"Genius does what it must..." (Bulwer-Lytton)

.....For several years I taught a class here in our clubhouse called "Fun with Shakespeare." We spent an hour and a half reading and discussing a play for six weeks. Participants were asked to pay $35 for the privilege of having me teach them! Well, I never got fewer than 20 people and when I taught "The Merchant of Venice" sixty people signed up. I guess they wanted to find out if Shakespeare was anti-Semitic--which he wasn't. They also were curious as to whether or not Shakespeare really wrote the plays and not some other guy. The evidence that Shakespeare actually was the writer is sufficient to satisfy all but a few doubters. How could a man who only went to grammar school do what he did?? The answer is "genius".

.....Unfortunately, I can't teach a class like I have done here anymore. Takes too much preparation and requires lots of energy in the classroom. I'm 86 and my body is broken, but my mind is not. However, I thought about it, and it's possible that I can conduct a class which I could call, "The Wisdom of Shakespeare." In this class we could discuss themes from Shakespeare's plays such as justice, love, marriage, honor, heroism, age, children, God, grief, suicide, and many, many other themes that would lead to open and heated discussions. I would first read passages from the plays that deal with these themes. This type of class would require very little preparation and very little in-class energy. And it would allow me to get back to doing something for humanity! A great teacher is not one who imparts knowledge to his students, but one who awakens their interest in it and makes them pursue it for themselves. Well, it would be interesting to see how many people would register for a class like this. There are many classes offered here, but none of them deal with things "cultural". I know St. Patrick's Day is coming this month, but a couple of days before that, beware the Ides of March. Of course everyone knows that Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C. or B.CE if you prefer. Personally, I like B.C.

.....Today I got discharged from in-house physical rehab. I'm thankful for that because I was getting really bored with all the exercises. Next week I'll be seeing the surgeon once more and I'll begin "outpatient" therapy which involves working on machines like a bicycle or a rower. One of these days I'll burn my walker and get back to the cane. The cane's OK. Makes me look distinguished. Maybe like Sherlock Holmes--although I don't think he carried a cane. Getting back to Shakespeare and/or culture, I've also been thinking about the poetry I like the best. It's hard to pick one out, but "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock" has to be one of them. "Paradise Lost" by Milton is another. And anything by George Gordon, Lord Byron...particularly, "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage." And then there is "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" by Fitzgerald. Only genius is responsible for the writing of these poems. Baron suggests you run to the nearest library and pick up a book on English literature. Then read; it doesn't hurt. Really.

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