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#Post#: 16752--------------------------------------------------
Woke Corner
By: Gregory Date: June 12, 2024, 2:38 am
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An amusing article in today's Telegraph by satirical columnist
Michael Deacon (copied as there's a paywall for
non-subscribers):
"Thanks to important work carried out in recent years by various
Left-wing academics and commentators, we all know that William
Shakespeare was a racist, a misogynist, an ableist, a classist,
and in all probability a Tory-voting Brexiteer. It seems,
however, that his shameful failure to reflect the progressive
mores of the 21st century does not end there. Because we now
learn that this hateful Elizabethan bigot was fatphobic, as
well.
We owe this intelligence to no less a source than the Royal
Shakespeare Company. In a “content advisory” note on its
website, it warns the public that The Merry Wives of Windsor (at
the Royal Shakespeare Theatre till September 7) contains
“bullying in the form of body-shaming”. The victim of this
body-shaming is Falstaff, who is ridiculed for his weight by two
women he is hoping to woo. Mistress Page cruelly dismisses him
as “the fat knight” and “this old fat fellow”, while Mistress
Ford scornfully likens him to a “whale”.
In response to this shocking display of prejudice, many people
will doubtless argue that it’s irresponsible to stage the play
at all. Better to cancel the entire production. And, for that
matter, to remove the text from all university reading lists, to
prevent students from suffering the lifelong trauma that
exposure to it is certain to incur.
Personally, however, I think the producers should simply rewrite
the offending passages of dialogue, to promote a healthier, more
modern view of body image. First, Mistress Page should declare
that she finds Falstaff irresistibly attractive, no matter how
fat he is. In reply, Mistress Ford should accuse Mistress Page
of fatphobia, because actually Falstaff is a perfectly normal
size, and only someone with unrealistic body standards would
call him fat. In turn, Mistress Page should accuse Mistress Ford
of fatphobia, because, by refusing to acknowledge that Falstaff
is fat, she is guilty of fat erasure.
Alternatively, the producers should stage Julius Caesar instead.
In this play, the title character mutters, “Yond Cassius has a
lean and hungry look… such men are dangerous”, and explains that
he prefers to “have men about me that are fat”.
An admirable example of positive discrimination.
#Post#: 16783--------------------------------------------------
Re: Woke Corner
By: Stephen Horsfall Date: June 12, 2024, 9:12 am
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I can't see the point of mocking the RSC for something they
haven't done. All they've done is issue a so-called "trigger
warning", which anyone is free to ignore.
#Post#: 16789--------------------------------------------------
Re: Woke Corner
By: Gregory Date: June 12, 2024, 10:13 am
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It's the fatuity and toeing the current line of the so-called
'trigger warning' which deserves lampooning (more than mockery.)
These 'trigger warnings' implicitly assume that people are so
ultra-sensitive that they may be offended by a couple of
relatively harmless comments about someone's weight and in the
midst of a humorous scene. Falstaff is clearly a (trigger
warning!) larger than life figure whom we all laugh at during
his scenes. I'm sure it has never occurred to audiences before
to feel offended by so-called 'fatphobia' as well as other such
ridiculous terms used by the humourless bores who propagate such
modish drivel. Indeed, a pointless 'trigger warning' actually
draws attention to something that would undoubtedly never occur
to most people. Yes, people can ignore it and hopefully will.
What next - a 'trigger warning' about villainising deformity in
Richard III, one for excessive violence in Julius Caesar, one
for delusional behaviour and paranoia in Hamlet, etc. (At least
I suppose Portia would get a nod of approval for her cross
dressing in The Merchant of Venice.) Oh, and woebetide the white
actor you uses blackface as Othello.
Deacon's article is funny and serves its satirical purpose, just
as Private Eye did (which in the present climate should probably
be riddled with 'trigger warnings'.)
#Post#: 16854--------------------------------------------------
Re: Woke Corner
By: Beverly Date: June 15, 2024, 10:26 am
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Interesting that recently someone posted on a facebook
Shakespeare page that the Bard was a misogynist. I defended that
he was in most cases parodying cultural norms of his time, but
he was clearly not promoting such. The character Beatrice in
Much Ado was the example I used to show how he was obviously
going against the cultural grain of his time.
The RSC is merely being respectful to a very small sector of
society who, I agree, are being overly sensitive. The real flame
fanning here, though, is the obviously conservative-media
manipulation implying the issue is much larger (and worse
detrimental) than it actually is. Anymore, the word “woke” is
clearly a ridiculous alarm triggering a growing sector of
easily-manipulated people that imo are much more detrimental to
society (especially here) right now.
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