Wikipedia defines the English Wars of the Roses as follows –

“The Wars of the Roses were a series of wars for control of the throne of England. They were fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet, those of Lancaster and York. They were fought in several sporadic episodes between 1455 and 1487, although there was related fighting before and after this period. The conflict resulted from social and financial troubles that followed the Hundred Years’ War, combined with the mental infirmity and weak rule of Henry VI which revived interest in Richard, Duke of York‘s claim to the throne.
The final victory went to a claimant of the Lancastrian party, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who defeated the last Yorkist king, Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth Field. After assuming the throne as Henry VII, he married Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter and heiress of Edward IV, thereby uniting the two claims. The House of Tudor ruled the Kingdom of England until 1603.”
How many friends do you have who watch any series dealing with this topic? Start with “Reign”and “The White Queen”. I have never watched an episode of “Game of Thrones” out of fear of my developing another binge watching event in my life.
There seems to be a great interest in this topic. Does the period of 1455 to 1487 mirror our current political situation?
Is our country divided politically between two heirs who enjoy almost equal wealth and power? Have the associates of either heir engaged in endless battles with the other side? Is the country itself evenly divided between the haves and the have-nots?
Is there an evil heir who usurps power and chastises foes ceaselessly? Has the church failed to exercise its power to reconcile one heir with the other?
On Election Day, November 8, 2016, will Donald Trump be stricken from his horse and stand vulnerable in a field like Bosworth, yelling, “A horse. A horse.”?
Art reflects life. Nowhere is that more true than in televised human dramas. Reality TV is no accident. It developed out of need.
We need a Donald Trump. Perhaps, it is best he not be the ruler. But he does embody everything in us that we should rightfully detest.
I am seeing a production of Richard III (R3 to theater folk) in a few days. When Kevin Spacey was still artistic director at the Old Vic in London, he himself played Richard in a version of R3 he titled “Now”( as in Richard’s opening lines, “Now is the winter of our discontent…”).
In this political season, as we slide into November and Election Day, keep Richard III in mind when you mark your ballot. How many of us need to die in order to serve the needs of The Royals?
trumpasrichard1