The Two-Way : NPR: This week the world's been treated to a commentary on immigration reform from a surprising source: William Shakespeare.
2016 being the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death, many institutions are doing celebrations of one sort or another. The British Library, in hosting a major exhibition, has put online the only surviving scrap of a script in Shakespeare's handwriting — a scene that finds eerily poignant echoes in today's arguments about refugees and immigration on both sides of the Atlantic.
4 comments:
I think one of the coolest things about finding connections between the words of William Shakespeare (technically rewords) is how we will interpret those words based on the relationship we have all formed with him. I think the fact that many people hold him to such high regard when it comes to the interpretations of his words, I wonder if that will make any difference to the audience hearing them and their thoughts on the current issue. This connection is really cool because its almost as if William was here in the present and said those words. I think the political figure today can learn from this speech. The speech certainly appeals to the audience by way of their pathos. He starts off by agreeing with them, getting the mob to trust him, then he spells out what would happen if their favorable rule turned on them, and finally asks them to put themselves in the refugees position. I think it would be really interesting to how the audience reacted to this speech. Maybe it will help the current people today learn what would happen either way.
I think that it is amazing how the problems that we as a society face today are the same problems we have been facing for hundreds of years. Immigration is a huge issue today, all around the world, as well as being a hot button issue for the upcoming presidential election. THe monologue, written by Shakespeare and performed by Ian McKellan really sums up my own feelings on the matter in a precise, yet passionate way. Why should we be so unwelcoming and rude to “strangers”? If we ourselves were in the same situation, we would want people to be welcoming and understanding, not hostile. Unfortunately, I feel like we have a lot of work to do on this front. More people should watch this monologue, or at least be shown its main arguments. Whatever the case, I really enjoyed this article as it made me think and introspect on my own beliefs. I also think that it is cool how it is a shakespeare writing that wasn’t a play until recently.
It’s amazing that in the 400 years since Shakespeare’s time, so many relevant issues have not changed. It really speaks a lot to the ways in which history repeats itself, and what issues humanity creates over and over. That a 400 year old text can hold so relevant today is amazing, and incredibly powerful. It forces us as audience members to think “Have we not made progress since then? Are we not more tolerant and kind?”. The kind of dialogue a text like this creates is incredibly important. Although it’s unlikely politicians and others in positions of power or influence will read the text, or if they do give it any merit, it can still have influence. A text like this adds fuel to the fire, so to speak, for those already championing change. It is another weapon, another reason, another justification in their cause. One must never underestimate the power of strong words.
I agree with my classmates above, it's truly striking how similar Shakespeare's sentiment is to many people today, and how these problems have persisted throughout history. This really shows the true lasting power of art in regards to human nature. We have been evolving for thousands of years, and while we have definitely been doing pretty good with all our modern medicine and cars and fast food, we still see remnants of our ancestral selves within ourselves. Humans naturally shy from things that are different, that is what kept a lot of cavemen alive. And while we mentally have moved past that, that small little caveman is still within us, afraid of being uncomfortable, afraid of being hurt, afraid of changing. That, I feel, is the central conflict within all political debates. On one side, you have people who are afraid and react accordingly. On the other side, you have more people who are afraid for a different reason, and react accordingly. There is logic and logistics and everything, but there is always a base feeling of "This is what I am used to and comfortable with, and people who oppose me must be trying to hurt me." It's sobering to see we have not since developed politically since the 1500's, but it also reminds us of our inherent nature, and how we must acknowledge it.
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