unrelated data points

[tempestsarekind]

- I always feel dispirited when my students refer to the "universal themes" of Shakespeare in their papers. As though I have had no effect on them at all

Comments

[viomisehunt]

You sound a bit like my Aesthetics Professor. We have to keep in mind that this a "sound bite" generation. They pick up on slogans, and fast answers. And it's ZShakespeare, and that is what people always say about Shakespeare. I would challenge that by asking how certain themes are universal. Cultures are different enough that even within one society, values are different. I don't mean something as simple as Gay marriage; but ideas of duty, ideas of loyalty, of honesty, identity

[tempestsarekind]

That's the point, though--I've been challenging that concept. It just doesn't seem to go *away*.

[viomisehunt]

Ewwww. So even if you ask something like l is the English concept of mercy,justice,equality truly universal" you get a resounding Yes? With examples?

[tempestsarekind]

No, thank goodness! It's more that we all kind of come to the realization that "universal" (or whatever similar thing people say about Shakespeare) is a flawed term, at that moment, and then they just go on using it in their papers anyway.

[valancy_s]

Okay, if vampires were really influencing baby names, that would be the best non-evil but deeply tricksy plot ever.

At least Jacob and Isabella are nice names. Gods, I hope "Reneesme" or however you spell that isn't catching on!

[tempestsarekind]

I know, right? It's like, "We could use our powers to crush you all and rule on high as overlords, but we choose merely to influence your choice of names for your children."

Apparently "Cullen" has shot up in the charts as well, in recent years. I didn't even know that was previously a name on the list!

[viomisehunt]

Cullen was popular a few decades back, but I think it was because of some Western. I remember Shogun had everyone learning Japanese! I'm not into Twilight at all. At least Anne Rice's Vampire took us on a fanciful trip into the past.

[tempestsarekind]

Yes--it seems like half the fun of telling vampire stories would be to explore the past in some way, but Twilight doesn't capitalize on that at all.