“LET US SIT UPON THE GROUND….” Today is the 40th anniversary of President Nixon’s resignation. I remember that I kept thinking of the event in terms of Richard II, although as far as I could tell, I was the only one who did.
I recall reading aloud some passages to Mary Jane (who often has to listen to me reading something aloud). In particular, I recall reading:
“For God’s sake, let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings;
How some have been deposed…
III.ii/155-157.
I was reminded of this when Adam Gopnik and John Andrews discussed the thought that Americans are not accustomed to thinking of Shakespeare’s characters as kings. I realize that I usually think of Shakespeare’s plays as family dramas, and that the President’s resignation was one time that I did not.