Tragic hero or self-pitying schmuck — What will it be Mr Khan?

As Imran Khan looks to shape his legacy, will the economy give him pause or will he continue to play agitator?

Perhaps one of the most fiercely debated scenes in Shakespearian scholarship is the crowning of Henry IV. After being exiled by Richard II, Henry returns with an army of nobles formerly loyal to Richard II and ousts him from power. To make the change of guard seem legitimate in the eyes of the court, Henry makes Richard renounce his throne and hand him the crown publicly and willingly. 

In response, Richard does hand over the crown but uses the public platform to deliver one of the bard’s most cleverly disguised speeches. In words he abdicates, but between the lines he declares Henry a usurper and an upstart — risking civil war in an already beleaguered Tudor England. When Henry senses the temperature of the room shift because of Richard’s oratory, in a moment of frustration he asks why Richard is behaving so when he has come willing to resign. “My crown I am; but still my griefs are mine: You may my glories and my state depose, But not my griefs; still am I king of those,” responds the erstwhile King. 

As the scene reaches dramatic crescendo, the audience is forced to ask itself. Who is Richard II? Did he bring his own fate upon him by exiling Henry in the first place out of hubris and hunger for power, or is he the victim of an unwarranted coup? In short, is Richard II a tragic hero, or a self-pitying schmuck?

 

To read the full article, subscribe and support independent business journalism in Pakistan

The content in this publication is expensive to produce. But unlike other journalistic outfits, business publications have to cover the very organizations that directly give them advertisements. Hence, this large source of revenue, which is the lifeblood of other media houses, is severely compromised on account of Profit’s no-compromise policy when it comes to our reporting. No wonder, Profit has lost multiple ad deals, worth tens of millions of rupees, due to stories that held big businesses to account.

Hence, for our work to continue unfettered, it must be supported by discerning readers who know the value of quality business journalism, not just for the economy but for the society as a whole.

(Already a subscriber? Click here to login)
  • Full Price Subscription Plans

    Not only will you be supporting independent journalism, 25% of the amount from your subscription will be used to subsidise those subscribers who cannot afford the full price of the subscription. Yearly full price subscription plans also include a complimentary annual subscription to The Wall Street Journal.

    +

  • Subsidised Subscription Plans

    Pay part of the full subscription price, if you cannot afford to pay all of it, and the rest will be subsidised by a full paying subscriber.

  • Free Student Subscriptions

    If you are currently a student, you can claim an already-paid-for digital subscription, courtesy

     

Abdullah Niazi
Abdullah Niazi
Abdullah Niazi is senior editor at Profit. He can be reached at [email protected]

6 COMMENTS

  1. Perhaps one of the most fiercely debated scenes in Shakespearian scholarship is the crowning of Henry IV. After being exiled by Richard II, Henry returns with an army of nobles formerly loyal to Richard II and ousts him from power. To make the change of guard seem legitimate in the eyes of the court, Henry makes Richard renounce his throne and hand him the crown publicly and willingly.

  2. Although I voted for PTI however since coming into power, the PTI team has clearly shown that they are not here to change the status quo. Infact they are only focused on not letting go of the power seat, by hook or crook. This is a very dangerous precedent and has made the country much much more vulnerable to economic a security threats. Unless an agreement is reached between the political parties to wait for the next election, the situation will become worst for everyone.

Comments are closed.

Popular Posts