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Shakespeare & Beyond

Shakespeare's much-maligned toads and frogs

Toads are described by Edward Topsell
Toads are described by Edward Topsell
Toads are described by Edward Topsell

Edward Topsell. The historie of serpents… 1608. Folger Shakespeare Library.

There may not be a more insulted character in all of Shakespeare’s canon than Richard III. The woman he’s wooing, Anne, calls him a hedgehog. In the very next scene, Queen Margaret calls him an “abortive, rooting hog,” a “bottled spider,” and a “poisonous bunch-backed toad” (Richard III I.3.239, 256, 260-261).

And this isn’t the only time the murderous and conniving Richard is called a toad in the play. Queen Elizabeth echoes Queen Margaret’s exact words (4.4.83), the Duchess calls him “Thou toad, thou toad” (4.4.149), and we’re back to Anne again for “Never hung poison on a fouler toad. / Out of my sight! thou dost infect my eyes” (1.2.162). Poor Richard!

Although really, perhaps we should say poor toads! The toad is everywhere in Shakespeare, and always maligned.