One of Shakespeare’s most famous, or rather infamous, characters is Richard III in the homonymous tragedy. The play depicts his Machiavellian rise to power, his bloody intrigues, his subsequently short reign and death. Richard III is portrayed as a villain by Shakespeare, although we know that he wasn’t such a bad chap after all. The bard’s dark portrayal of Richard III was as an indirect praise to Elizabeth I, whose ancestors defeated and killed Richard III, another sign that history is written by the winners. So let’s dig into the play.