How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to the Norton edition.
Quote #1
Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths;
Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;
Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings,
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.
Grim-visaged war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front;
And now, instead of mounting barded steeds
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,
He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber
To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.
Deformed, unfinish'd, sent before my time
Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,
And that so lamely and unfashionable
That dogs bark at me as I halt by them;
Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace,
Have no delight to pass away the time (1.1.1)
Starting with the play's opening lines, there's an emphasis on time and timing. Here Richard repeats the word "now" three times, drawing our attention to the present moment. He also tells us that he doesn't quite fit in during this time of peace, because he was born prematurely or "sent before his time."
Quote #2
KING EDWARD IV
Is Clarence dead? The order was reversed.
GLOUCESTER
But he, poor soul, by your first order died,
And that a winged Mercury did bear:
Some tardy cripple bore the countermand,
That came too lag to see him buried.
God grant that some, less noble and less loyal,
Nearer in bloody thoughts, but not in blood,
Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did,
And yet go current from suspicion! (2.1.7)
This passage is significant because it shows us how Richard is a master of speeding up time and accelerating events in the play. Edward is shocked to learn that Clarence was executed even after he ordered that the original decision be reversed. The audience knows that Richard hastened the original order for Clarence's execution and slowed down delivery of the order for reversal. But here, Richard blames some "tardy cripple" for delivering the reversal message too slowly.
Quote #3
KING RICHARD III
Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezeth:
Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?
BUCKINGHAM
Give me some breath, some little pause, my lord
Before I positively herein:
I will resolve your grace immediately. (4.2.7)
Here's another example of Richard trying to speed up events. In this scene he has asked Buckingham to murder the young princes, but Buckingham hesitates and tries to stall. That doesn't slow down Richard, though; he immediately hires a hit man to do the job.
Quote #4
KING RICHARD III
Ay, what's o'clock?
BUCKINGHAM
I am thus bold to put your grace in mind
Of what you promised me.
KING RICHARD III
Well, but what's o'clock?
BUCKINGHAM
Upon the stroke of ten.
KING RICHARD III
Well, let it strike.
BUCKINGHAM
Why let it strike?
KING RICHARD III
Because that, like a Jack, thou keep'st the stroke
Betwixt thy begging and my meditation.
I am not in the giving vein to-day.
BUCKINGHAM
Why, then resolve me whether you will or no.
KING RICHARD III
Tut, tut,
Thou troublest me; am not in the vein. (4.2.24)
After Buckingham asks Richard when he's going to give him the earldom of Hereford, Richard twice asks Buckingham what time it is ("what's o'clock?"). What's that all about? Well, as we've seen, Richard is obsessed with the passage of time. He's also trying to stall by postponing the moment when he has to make good on his promise to award Buckingham the Earldom. (He never does, by the way.) In the lines that follow, Richard also suggests that Buckingham begs him for the earldom "like clockwork." Translation: Richard is calling Buckingham a nag.
Quote #5
KING RICHARD III
What is't o'clock?
CATESBY
It's supper-time, my lord;
It's nine o'clock.
KING RICHARD III
I will not sup to-night.
Give me some ink and paper. (5.5.1)
Once again, Richard is asking for the time. Before it seemed like Richard was racing through the play, trying to get his hands on the crown. Now, on the eve of the battle, he seems to be running out of time, as he can't even take a dinner break.
Quote #6
RICHMOND
I'll strive, with troubled thoughts, to take a nap,
Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow,
When I should mount with wings of victory:
Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen. (5.5.2)
The night before heading into battle, Richmond decides to take a nap, because he's got a big day ahead of him. (Pretty sensible, don't you think?) Richard, on the other hand, tries to stay up all night plotting so he can get the drop on Richmond. This is a big mistake – Richard's hurry up and grab the crown strategy seems to finally be catching up to him. The human body needs sleep so it can rest and repair itself, but Richard tries to circumvent this natural cycle.
Quote #7
Ghost of Prince Edward
[To KING RICHARD III]
Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow!
Think, how thou stab'dst me in my prime of youth
At Tewksbury: despair, therefore, and die! (5.5.1)
When a parade of ghosts visits Richard on the eve of his death and reminds him of his crimes, Shakespeare lets us know that Richard's past has literally come back to haunt him.
Quote #8
Methought the souls of all that I had murder'd
To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard. (5.5.5)
Just in case we didn't get it the first time, Shakespeare beats us over the head with the idea that Richard's past has caught up with him.
Quote #9
Clock striketh (Stage Direction, Act 5, Scene 6)
Seriously, Shakespeare – we get it! Richard's time on earth is coming to an end.
Quote #10
Why, then 'tis time to arm and give direction. (5.5.5)
While Richard is quickly approaching death, Richmond is just getting started. Here he prepares to deliver a speech to his troops on the eve of the Battle of Bosworth Field. As we know, Richmond will defeat Richard and usher in a time of peace and prosperity (5.8).