We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(7) Snow Line
You may have heard that reading Richard II can be a little tough. But don't panic, because you don't need a Ph.D. in medieval history or be fluent in Elizabethan English to get this play. You'll get the hang of Shakespeare's writing style soon enough, and you can always check out our summaries if you need some extra help with comprehension.
As for the big geography lesson Shakespeare gives us in this play, we've got you covered. Check out what we say about the "Setting" if you need an extra hand. Or you can check out this nifty map, which shows all the important locations in the history plays. While you're at it, you might want to take a peek at this family tree. It lists all of King Edward III's descendants, which makes it easier to keep track of who's related to whom and why they're mad at their nephew or why they had their uncle murdered.