"Disgrace in brotherhood" has three levels of meaning: the unnatural action of a brother (Edward IV); my own underhanded behavior; disgrace to a brother (Clarence). Similarly, the word "lie" in the final words to Clarence means, on the surface, that Gloucester will take Clarence's place in prison; but it also means that the villain-hero will tell more lies about his brother.

With the arrival of Lord Hastings, two circumstances which may work to Richard's advantage are revealed. First, Hastings is determined to avenge himself upon those who were responsible for his imprisonment; therefore, Richard may find him a useful ally. Second, King Edward is "sickly, weak, and melancholy." The reader will not miss the irony of Gloucester's voiced reaction: "Now, by Saint Paul, this is bad indeed." He will make use of such sacred oaths frequently and thus provide further evidence of his hypocrisy. Despite his outward show of loyalty and fraternal love, he does not fail to indict Edward as one whose "evil diet" has "overmuch consumed his royal person." What with the Woodville faction alienating powerful nobles like Hastings, and with the ruler incapacitated as the supposed result of a dissolute life, a way may be found for Richard to seize power. His plan to marry Lady Anne, if carried out successfully, will work to his advantage. But immediately all depends upon what happens to Clarence and to Edward.

随着黑斯廷斯勋爵的到来，两种可能对理查有利的情况出现了：第一，黑斯廷斯决定朝那些导致他锒铛入狱的人报仇；由此，理查可能把他当一个有用的盟友。其次，爱德华国王“生病、虚弱、极度忧郁”。读者不会错过理查言辞中的讽刺：“现在，圣保罗在上，这确实很糟糕”。他经常会用这种口头提及神明的语句，而这就进一步地表现了他的虚伪。尽管他向外表现了自己的忠诚与兄弟情谊，他还是成功指出了爱德华是一个“饮食失调”、“过分亏损了身体”的人。由于伍德维尔派系疏远了像黑斯廷斯这样手握重权的权贵，而统治者由于生活放纵不羁导致已经无法行动，理查找到了一个夺取政权的方式。他计划与安妮夫人结婚，而如果该计划成功，将对他有利。但这一切都取决于克莱伦斯和爱德华之后的经历。

概括在第一场中的事件将十分有益。呈现出来的理查目前为止是剧中最重要的角色。王国现状已经写的很清楚了：爱德华四世，重病的统治者，似乎被他的妻子支配着，而那些老牌的权贵则愤愤不平。约克公爵的三个儿子之间的关系是这样的：爱德华是垂危的国王，克莱伦斯是叛徒兼伪誓者，理查则是他兄长的毁灭者。这一场也为理查的恶行提供的动机，并通过他的谎言表明他会引起更多的纠纷。最后这一场为向安妮夫人求婚作了铺垫。

Alone, Richard gloats over this conquest of Lady Anne made when the odds were so great against him—the fact that she changed from a mood of venemous hate to one of ready acquiescence and found him "to be a marvelous proper man," particularly in contrast to her dead husband, whom he had killed at Tewkesbury some three months earlier. He reveals his plan to "have her... but not keep her long." In view of his success so far, he finds that his deformity pleases him.

而独自一人时，理查对征服安妮夫人洋洋自得，因为对她来说胜算极其之小——事实上，她从一种充满仇恨的情绪，转为了一种几乎心甘情愿的默许，并觉得他是一个“不可思议的好人”，而特别形成鲜明对比的是，她三个月前死去的丈夫是被他在图尔斯伯里杀死的。他透露了自己的计划：“拥有她……却不把她留很久。由于他目前为止的成功，他发现他的残疾甚至让他高兴。