ull marks. ‘A deeper understanding of ambition and identity emerges from pursuing the connections between King Richard III and Looking for Richard.’ Compare how these texts explore ambition and identity.
The identity of an individual, namely the way that they are perceived by others, can significantly shape their ambitions and the ease with which they can fulfil such desires. Shakespeare explores this notion particularly in relation to the character of Richard from the play, King Richard III, who is able to use his identity as the Duke of Gloucester and the brother of the respected King Edward to “smooth, deceive and cog” to disguise and fulfil his wicked ambitions. Similarly, in Al Pacino’s docudrama, Looking for Richard, Pacino uses his cultural identity and influence to persuade the responders to move from attitudes of apathy to appreciation and to achieve accessibility of Shakespeare for the average American. In these ways, both texts demonstrate the extent to which identity can be used to fulfil ambitions and influence the views of others.
