Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Richard III, Act V.iv ·Richard III
"My kingdom for a horse!"
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"My kingdom for a horse!"
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" Richard III — Richard III, Act V.iv
Why it matters
The repetition is the drama. Richard cries out three times — the fourth repetition is the bargain. Shortened quotation loses the urgency of a king on a battlefield without a mount.
More from the canon.
Browse the rest of the shelf, or try a cold reading.