Sunday, July 24, 2011

Shakespeare as God

"For me, Shakespeare is God," says Harold Bloom. How many others might say the same? As soon as he becomes a divinity--perhaps the believer's only one, or at least the one above all others--what more can be said? It would seem to be beyond reasonable discussion at that point; certainly impervious to logic. You're now dealing in the world of religious fervor, where you must tread lightly. Show maximum respect for a man's beliefs, etc. All those who disagree are labelled heretical apostates.

How to change such a mind? Would seem more of a conversion--a religious conversion, or at least a conversion from a fervent-believer mentality to a more fact-based/rational/logical one. Chance for success: slim. Unless . . such beliefs drive a major study into why we believe what we do, and how to change it.

One part of religious belief seems to be the human need for a mystery. Certainly the nature of how these works have come down to us--through a rather convoluted (and not altogether understood) process--to be regarded as the greatest body of literature in English is mysterious. That they would be attributed to the most unlikely creature, lacking even the rudimentary tools/abilities necessary to perform such a miracle? It's like a Creation Myth all its own. And how many such massive (and massively important) bodies of work have at their core an authorship mystery? Certainly what's attributed to Homer, the Bible, Cervantes, etc.

If the desire is to experience/enjoy a mystery, the factual road out might seem quite unattractive to the Believer.

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