Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Gee LP (A) on October 15, 2005 at 18:00:37

In Reply to: Re: Interesting reads, Pat posted by patrickU on October 15, 2005 at 13:48:37:

Due to its history in the 550 years or so before and during Shakespeare's time, England had been conquered by France, fought a series of wars in which it controlled most of France and then was tossed out of France, and found itself in a war with Spain. Xenophobia was not unknown in Shakespeare's day, and the easiest way for Shakespeare to draw a villianous portrait was for someone to be an "outsider". Look at Aaron in "Titus Andronicus" for perhaps Shakespeare's ultimate portrayal of the "evil outsider". But Shakespeare could not just paint a black-and-white picture of the evil Moor or the evil Jew...and it is those amazing shots of humanity that give characters like Shylock and Aaron (and Iago and all the others!) such life. Would that our arts today paint our villians with as much depth as Shakespeare painted his.