Endowed with the darkest attributes intertwined in his imperfect characteristics, Shakespeare's Richard III displays his anti-hero traits afflicted with the thorns of villains: "I I hatched intrigues, dangerous inductions. / By drunken prophecies, slanders and dreams” (Ii32-33). Richard possesses the idealism and ambition of a heroic figure destined for great achievement and power; However, as a believer that "the end justifies the means", Richard rejects moral value and tradition as he is willing to do anything to achieve his goal of crowning. Society, even his closest family and friends, reject him as a deformed outcast. Nonetheless, he rejoices as a champion and irredeemable villain by turning entirely to vengeance for a selfish power grab. By distinguishing between virtue ethics to take revenge on the human society that alienates him and by centering his life on his advancement to royalty, Richard is the literary archetype of an anti-hero. Richard's disdain for human beliefs and customs (such as religion, marriage, and his family) shows that he treats them as nothing more than empty forms - this further qualifies him as a demon of indiscipline and of rebellion. He views the virtues as contrary to his power-hungry nature and goals, which highlights his pathological shamelessness and lack of remorse. With his charisma, he woos Lady Anne in order to deprive her of her power, revealing his contempt for the seriousness of murder and his respect for women: “What if I had killed her husband and her father? (II156). Richard shows his disrespect for love and marriage as he becomes her husband "not so much for love / [but] for another secret and intimate intention" (Ii159-160) for his own benefit. In Act IV, Richard "prays" with ...... middle of paper ...... bloody path to kingship. Filled with contempt towards a society that rejects him and a nature that curses him with a weakened body, Richard decides to take revenge and ultimately declares a war between himself and the world. By achieving goals for the sole purpose of progress, a self-made hero, an ambitious king, and an atrocious villain were created. Richard assumes that love forms a bond that men can break, but fear is sustained by the fear of omnipresent pain (Machiavelli ch. XXIV); thus, for true success, the hero must also be a villain. Richard III becomes one of the most recognized literary anti-heroes under the hands of Shakespeare because he has no objective or idea of ​​pursuing any profession other than the art of hatred; however, ironically, being the representative of a heroic ruler sent by God, he is driven to commit murder to redeem society from its sins..