> Also reveals Tolstoy's own perspective on writing as a moral endeavor which he feels Shakespeare failed at, as if Shakespeare had a morality it was "people should be good, but not too good"
I couldn't agree more, which is why I like Shakespeare so much better than Tolstoy.
We need more writing where people are the best they can be. Imagine the good Shakespeare could have done by making his characters the best role models. People imitate, and Shakespeare has incredible reach.
As I get older, I have little patience for flawed characters, and love it when I see someone act good all the time in fiction.
Edit: Tintin, for example, is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. He is smart, athletic, capable, dependable, and, most importantly, always acts in good faith.
Another perspective: when I was younger, I liked Hardy Boys and Tom Swift because of their earnest niceness. As I get older, I realize that the world is a complex place and people (characters) are nuanced. Reduction to black/white (good/bad) squeezes the nuance and thus the humanity.
For similar reasons, I don't enjoy reading about the good works of (Western) holy people. (Buddhism and Hindu stories, the small exposure I have, seem to contain nuanced characters.)
I get that, and it's a challenge for me as a Shakespeare actor and director. I often work with these "flawed" characters, and early in the process there's this question of "do I really want to tell the story about this person?"
I've got only limited patience for people being stupid and/or mean. Can't we tell stories about good and smart people? Those stories exist, but they're depressingly rare.
I have ways of turning Shakespeare's text into a story that I think you will want to hear. Or at least, trying to. It's the hard part of my job as an artist.
Oh gosh I feel the exact opposite. Of the Tolstoy books I've read I don't think any of his characters are martyrs as one might expect "someone too good is" but you see examples of people thoughtfully trying to helping others and it paying off, while others who thoughtless do it end up, uh, not so great.
I guess I don't consider myself as much an expert on Shakespeare to critique his side though.
briefcomment|5 years ago
As I get older, I have little patience for flawed characters, and love it when I see someone act good all the time in fiction.
Edit: Tintin, for example, is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. He is smart, athletic, capable, dependable, and, most importantly, always acts in good faith.
edmundsauto|5 years ago
For similar reasons, I don't enjoy reading about the good works of (Western) holy people. (Buddhism and Hindu stories, the small exposure I have, seem to contain nuanced characters.)
jfengel|5 years ago
I've got only limited patience for people being stupid and/or mean. Can't we tell stories about good and smart people? Those stories exist, but they're depressingly rare.
I have ways of turning Shakespeare's text into a story that I think you will want to hear. Or at least, trying to. It's the hard part of my job as an artist.
spaced-out|5 years ago
marricks|5 years ago
I guess I don't consider myself as much an expert on Shakespeare to critique his side though.