Source: "Richard II," in All if Shakespeare, 1993, Pl"

160-69.

[In the following essay, Charney briefly discusses the content of the plays in the Henriad tetralogy. The Henriad tetraogy is a series of four plays: Richard II ; Henry IV , Part One; Henry IV , Part Two; and Henry V . Charney then explores the primary themes and characters in Richard II and comments on the relevancy of key scenes to events occurring in hakespeare's England]

Richard II is the first play of the Major Tetralogy, followed by the two parts of Henry IV and Henry V. Shakespeare learned a great deal from writing the four plays of the Minor Tetralogy (the three parts of Henry VI and Richard III), which were probably completed in 1592 or 1593. King John, which was probably written just before Richard II, has many stylistic affinities with it, both plays make important use of the divine right...