No Fear Shakespeare
Richard III
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 2, Scene 2
Original Text |
Modern Text |
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Enter the old DUCHESS of York, with the two children of Clarence |
The old DUCHESS OF YORK enters with CLARENCE’s two children. |
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BOY
Good grandam, tell us, is our father dead?
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BOY
Tell me, good grandmother, is our father dead?
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DUCHESS
No, boy.
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DUCHESS
No, boy.
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GIRL
Why do you weep so oft, and beat your breast,
And cry, “O Clarence, my unhappy son?”
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GIRL
Then why do you weep so often, and beat your breast, and cry, “Oh Clarence, my unlucky son”?
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BOY
Why do you look on us and shake your head,
And call us orphans, wretches, castaways,
If that our noble father were alive?
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BOY
Why do you look at us and shake your head, and call us orphans, wretches, castaways, if our noble father is still alive?
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DUCHESS
My pretty cousins, you mistake me both.
I do lament the sickness of the king,
As loath to lose him, not your father’s death.
It were lost sorrow to wail one that’s lost.
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DUCHESS
My pretty children, both of you misunderstand me. I’m lamenting the sickness of the king, because I’d hate to lose him—I’m not mourning your father’s death. What would be the point of crying over someone who was already dead?
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BOY
Then, you conclude, my grandam, he is dead.
The king mine uncle is to blame for it.
God will revenge it, whom I will importune
With earnest prayers, all to that effect.
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BOY
So you’re admitting Clarence, my father, is dead. My uncle the king is to blame for this. God will take revenge. I will pray every day that he does.
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GIRL
And so will I.
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GIRL
And so will I.
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DUCHESS
Peace, children, peace. The king doth love you well.
Incapable and shallow innocents,
You cannot guess who caused your father’s death.
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DUCHESS
Quiet, children, quiet. The king loves you very much. Innocent sweethearts, you have no idea who’s responsible for your father’s death.
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