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A Royal Reflection: II Richard's final soliloquy (Richard II, V.v.1-66) marks both the culmination of his transformation from a callous monarch to a poetic philosopher and his moral ascent resulting from his deposition as the King of England. ....

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... cell, and isolated from all external influences. Richard loosely summarizes the actions of the play, specifically Bullingbroke's usurpation of the throne and his own decline. Much of what he says foreshadows his imminent death. However, it is only in the face of death that Shakespeare reveals the nature of the former king. The most important role that this passage plays is to demonstrate the transformation that Richard has undergone since relinquishing the crown. He is no longer a callous, self-absorbed elitist, but is self-reflective and poetic. An early example of this clever use of language is the hammer metaphor, which symbo ...