Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 10:16:40

The Summer of Our Discontent

Richard’s famous soliloquy opens Shakespeare’s play, “Richard III”:

“Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this sun of York;

And all the clouds that lour’d upon our house

In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.”

The first line is often quoted as though it were the entire story. “Now is the winter of our discontent,” we are cold and unhappy. To be interpreted correctly, the first phrase needs to be connected with the second, “made glorious summer by this sun of York.” We were unhappy, but now happy days are here again since Edward has recovered the throne.

Will the summer of American’s discontent lead to a glorious winter for the American people?