Meaning of My Kingdom for a Horse

The phrase is repeated ironically, when someone needs some insignificant item. Shakespeare
shows that the value and importance of things may change suddenly; and simple and
unimportant things, like a horse in the battle, could become more important than a whole
kingdom. The sense in this line is ironic, as someone wants something insignificant to complete
an important task. The king here means that if he does not find his horse, he may lose his
kingdom, because in that case he would be either killed or face defeat.

although this phrase was set in a different age, several famous quotes like this coined by
Shakespeare are relevant to this day as well. Thus, we see many people continue to quote this
phrase today, relating it to their lives when their life or business is compromised by trivial issues.
Its usage is common in politics, the business community, and especially in everyday life, as
sometimes the presence or absence of little things could make a real difference. A small
shopkeeper, if he finds his motorbike or small vehicle not working, could state, “My business for
a bike.” Therefore, this phrase is liable to be modified to suit the occasion.

Literary Source of My Kingdom for a Horse

William Shakespeare has used this phrase in Act-V, Scene-IV of his play, Richard III, where it is
uttered by King Richard, Duke of Gloucester:

King Richard

“A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!”

Catesby

Withdraw, my lord; I’ll help you to a horse.

King Richard

Slave! I have set my life upon a cast,

And I will stand the hazard of the die.

I think there be six Richmonds in the field;

Dive have I Slain today instead of him.

A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!

(Richard III, Act-V, Scene-IV, Lines 7-13)

In this scene, Richard goes to the battleground in a crazy and desperate mood. Mad with
bloodlust, the king says he has killed five Richmonds and one is left. But after losing his horse, he
is desperate, because he fears losing the battle.

Literary Analysis of My Kingdom for a Horse

Arrogant and pathetic, a hunchbacked villainous king, Richard III is going to meet his fate at the
hands of the future king, Henry VII. King’s Richard’s most memorable line actually sounds
halfway valiant, as he refuses to leave the battle, though his horse has fallen. However, this line
has become an irrelevant remark to some of Shakespeare’s contemporaries, including satirists
and playwrights. Cad John Marston has parodied King Richard’s outcry as “A boat, a boat, a boat,
a full hundred marks for a boat!”