[HPFGU-OTChatter] The Cat Chap: Does Jo Think We're Dumb?

[Kathryn]

CMC
 
"If neither boy was 'pre-ordained' before Voldemort's attack to
become his possible vanquisher, then the prophecy (like the one the
witches make to Macbeth, if anyone has read the play of the same
name)"
 
"If anyone has read it"?  Jeez Louise, Jo, there might be a tiny
miniscule fraction of a percent that possibly might have glanced at
one of the greatest masterpieces of the mightiest of English language
authors – e.g., the late Richard Harris, who played the role of
Macbeth several times on stage during his career, Maggie Smith, who
played Lady M on several occasions, (but alas! that fervent
antagonist of the Zionist Conspiracy, Alan Rickman, seems to have
been denied the opportunity to strut and fret his hour upon the
Macbethian stage, and we all know **WHY**)
 


K

Take a deep breath and give the woman a break. Her 'target' audience so to
speak (since she has said she doesn't aim the books at any particular group
this is a debateable point I guess) are hardly likely to read Shakespeare
without being forced too - and those of us who do enjoy Shakespeare might
take issue with it being quite so great. I know the only thing I found in
Macbeth's favour was that it was the shortest of Shakespeare's plays (I
think I might have hated it even more if it were longer). This is not a book
to be tossed aside lightly - it should be thrown with great force! To be
fair that opinion probably has more to do with the fact that a) I had to
read it and didn't get to see it performed (well we did see an excerpt of a
televised version with Lady Macbeth doing the scene where she basically asks
for the strength to carry out her plans (don't know the act and scene
numbers off hand) and pretty much writhing around on the bed in (overacted)
pseudo-sexual ecstasy - imagine how that went down with a class of fourteen
year olds ...) and b) I hate literature classes because you end up analysing
things in far more detail than the author probably intended, not to mention
finding subtexts which I would bet good money had never even occured to the
author, uh, glances nervously over at the main list, hmmm, maybe I should
rephrase that ;) Anyway I admit my view of Macbeth specifically may be
skewed by my teenage experiences with it - but I honestly think it's one of
the weaker plays (although I am talking about it being weak in comparison to
some of the greatest works ever written). And anyway like I say seven year
olds, probably not the greates readers of shakespeare around so it's a big
if for most of her assumed readership. Anyone familiar with Shakespeare is
probably old enough and smart enough not to need her explanations in the
first place.


That may not have been as coherent as I wanted it to be but to be fair I
have a little Alan Rickman pixie prancing around in my head now dressed in
Shakespearean costume (mmm, tights) and doing the 'dagger' speech - and it's
all your fault! (For which I thank you <eg>)

K

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