Richard III by Shakespeare

Discuss Rikki as a victim of maternal abandonment in childhood. How does Attachment Theory, primarily
developed by John Bowlby, help to explain why Rikki cannot make meaningful attachments to other human
beings in adulthood? Does attachment failure turn him into a psychopath? Is Rikki's characterization an
appropriate way of adapting Richard III for the modern day? Make sure to spend some time on other
characters and how they might fit into this framework. Also, integrate one or two theories of trauma into your
analysis. Clearly Rikki was traumatized by his Norteño cousins between the ages of 7 and 12 (what he calls
growing up "the hard way"), which has resulted in symptoms of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and/or
its subset, PITS (Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress). The cinematic flashbacks are actually PTSD/PITS
flashbacks situated at significant moments in the film. Are the filmmakers using psychiatric/psychological
issues to create sympathy for Rikki? If so, does this extend to the world that all the other characters seem
forced to inhabit? If not, how do you judge Rikki and his world?
Choose at least two characters from Richard III that seem to be suffering from what we would call psychiatric
or psychological disorders, and "diagnose" them. What passages and episodes can you cite to support your
diagnoses? How do their disorders guide their actions, either for good or ill? Obvious characters could include
Richard and Margaret, but feel free to treat others. Possible mental aberrations could include: trauma and
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and its subset, Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress (PITS);
Attachment Disorder; and Sociopathy/Psychopathy (or Antisocial Personality Disorder).