In the play Richard III by William Shakespeare many relationships are explored throughout the play, most of which involve Richard Gloster. In Act One: Scene Two, the audience is introduced to the relationship between Gloster and Lady Anne, widow to Edward, Prince of Wales.
Act One: Scene two begins at the funeral of Henry VI. Gloster enters the scene and stops the procession of the coffin. This infuriates Lady Anne; she states “What black magician conjures up this fiend...” (Act 1, Scene 2: Line 207) referring to Richard as a grotesque creature created by a witch or warlock. She continues by calling him the devil in its true form and he replies with a compliment: “Sweet saint, for charity, be not so curst.” (Act 1, Scene 2: Line 223) Although she is referring to him as a demon he still sees her as a sweet angel which shows contrast between the attitudes they have towards each other. She states that he is an evil man who commits unforgivable crimes while he calls her a divine perfection of a woman. She continues to express her hate and disgust towards him and he retaliates by expressing his undying love for her. Lady Anne knows he has killed her husband but he refuses to admit the truth. He eventually admits he indeed did kill her husband and father and begs her to take his life if she doesn’t forgive him for his treason against her. He admittedly said he killed her husband out of jealousy, he wanted Anne for himself. Although she tries to take his life she cannot find it in her heart to murder him although she feels he deserves to be dead.
By the end of the scene Gloster persuades Lady Anne to marry him which is a shocker to the audience. He finds it hard to fathom that Lady Anne accepted his proposal having know the truth to his murdering her husband and father. He is very aware of his grotesque looks but he is determined to gain power because of it. He makes it clear that he won’t have Lady Anne as his wife for long and he will soon gain the throne.