In an article for The Conversation, Dr. David Sterling Brown draws surprising parallels between Shakespeare’s Richard III and Donald Trump, while wielding his hyperlinks like a blade:

As Shakespeare depicts the king’s reign from June 1483 to August 1485, Richard III’s kingdom was wrought with chaos, confusion and corruption that fueled civil conflict in England. […]

Shakespeare’s play highlights the flawed character of a man who wanted to be, in modern terms, a dictator, someone who could do whatever he pleased without any consequences.

Dr. Brown is a scholar of Shakespeare and Associate Professor of English at Trinity College. In his piece, he lays out several more striking similarities between the two men:

Much like Trump during his first term, Shakespeare’s Richard did not lead with morals, ethics or integrity.

Richard lied compulsively to everyone, as his soliloquys (sic) that contain his innermost thoughts make clear.

Like Trump, Richard used empty rhetoric to persuade people with “sugared words” — he was not interested in speaking or promoting truth.

Moreover, Shakespeare’s Richard was a sexist and misogynist who verbally and physically disrespected women, including his wife and mother.

Each link is a swordsman’s cut, underscoring an already compelling case.

He wraps with this:

As a political leader, Richard III left a legacy in English history as one of England’s worst monarchs.

Thus hath history spoken, the comparison is complete.