Oh, the ignominy of it all!
Scientists in Leicester, England said Monday they have confirmed that King Richard III's remains have been found under a parking lot [my italicized tears].
It's true, as Lady Anne said of the last of the Plantagenet monarchs, that "Never hung poison on a fouler toad." Yet his is my favorite Shakespeare play, for Richard is permitted ample space, as was Shakespeare's custom, to explain to the audience just why he is such a dreadful prick:
Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time.../ since I cannot prove a lover.../ I am determined to prove a villain/ And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Richard's last literary words were, of course, "my kingdom for a horse!" Now I'll think of a car lot. It's not right.
If only he had invited the Tudors over for tea ...
Posted by: Robert Lipscomb | February 04, 2013 at 01:19 PM
The contrarian in me wishes to point out that virtually everything written about Richard either originated with his vanquishers or writers who lived under their rule. I'm only surprised he wasn't accused of being Kenyan.
Posted by: Peter G | February 04, 2013 at 01:38 PM