'Now is the Winter of our Discontent' Soliloquy
Opening Speech from Shakespeare's Richard III
Oct 30, 2009
Richard III is believed to have been written in 1591. It is a five-act play that is usually categorized as one of Shakespeare’s History Plays, because, of course, it is based on historical fact. However, due to the tragic fall of Richard, it is often perceived as equally fitting of the genre of tragedy.
Context of the ‘Now is the Winter of our Discontent Speech’
As with many Shakespearean villains, one of the most notable features of their character is the extraordinarily poetic language that they use. Richard is no exception to this rule, he has arguably the best speeches in the play and he opens with a fine example.
Richard’s famous soliloquy comes at the very beginning of the play. At this point, Richard is not the king, a position he does not ascend to until Act IV, he is merely Duke of Gloucester.
Richard III picks up where Henry VI left off, therefore, Richard’s opening remarks are in many ways a recapitulation of past events. He speaks of his family’s victory in the fight against Henry VI and tells the audience that his brother Edward, who has recently ascended the throne, is now living the high life “He capers nimbly in a lady’s chamber To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.”(I.i)
Not only does Richard remind the audience of recently passed events, he also tells of his plans to claim the throne by placing his brothers, King Edward and George, Duke of Clarence, in bitter hatred of one another.
Content of the Soliloquy
Interestingly, often the phrase “Now is the winter of our discontent…” is misused. In modern vernacular, it is employed in a negative way to express unhappy times. However, it is worth bearing in mind that the word ‘discontent’ is not the last in the sentence. In fact, in its original context, the opening sentence is an extremely positive statement, “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.”(I.i) So, in essence, Richard is saying, “happy days are here again!”
However, between lines 12 and 14, the tone of the soliloquy changes, as Richard’s envy towards his brother, Edward, begins to show. Certainly, at this point of the play, it seems that Richard is not interested in power for power’s sake. Instead, it is resentment over his brother’s success with women that prompts his desire to attain a position of supremacy, “And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover To entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain And hate the idle pleasures of these days.”(I.i) In other words, because Richard cannot enjoy ‘idle pleasures’ he is determined to destroy those who can.
Of course, the reason for Richard’s status as an outsider is his deformity, which he describes at length during the speech, “I - that am curtail’d of this fair proportion, Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deform’d, unfinished, sent before my time Into this breathing world…”(I.i). This may seem unnecessary, because an audience can observe Richard’s abnormality, but his bitterness and longing for revenge are crucial in reaching an understanding of his character.
For audience members to become engrossed in the play they must have an interest in the characters, therefore, it is essential that Richard’s subsequent actions, abhorrent as they are, are justified in some way. That is not to suggest that an audience should necessarily feel empathy for his character or even believe that his motivations are valid, but his logical analysis of the situation and his future actions must be known.
Sir Ian Mckellen's interpretation of this speech, from the 1995 film Richard III, can be viewed here.
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