TO ME, FAIR FRIEND, YOU NEVER CAN BE OLD

The title comes from Shakespeare’s Sonnet #104. See also my other Shakespearean entries and references.

As the reader undoubtedly understands, this entry is not about William Shakespeare the writer (1564-1616), but about William Shakespeare the philosopher. It is obviously far too short to do him justice, but then, how huge is it supposed to be, to measure up to his exorbitant world-historical significance? It is, therefore, nothing more than a token of respect for him in this Philosophy block of sections.

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My good friend Bertrand Russell quotes Shakespeare’s King Lear---

…I will do such things---

What they are yet I know not--- but they shall be

The terrors of the earth…

---and concludes, making an earlier point of his: This is Nietzsche’s philosophy in a nutshell.

By the same token, I can say, with an even greater justification, that Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be…” is all human philosophy in a nutshell!

There is a distinct supernatural quality to Shakespeare’s genius, such as makes it difficult to speak of him, or even to write of him. Indeed, what can be said about him which could be more interesting and instructive than simply reciting his lines from memory, as I used to be so fond of doing in the past, and, occasionally, even today. In fact, I knew more Shakespeare by heart (several hours of non-stop recitation) than the great Pushkin (who was a close-second), or any other poetic or prosaic genius, whose lines have forever stuck in my head, lightening and lighting up my memory vaults from time to time, even when I am busy writing, or remembering my own stuff.

Shakespeare (1564-1616) is a truly extraordinary, unique philosopher. It seems that virtually every thought of classical philosophy has found a poetic expression in his works. And it is also true the other way around, that almost every line of his is a philosophical gem in its own right, some of them virtually unparalleled in conventional philosophy. It is quite clear to me that I must pursue this challenging subject at some length in a special essay at a later day. I have so many stimulating projects now put off until later, that I cannot be in any way confident that I shall eventually be able to bring them all to fruition. But at least here is a memo to myself, and no uncertain evidence that I have staked such an intent.