When Richard looks at his brother, King Edward IV, he is so blinded by jealousy that he can only see a tyrant. In spite of his brother's peaceful and stabile reign, Richard bemoans it as the "winter of our discontent." Speaking directly to the audience, he informs them of his intentions to tear apart his own family to accelerate his ascent to the throne. As the murders add up, Richard remains cold and unrepentant, proving himself one of the most unforgettably amoral villains in literature. But even as Richard stifles his conscience, he cannot escape being haunted by the ghosts of the many victims of his machinations.