Original: Now is the winter of our discontent
Modern: The dark time of our unhappiness is over

Original: Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
Modern: Made into a bright, happy time by this son of York (King Edward);

Original: And all the clouds that lour’d upon our house
Modern: And all the troubles that threatened our family

Original: In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
Modern: Are now buried deep in the ocean.

Original: Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths;
Modern: Now our heads are crowned with victory wreaths;

Original: Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;
Modern: Our damaged weapons are hung up as trophies;

Original: Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings,
Modern: Our harsh battle calls have changed to happy gatherings,

Original: Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.
Modern: Our terrible military marches have become joyful dances.

Original: Grim-visaged war hath smooth’d his wrinkled front;
Modern: Scary-faced war has smoothed out his angry wrinkles;

Original: And now, instead of mounting barded steeds
Modern: And now, instead of riding armored horses

Original: To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,
Modern: To terrify the hearts of frightened enemies,

Original: He capers nimbly in a lady’s chamber
Modern: He dances playfully in a woman’s bedroom

Original: To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.
Modern: To the seductive music of a lute.

Original: But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks,
Modern: But I, who am not built for playful games,

Original: Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass;
Modern: Nor made to flirt with my reflection in a mirror;

Original: I, that am rudely stamp’d, and want love’s majesty
Modern: I, who am roughly made, and lack the dignity needed for love

Original: To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;
Modern: To show off in front of a flirtatious woman;

Original: I, that am curtail’d of this fair proportion,
Modern: I, who have been cheated of normal good looks,

Original: Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
Modern: Robbed of attractive features by lying nature,

Original: Deformed, unfinish’d, sent before my time
Modern: Deformed, incomplete, born too early

Original: Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,
Modern: Into this living world, barely half-finished,

Original: And that so lamely and unfashionable
Modern: And so crippled and ugly

Original: That dogs bark at me as I halt by them;
Modern: That dogs bark at me as I limp past them;

Original: Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace,
Modern: So I, in this soft, musical time of peace,

Original: Have no delight to pass away the time,
Modern: Have no pleasure to fill my time,

Original: Unless to spy my shadow in the sun
Modern: Except to stare at my shadow in the sunlight

Original: And descant on mine own deformity:
Modern: And obsess over my own ugliness:

Original: And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover,
Modern: And so, since I cannot be a lover,

Original: To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
Modern: To enjoy these beautiful, peaceful days,

Original: I am determined to prove a villain
Modern: I have decided to become a villain

Original: And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Modern: And destroy the carefree joys of these times.

Original: Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,
Modern: I have made plots, dangerous schemes,

Original: By drunken prophecies, libels and dreams,
Modern: Using fake prophecies, lies and dreams,

Original: To set my brother Clarence and the king
Modern: To make my brother Clarence and the king

Original: In deadly hate the one against the other:
Modern: Hate each other enough to kill:

Original: And if King Edward be as true and just
Modern: And if King Edward is as honest and fair

Original: As I am subtle, false and treacherous,
Modern: As I am clever, lying and backstabbing,

Original: This day should Clarence closely be mew’d up,
Modern: Then today Clarence should be locked up in prison,

Original: About a prophecy, which says that ‘G’
Modern: Because of a prophecy that says someone whose name starts with ‘G’

Original: Of Edward’s heirs the murderer shall be.
Modern: Will be the one who murders Edward’s children.

Original: Dive, thoughts, down to my soul: here
Modern: Hide, thoughts, deep in my soul: here

Original: Clarence comes.
Modern: Clarence comes.

In the opening scene of Richard III, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, delivers a soliloquy that establishes the current political situation and his own motivations. He explains that the civil wars have ended with his brother Edward IV now securely on the throne, bringing peace to England. However, Richard reveals his deep dissatisfaction with this peacetime, as he feels ill-suited for the pleasures and pastimes of court life due to his physical deformities. He describes himself as misshapen and unable to participate in the romantic pursuits that occupy others during this time of prosperity.

Richard then unveils his villainous intentions, confessing that he has set in motion a plot to turn his two brothers, Edward IV and George, Duke of Clarence, against each other. He explains that he has spread rumors and prophecies suggesting that someone whose name begins with “G” will murder Edward’s heirs, knowing this will point suspicion toward George (Clarence). As he speaks, Clarence arrives under guard, being escorted to the Tower of London on the king’s orders. Richard feigns sympathy and concern for his brother’s imprisonment, questioning the guards about the charges while secretly delighting in the success of his machinations. The scene concludes with Richard’s promise to visit Clarence and his aside to the audience about his plans to have Clarence killed before he can be pardoned.

Richard III opens with Richard, Duke of Gloucester, revealing his villainous intentions to claim the throne of England. Despite his physical deformities, he is determined to remove all obstacles to his coronation. He begins by manipulating his brother Clarence into imprisonment and death, convincing King Edward IV that Clarence poses a threat. Richard also courts Lady Anne, widow of Prince Edward (whom Richard killed), successfully wooing her despite having murdered both her husband and father-in-law. When King Edward IV dies, Richard is named Lord Protector for the young Prince Edward, heir to the throne.

Richard systematically eliminates his rivals and supporters of the rightful heirs. He has Lord Hastings executed for opposing his claim to the throne, and convinces the Duke of Buckingham to help him secure power. Richard and Buckingham spread rumors about the legitimacy of Edward IV’s children, claiming they are bastards. They stage a public scene where Richard reluctantly accepts the crown after appearing to refuse it. Once crowned King Richard III, he orders the murder of the two young princes (Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York) in the Tower of London, though their deaths occur offstage.

Richard’s reign becomes increasingly tyrannical and unstable. The Duke of Buckingham eventually rebels against him and is captured and executed. Richard attempts to consolidate power by proposing to marry Elizabeth of York, his niece, but faces growing opposition. Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, lands in England with an army to claim the throne. The play culminates in the Battle of Bosworth Field, where Richard is haunted by the ghosts of all those he has murdered. Richmond defeats and kills Richard in battle, then marries Elizabeth of York to unite the warring houses of Lancaster and York, establishing the Tudor dynasty and bringing peace to England.