Uncertainty; A Disastrous Thought Process

There is nothing worse than uncertainty. While reading Act 2, Scene 4 of Richard III by Shakespeare I was reminded of an event that took place this past year concerning uncertainty, and what it leads to. In this scene, The Duchess of York starts to talk about how she hopes the young Prince had grown since the last time she saw him. Then Queen Elizabeth, young York, and the Cardinal all talk about how the Prince had not grown, and start to worry about his rule and if he is fit for the crown. This all leads to the unfolding of bad news coming from Dorset. As stated by Dorset, “Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret, with them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.” (Shakespeare, Act 2, Scene IV, Line 45) This act was committed by Richard III. Thoughts of tyranny, destruction, death, and massacre come to Queen Elizabeth’s mind. They are advised to retreat. This scene reminds me of the Wells Fargo scandal that happened recently. Many employees were faced with uncertainty when instructed to create fake accounts to make the bank more money. They feared the worst, loss of their jobs, and fell under the tyrannical spell of their managers. The managers instructed them to behave this way. According to CNN, “unrealistic sales goals placed on employees,” was the main cause of the major fraud committed by the company. (CNN) This later lead to a disaster for Wells Fargo, and illustrates how employees who were uncertain about moral principles lead to a disaster for the banking powerhouse. Uncertainty can lead to many negative events for people in power. As Shakespeare showed us, the uncertainty in young Prince Edward allowed for the twisted Richard III to take the thrown.