Many scholars claim that Shakespeare' s portrayal of Richard III was extremely inaccurate, arguing that he derived that portrayal from propagandists opposed to Richard III. But these claims are irrelevant for appreciating Shakespeare' s work. The character of Richard III as portrayed in Shakespeare' s drama is fascinating and illuminating both aesthetically and morally, regardless of its relation to historical fact.
Shakespeare's historical importance puts him beyond the scope of all literary criticism is a principle that most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument above.