2007-09-07 10:49:23 · 10 answers · asked by 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
in the late 70s the unions and labour government could not agree on pay rises so dustbin men nurses and many more went on strike. the strike lasted for weeks.this turned the public against the labour party.
2007-09-07 11:11:58 · answer #1 · answered by tolate 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shakespeare coined thephrase in Richard III Act 1:
Now is the winter of our discontent,
Made glorious summer by this son of York.
Typically, this brilliant use of iambic pentameter set the scene for one of the great plays. But I digress.
The modern use (overuse) implies a period of economic difficulty and was used rather cleverly to describe the state of the nation during the last yearof Callaghan's labour government. The phrase has become a cliche.
2007-09-08 15:30:13 · answer #2 · answered by J S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1) The British winter of 1978/9 when the railwaymen, dustmen, gravediggers and every man and his dog went on strike, leading to the downfall of Callaghan's Labour government, paving the way for the election of the Iron lady herself.
2) Or was that a misprint and it's a notice about a winter sale in a camping shop (Discount tents)?
3) A John Steinbeck novel
4)Richard III by Shakespeare
2007-09-07 18:03:18 · answer #3 · answered by hersheba 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Winter of Discontent - in its' modern day use was first penned to describe the situation when those involved in heat generation industry (Like coal miners) went on strike during cold weather spells
2007-09-07 18:04:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The British winter of 1978/9 when the railwaymen, dustmen, gravediggers and every man and his dog went on strike, leading to the downfall of Callaghan's Labour government, paving the way for the election of the Iron lady herself.
2007-09-15 16:50:26 · answer #5 · answered by Jsn20 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When Shakespeare wrote Richard III, the country was in a great time of poverty. Warfare had crippled the country, and there was not enough food to go round. Furthermore, squabbling over the rightful succession of the crown led to feuding factions within the country. This was England's Winter of Discontent.
Richard III was supposed to be able to put a stop to this poverty, and this is why the great 'Now' speech of Act I refers to Richard (a son of the king) being like a 'sun' (typical Shakie play on words) making a glorious summer out of England's Winter of Discontent.
Hope that gets you some marks :-)
2007-09-07 17:59:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
It's a cold feeling in the heart.
An anxiety.
A sadness.
A yearning.
2007-09-07 19:35:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
When public workers are unhappy and are on stike. They're hacked off with the government. That sort of thing.
2007-09-07 17:58:31 · answer #8 · answered by Ruby Tuesday 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
A long spell of being unhappy
2007-09-08 12:18:54 · answer #9 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It usually refers to a period of industrial strike action.
2007-09-07 18:02:54 · answer #10 · answered by tattyhead65 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋