Anne of York, Edward IV of England, Edmund (Earl of Rutland), Elizabeth of York, Margaret of York, George Plantagenet (Duke of Clarence), and Richard III of England. The others, Joan, Henry, William, John, Thomas, and Ursula died young. I am an eighty year old woman who is very protective of my children and grandchildren, but tired of life in general.
  2. Where am I? I am among royalty in London. Throughout the play, I am at a funeral, in the palace, near the tower, and apparently at battle.
  3. What time is it? It is modern day, probably at some formal gathering since we are all in our finery.
  4. What surrounds me? Mainly death surrounds me. And war. However, I am very rich and well off, so I am surrounded by royalty and fancy-ness.
  5. What are the given circumstances? Many things are going on during this show for me. There is a war between the Yorks and the Lancasters, aka the Wars of the Roses. My son Edward has just taken over the thrown, who may or may not be the legitimate son of my late husband.
  6. What is my relationship? I have relationships with many people. I love my sons, Edward and Clarence, very deeply. They are all I had left after my husband died. I am also very protective of my grandchildren, Edward and York. My daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, I did not like at first because she was Lancaster, but eventually we became close because of our recent tragedies. Finally, I have a complicated relationship with my son Richard. I want to love him, because he is my son, but I also hate him, because he is so sick and twisted and killed so many members of my (and his) family.
  7. What do I want? My objectives aren't always very clear, because most of the time, I am mourning. However, in various parts of the play I want people to sympathize for me (in Act II, sc. II, Act II, sc. IV, and Act IV, sc. IV), I want to see my grandchildren (in Act II, sc. IV and Act IV, sc. I), I want the violence to stop (in Act II, sc. IV), I want people to be safe (in Act IV, sc. I), and I want Richard to realize what he has done (Act IV, sc. IV).
  8. What is in my way? People being too focused on themselves, death, war, and a stubborn, power-hungry son.
  9. How am I going to get it? Moping, mourning, going to the tower to see my grandchildren, complaining, telling people where to go and what to do, and giving Richard a curse. "Bloody thou art, bloody will be thy end; shame serves thy life and doth thy death attend." I also slap him. haha
  10. How will I know when I have it? When people start paying attention to me- which they never do.

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