Richard Gloucester dominates this play far more than Hal or Richard II dominate the two plays we read earlier. From the beginning speech he takes us into his confidence making us feel that we are on special terms with this extraordinarily ambitious man, only later do we realize that this is a typical persuasive technique that Richard has perfected for manipulating others, and we, the audience or readers, are regarded no differently from Richard's other victims. Without going into enormously complicated genealogy, Gloucester is the younger brother of Edward IV, newly crowned King of England when the play opens. Although physically handicapped with club foot, and hunchback, Richard was a loyal and effective soldier for Edward. Because the War of the Roses was a civil conflict, sides shifted, loyalties were often called in doubt. Clarence, for instance, demonstrated some ambivalence during the war. Edward IV's wife, Elizabeth, had two sons by a former marriage, Dorset and Grey, both of whom were also ambivalent in their loyalties. Likewise, her brother, Rivers was less than enthusiastic in his devotion to Edward.

Edward IV, King of England 1461-70, 1471-83, is sickly though not necessarily old. He dies at age 43. His eldest son by Elizabeth is also named Edward, Prince of Wales, and would normally succeed his father when he dies. Shakespeare characterizes Edward IV as well meaning, but sick, weak, and at the center of court intrigue which he cannot successfully navigate much less control. Upon the news of Clarence's death in II, 1, Edward is "helped to his closet" [bedroom] and shortly thereafter expires. There is another Edward mentioned in the play, and that is also Edward, Prince of Wales, eldest son of Henry VI, who has recently been defeated at the Battle of Tewksbury just before the play opens. This Edward was killed, reportedly by Richard during that battle and was the husband of Lady Anne, to whom Richard proposes marriage in I, 2. ...