‘And tell sad stories of the death of kings.’: Richard II and Today’s Storming of Iraq’s Presidential Palace
Richard II was wrongfooted by Bolingbroke, and lost his crown as a result. In one sudden moment, his allies and his army melted away like butter in the sun. And today, as we look at the sudden, unexpected, unanticipated, unpredicted storming of Iraq’s presidential palace, and a helicopter evacuation of the U.S. embassy a la Vietnam in 1975, we have to wonder if President Biden isn’t feeling a bit like RII. (It also gives us a chance to review one of the most beautiful speeches in the play.) Let’s set …
