I would hasten to argue that a problem arises from the fact that John doesn't really understand many of the concepts.
He understands the anger and hatred from Hamlet to his uncle. But, he doesn't understand the dynamics so much. I don't think his society has anything like that hereditary rule that would apply.
Romeo and Juliet, in order to get the tragic romance element, one needs to understand loving and being denied by rule (and John was once sixteen in a culture that didn't condition him against such strong emotions). But, the complex matters of power structures? The warning that Romeo and Juliet gives to parents? Probably not.
But, yeah, I think Huxley didn't quite get how context-dependent Shakespeare can be.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: How does John know?
Date: 2017-11-07 01:15 pm (UTC)He understands the anger and hatred from Hamlet to his uncle. But, he doesn't understand the dynamics so much. I don't think his society has anything like that hereditary rule that would apply.
Romeo and Juliet, in order to get the tragic romance element, one needs to understand loving and being denied by rule (and John was once sixteen in a culture that didn't condition him against such strong emotions). But, the complex matters of power structures? The warning that Romeo and Juliet gives to parents? Probably not.
But, yeah, I think Huxley didn't quite get how context-dependent Shakespeare can be.