tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post4140837729137487410..comments2024-01-13T08:49:14.041-08:00Comments on Myrhaf: Thoughts on the Mystery of ShakespeareMyrhafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16340507405537605164noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-12919425813125664962007-04-04T07:04:00.000-07:002007-04-04T07:04:00.000-07:00"you have a Shakespeare, right?"Oh, yes, I keep hi..."you have a Shakespeare, right?"<BR/><BR/>Oh, yes, I keep him locked safely away in my basement.<BR/><BR/>*Ahem*<BR/><BR/>I understand that the man's work certainly had its flaws, driven by his premises and all that. But the point about Shakespeare is not his meaning, his plots, or the integration of character and action. It was <I>wit</I>, and now that you mention it wit of the <I>English</I> variety, that makes him a treasure.<BR/><BR/>And, let's face it, the man pens a good line.<BR/><BR/>All of the worst aspects of his work... I just never got the impression that he took it too seriously. It was like those nihilistic parts were required of him by an overbearing producer or something. (that producer being his philosophy, no doubt)<BR/><BR/>But I'm no expert. I've only read and seen a play of his or six.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-6231548639378436472007-04-03T14:47:00.000-07:002007-04-03T14:47:00.000-07:00"As I recall, her criticism is similar to Tolstoy,..."As I recall, her criticism is similar to Tolstoy, that Shakespeare is amoral and without a point of view."<BR/><BR/>I think its deeper than that. She argued that Shakespeare was one of the spiritual fathers of nihilsm. To him morality was useless, "life is a tale told by an idiot signifying nothing." Dr. Peikoff added that at the time of Shakespeare, the Churches' stranglehold on morality was breaking and in its wake essentially skepticism and amoralism followed. Shakespeare was an example of this. Dr. Peikoff also labeled Cervantez (a contemporary) as an example.madmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14375140131881725965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-16274212392527883032007-04-03T03:57:00.000-07:002007-04-03T03:57:00.000-07:00Shakespeare a philosopher? What idiotic essayist t...Shakespeare a philosopher? What idiotic essayist threw that label on him?<BR/><BR/>If I were to compare Shakespeare to anyone living today, I would compare him to Steven Spielberg, whom I sincerely doubt anyone would refer to as a philosopher.<BR/><BR/>Myrhaf, as you correctly pointed out, the wonder of Shakespeare is involved in the acting required. That is why there is a world of difference in reading Shakespeare vs. watching his plays performed. <BR/><BR/>To read Shakespeare is like watching a good show on a black and white tv. To watch a Shakespearean play performed is like seeing the same show on a big screen HDTV.EdMcGonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05892046331126818396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-32663510029165855722007-04-02T23:03:00.000-07:002007-04-02T23:03:00.000-07:00I own "Eight Great Plays" and I've heard it severa...I own "Eight Great Plays" and I've heard it several times. It is great. I would include Ayn Rand's criticism of Shakespeare, if I had a transcript. As I recall, her criticism is similar to Tolstoy, that Shakespeare is amoral and without a point of view.Myrhafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16340507405537605164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-50866985755450723432007-04-02T20:36:00.000-07:002007-04-02T20:36:00.000-07:00Myrhaf,I highly recommend that you buy Leonard Pei...Myrhaf,<BR/><BR/>I highly recommend that you buy Leonard Peikoff's taped lecture series "Eight Great Plays." One of the plays Dr. Peikoff analyzes is Othello. He gives not only his analysis of Shakespeare, but Ayn Rand's exact analysis of Shakespeare. That alone is worth the price of the course. I think you will find it (and the entire course which is dedicated to plays not novels) very interesting.madmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14375140131881725965noreply@blogger.com