For all Richard's forcefulness, he was not, surely, a skilled politician, a man adept at rallying others to his cause. . . . A brave man, given to risking his all on a single toss of the dice, he appears ever to have moved from one unexpected crisis to the next, each time attempting to extricate himself from his immediate difficulties with a bold and decisive stroke. So Richard III could have been a villain, a romantic hero, a brave soldier, a brilliant commander, a loyal brother or a murderous one, a disloyal uncle, a poor politician, and perhaps not very bright. No wonder there is so much controversy about him. He is everyone's Everyman a true man for all seasons and an exemplar for all reasons.
Every age needs the good guys and the bad guys.
Janus-like, Richard III represents the duality of human nature. While the definitions of objectivity and the purposes for writing history change, the need for mythic figures persists. Someone too conscientious. For the seeker, Richard III can embody both good and evil. He can be a mirror of the soul.