The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 18.0577  Tuesday, 4 September 2007

[1] 	From: 		Bob Grumman <
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	Date: 		Monday, 03 Sep 2007 13:26:06 -0500
	Subj: 		Re: SHK 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother

[2] 	From: 		Bob Grumman <
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	Date: 		Monday, 03 Sep 2007 13:26:06 -0500
	Subj: 		Re: SHK 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother

[3] 	From: 		Bob Grumman <
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	Date: 		Monday, 03 Sep 2007 13:26:06 -0500
	Subj: 		Re: SHK 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		Bob Grumman <
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Date: 		Monday, 03 Sep 2007 13:26:06 -0500
Subject: 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother
Comment: 	Re: SHK 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother

As an American, I don't know anything about the Big Brother competition, 
Sam, but it would seem to me unlikely that the winner's never having 
heard of Shakespeare was the main factor in his victory.  On the other 
hand, admitting to never having heard of Shakespeare--in the United 
Kingdom!--shows more than a little courage.  I wonder if he'd ever heard 
of Isaac Newton or Charles Darwin.  Anyway, I don't think that people's 
admiration of someone who never heard of Shakespeare suggests they must 
despise those who have, as you seem to fear.

--Bob G.

[2]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		David Frankel <
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Date: 		Monday, 3 Sep 2007 15:26:20 -0400
Subject: 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother
Comment: 	RE: SHK 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother

Sam Small asks, a propos of the winner of Big Brother not knowing who 
Shakespeare was, "Where does that leave this list?"

Secure in the knowledge that reading, seeing, loving, etc. Shakespeare's 
works is neither a necessary nor sufficient cause of courage, decency, 
kindness and love of fellow human beings.

But then, neither is reading, seeing, etc. anything else.

So what?

C. David Frankel
University of South Florida

[3]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		Donald Bloom <
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Date: 		Monday, 3 Sep 2007 14:28:59 -0500
Subject: 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother
Comment: 	RE: SHK 18.0574 Shakespeare and Big Brother

Sam Small writes: "From my previous thread on the value of studying 
Shakespeare I have to announce that last night the UK Big Brother 
contestant who declared that he had never heard of Shakespeare won the 
competition by a landslide. Now it is my contention (supported by clear 
evidence) that the person that wins Big Brother is the person who 
displays the most courage, decency, kindness and love of fellow human 
beings.  Where does that leave this list?

A very difficult question, indeed.

First, because I haven't a glimmer what the Big Brother winner is. It 
sounds slightly Orwellian. (Though there is a group in the U.S. called 
"Big Brothers" which helps people help disadvantaged youth.)

Second, because I don't know what the relationship is between having 
"courage, decency, kindness and love of fellow human beings" and knowing 
anything about Shakespeare (or, more precisely, his work). If he really 
has "never heard of" WS, and isn't merely exaggerating, he is a cultural 
moron and there's an end to it.

Third, because I don't know what the relationship of this courageous, 
decent, etc ignoramus is to this list.

Fourth, because if SS is suggesting that this apparent fact renders the 
list trivial or irrelevant then he seems to be telling us more about his 
current interests and priorities than about anything else. I'm not sure 
why I should find that interesting.

Cheers,
don

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