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- John of Gaunt laments the fact that his son is starting a new quarrel over the Duke of Gloucester's death. The Duchess of Gloucester does not agree with his sentiments, saying instead that her husband's death should be revenged. Powerless to intervene in the state affairs, the Duchess wishes that Mowbray will be killed immediately during the duel with Bolingbroke. Gaunt informs her that he must leave for Coventry where the fight will take place, but that she should pray to God for her revenge.
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- The Duke of Lancaster's (John of Gaunt) palace
- John of Gaunt
- Duchess of Gloucester (murdered uncle's wife)
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- A very small and intimate scene after the pomp and royal arbitration in Act 1 Scene 1.
- This scene introduces two key issues in the play:
- 1. The death of Gloucester brings up issues about family honour. When the Duchess of Gloucester is trying to convince John of Gaunt to take revenge for his brother's death, she says ""Edward's seven sons, whereof thyself art one, / Were as seven vials of his sacred blood, / Or seven fair branches springing from one root" (11-13). But now Gloucester's vial has been "crack'd, and the precious liquor spilt... by envy's hand, and murder's bloody axe" (19-21)" This extended metaphor highlights the idea of 'sacred blood' and familial loyalty.
- The second issue is that of the Divine Right of Kings. Gaunt's reasoning of not taking vengeance on Richard, despite being told that passivity will make him susceptible to being conspired against, is the idea that Richard is God's "subsitute", and therefore to act against the king is an act against God; blasphemy. This is a reocurring area of conflict in the play, as many characters find themselves in question of whether to act morally, even if it means going against "God's anointed."
- The use of the tree metaphor to describe King Edward and his sons does only refer to family trees and ancestry, but also suggests that the royal family is linked to the natural world, and cycles of nature. "hack'd down, and his summer leaves all faded". Richard's poor rule is often emphasised when his subjects refer to the crops dying and plants withering.
- The Duchess says "That which in mean men we intitle patience / Is pale cold cowardice in noble breasts" which suggests that there are different standards between noble men and commoners. The idea of how a king should act is a central issue to Richard throughout the play.
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- "But since correction lieth in those hands5Which made the fault that we cannot correct,Put we our quarrel to the will of heaven;" Richard is actually responsible for Gloucesters death but gets away with it because of the Divine Right of Kings.
- "Were as seven vials of his sacred blood," sacredness of family
- "Or seven fair branches springing from one root:Some of those seven are dried by nature’s course," nature imagery (see analysis)
- "Let heaven revenge; for I may never lift/ An angry arm against His minister." Divine right of kings
- "God's subsitute/ His deputy anointed in His sight" Divine right of kings
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