By this one bloody trial of sharp war . ( Act 5 , Scene 2 )
Continuing on likening Richmond to Bolingbroke and Henry V , in Act 5 , Scene 3 Shakespeare has Richmond calling all his captains by name , indicating that he , being a good and competent commander , knows his soldiers intimately . Richard , on the other hand , only communicates with Ratcliff , and through him seeks the news of his other captains . This shows us that while Richard is alienated from his followers , Richmond is popular among his . Richard also dwells on the fear of his followers while Richmond dwells on their love . As a result , Richard so offends and disgusts everybody around him that by the end of the play almost all Yorkists , even the dead ones , have defected to Richmond ’ s side .
The final and perhaps most important contrast comes when we see Richmond genuinely praying in private . Set against the background of Richard ’ s dissembling of praying for the eyes of the public before his coronation , Richmond is again elevated , in most probability with a hint at the importance of religion in Elizabeth ’ s time . Richmond is supposed to be the God-chosen champion who saves England from the evil Richard . Queen Elizabeth , his granddaughter , is head of state and church in Shakespeare ’ s time . Thus , Richmond prays :
O Thou , whose captain I account myself , Look on my forces with a gracious eye ; Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath , That they may crush down with a heavy fall The usurping helmets of our adversaries ! Make us thy ministers of chastisement , That we may praise thee in the victory !
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