RICHARD III AND THE DARK AGE MYTH Thesis Supervisor 2025

The thesis 'Richard III and the Dark Age Myth' by Benjamin Aaron Chasin explores the misconceptions surrounding the medieval period, particularly the so-called 'Dark Ages,' which are portrayed as a time of barbarism and superstition. The work argues that this myth was perpetuated by figures like Petrarch and later by Shakespeare in his play 'Richard III.' Chasin examines how Shakespeare's depiction of Richard III as a grotesque villain is rooted in these myths, emphasizing themes of medieval grotesqueness and the influence of spells and prophecies. The thesis ultimately seeks to clarify that the fifteenth-century England in which Richard lived was not a dark age but rather a time of cultural advancement, contrasting historical facts with literary exaggerations.