To the Editor:
In the opinion essay “Make Shakespeare Dirty Again” by Drew Lichtenberg, he expresses sympathy for students in Florida who may miss out on the full experience of Shakespeare due to restrictions imposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Lichtenberg argues that Shakespeare’s works, with their wit, wordsmithy, and deep understanding of human nature, should be celebrated and appreciated in their entirety.
Lichtenberg highlights the vibrant and bawdy nature of the Elizabethan era, which is captured by Shakespeare like no other artist. As an English teacher, Lichtenberg finds joy in seeing his 13 and 14-year-old students engage with the double entendre, puns, and spicier wordplay in Shakespeare’s plays. Lichtenberg emphasizes that his students are not shocked or offended by the material, as they encounter saltier language and images on platforms like TikTok.
In another letter to the editor, Cathy Bernard praises Lichtenberg’s argument for reading Shakespeare’s plays in their entirety. She believes that too many students have suffered from dull classroom analysis of Shakespeare, missing out on the language and bawdiness that is central to understanding his genius.
Robert E. Lehrer draws a parallel between Gov. DeSantis’s restriction of Shakespeare in Florida schools and Thomas Bowdler’s expurgated edition of Shakespeare’s works in 1807. Lehrer argues that while Bowdler only removed offensive elements, DeSantis’s initiative is even more limiting, as it leaves students with mere excerpts from the plays.
Bradford Farwell recalls an anecdote from his time as an actor at American Players Theater. He remembers hearing two women express disappointment that the sexual talk in “Romeo and Juliet” was added, rather than performed as Shakespeare wrote it.
In response to an article about sex segregation and the encroachment on women’s rights in Israel, Sheila Levin expresses her disheartenment as an American Jew who has supported Israel. She questions how long the support will continue if Israel continues to subjugate women.
David S. Cantor, an 87-year-old man and a Jew from Argentina, shares his concerns about threats to democracy in Israel, economic and social chaos in Argentina, the rise of autocracy in Poland, and the potential for disarray and disorder in the United States. Cantor laments the state of the world and the future for our children.
Dan Stone agrees with Jamelle Bouie’s analysis of the flaws in the electoral system but questions the feasibility of finding a solution. Stone suggests that a constitutional amendment or bipartisan legislation would be unrealistic given the resistance from those who benefit from the undemocratic system.
Sharon R. Kahn proposes a low-tech solution to prevent infant deaths in hot cars. She suggests attaching a strap from the infant car seat to the driver’s seat, forcing the driver to remove the strap and remember the child in the back before exiting the car. Kahn acknowledges that this solution relies on parents being mindful and responsible.
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