Shakespeare a la Orient

Very interesting experience. As you know, my English class has started reading Julius Caesar which, haha, I have already read and analyzed to within an inch of its life. Gag. Nevertheless, it is Shakespeare, so it has my love and admiration.

Anyway, there are certain phrases and factoids...just little things mind, but they are unique to the western world and its literature and speech. For example, Casca, a character in Caesar, is referred to as a weasel. In western society, this would be perfectly understandable and clear. Not so in Viet Nam. My American English teacher had to explain to the Asian kids in the class what a weasel was and then what the metaphor meant. Cool huh? That is an experience you wouldn't get in West Virginia.

I find it so neat that something as fantastic as Shakespearean plays is not universal. Actually, they were geared to a very specific audience, namely, the good English citizens of the Elizabethan era. How is it that they have lived so long? I mean, most people sasdly are not as enamored of Shakespeare as I am. How is it that the plays are still revered as great works of art? I guess there must be enough people that appreciate them....haha, I can't find that many. None in this school actually. Ah well. Bye for now.