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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 14.2329  Wednesday, 10 December 2003

From:           Rolland Banker <rollbank@yahoo.com>
Date:           Tuesday, 9 Dec 2003 19:16:14 -0800 (PST)
Subject: 14.2291 Sir William [and the Puritans]
Comment:        Re: SHK 14.2291 Sir William [and the Puritans]

[Sir] William was for all time! Not a generation!

Like Sophocles in the third century taking only second prize for
'Oedipus Rex'.

Sir Mick and the RS's brought the culture of the slowly perishing
Mississippi Delta African-American rhythm and blues genius back to the
popular culture of Puritan America and the world [that had been spooked
by Elvis and Jerry Lee into Pat Booneifing all things black]. Connecting
that deeply rhythmic poetic past with the quickly petrifying present.

William Blake Comes Alive as 'The Mental Traveller' incarnates itself in
the lyrics of the Stones 'Jumpin Jack Flash'. High art and popular
culture connect.

As Camille Paglia says, 'Since the Puritans have usually been immune to
art, [that] is one reason popular culture has so flourished here.' and
need I say in England?

And like her I do not agree that Pop destroys a cultivated response to
high art. And though Shakespeare's 'Rough Magic' today may appear like
costumed 'Ruff Magic' to the youth and popular culture, folks like Sting
[apologies accepted from Jonathan Hope Strathclyde University, Glasgow]
are still compelled to turn to him.

Let Pop and her heroes get their due today from the generation that
appreciates their work and the second-[best?] place finishers will get
their due in milleniums to come!

[Sir] William just doesn't do the subject justice. My stance is clear
from my previous post on the Dramatis Personae thread.

Riffs and farewell.

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