Shakespeare's Richard IIi and the Ellis-van Creveld syndrome
Aird, C.; McIntosh, R.A.; Richard III; Shakespeare, W.
Practitioner 220(1318): 656-662
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0032-6518 PMID: 349538 Document Number: 4595
It is not impossible that William Shakespeare took as his model for the monster whom he wished to portray as Richard III a contemporary victim of the Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome. Alternatively, he may have been led to this solely by Sir Thomas More's belated description of the King. That More's description, and more particularly Shakespeare's dramatic expansion of More's writings (if they were actually More's), should have fitted as well as they do into the pattern of the syndrome would seem to be more than mere coincidence. It would, however, appear highly unlikely that King Richard himself suffered anything more than the mildest degree of deformity in spite of the degree of intermarriage among his ancestors.
Document emailed within 1 workday
