Monday, April 25, 2016
493 - Other Wise, Part II
Spirituality Column No. 493
April 26, 2016
Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary
“This above all, to thine own self be true.” Polonius in Hamlet, Act 1, Scene iii
As antithetical as this apparently self-serving quote may appear to a Christian, it provides a valuable lesson of how not to read Shakespeare … or the Bible.
Not that anyone is going to confuse Polonius with Jesus.
Shakespeare wrote lots of stuff that has a biblical ring to it. This particular quote shows up all the time on lists of sayings people think come from the Bible but don’t, sayings like “Moderation in all things” (Aristotle), “God helps those that help themselves” (Aesop / Ben Franklin) and others. You get the idea.
As for biblical passages and Shakespearian tragedies, smart people have been studying them for a long time. When we encounter inspired scripture or secular platitudes, it is wise to seek truth not in the brevity or pithiness of a single line, but in the broader context of the writing, the actual lesson being taught, the perspective of the era and the wisdom of the ages. Truth has a way of never getting old.
Our present day New Age / postmodern / warm-fuzzy love affair with our worldly appetites and self-defined moral standards would grab this Shakespeare line about “being true to one’s self” and claim it as authoritative affirmation of self-driven ethical reality. “My point is proven,” we assume. “I’ll keep my own counsel,” we assert. And we miss the deep, timeless truth of selfless – not selfish – moral high ground.
Polonius was a not-too-trustworthy Shakespearian windbag who nonetheless had a gift for saying wise things. Here he advises his travel-bound son Laertes, a friend of Hamlet’s, to be “true to himself” because in context, two lines later, “Thou canst not then be false to any man.” The lesson is about dealing rightly with others so as not to defile one’s own reputation.
As for Shakespeare’s historical era, Elizabethan England (1558-1603) enjoyed great power and was subject to profound Christian influence. The age followed closely the founding of the Anglican Church by King Henry VIII (1534), was a period of great British commercial and naval might, and just preceded the King James Bible (1611).
To learn wisdom or profound timeless truth that is sometimes hidden from view, we must train and discipline ourselves to look deeper than one line of Shakespeare, or one line of scripture or first-impression evidence anywhere.
How Christians “do unto others,” “forgive others,” “love others,” “let our light shine for others” and “make disciples, baptize and instruct others” all reflect the depth, breadth and health of our relationship with God.
That’s what reveals one’s true self.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes that one’s Bible understanding enriches one’s grasp of Western literature.
April 26, 2016
Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary
Other Wise, Part II
By Bob Walters“This above all, to thine own self be true.” Polonius in Hamlet, Act 1, Scene iii
As antithetical as this apparently self-serving quote may appear to a Christian, it provides a valuable lesson of how not to read Shakespeare … or the Bible.
Not that anyone is going to confuse Polonius with Jesus.
Shakespeare wrote lots of stuff that has a biblical ring to it. This particular quote shows up all the time on lists of sayings people think come from the Bible but don’t, sayings like “Moderation in all things” (Aristotle), “God helps those that help themselves” (Aesop / Ben Franklin) and others. You get the idea.
As for biblical passages and Shakespearian tragedies, smart people have been studying them for a long time. When we encounter inspired scripture or secular platitudes, it is wise to seek truth not in the brevity or pithiness of a single line, but in the broader context of the writing, the actual lesson being taught, the perspective of the era and the wisdom of the ages. Truth has a way of never getting old.
Our present day New Age / postmodern / warm-fuzzy love affair with our worldly appetites and self-defined moral standards would grab this Shakespeare line about “being true to one’s self” and claim it as authoritative affirmation of self-driven ethical reality. “My point is proven,” we assume. “I’ll keep my own counsel,” we assert. And we miss the deep, timeless truth of selfless – not selfish – moral high ground.
Polonius was a not-too-trustworthy Shakespearian windbag who nonetheless had a gift for saying wise things. Here he advises his travel-bound son Laertes, a friend of Hamlet’s, to be “true to himself” because in context, two lines later, “Thou canst not then be false to any man.” The lesson is about dealing rightly with others so as not to defile one’s own reputation.
As for Shakespeare’s historical era, Elizabethan England (1558-1603) enjoyed great power and was subject to profound Christian influence. The age followed closely the founding of the Anglican Church by King Henry VIII (1534), was a period of great British commercial and naval might, and just preceded the King James Bible (1611).
To learn wisdom or profound timeless truth that is sometimes hidden from view, we must train and discipline ourselves to look deeper than one line of Shakespeare, or one line of scripture or first-impression evidence anywhere.
How Christians “do unto others,” “forgive others,” “love others,” “let our light shine for others” and “make disciples, baptize and instruct others” all reflect the depth, breadth and health of our relationship with God.
That’s what reveals one’s true self.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes that one’s Bible understanding enriches one’s grasp of Western literature.
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