Lingering Lessons from Leaving Cert Literature

I am reluctant to raise the issue of Shakespeare so close to the release of the results from the Leaving Certificate, but inspired by a recent discussion regarding the relevance of Shakespeare in our current times I thought I’d share my new found appreciation for the opportunity to study the works of this and other literary greats.

Don’t get me wrong coming up to the leaving certificate I wasn't impressed by the number of poets and writers I had to study nor the in depth analysis of their work. At that time, in my opinion, the theme of most poems was having to write something to get a bit of cash to put a loaf of bread on the table. However even during this exam orientated period of time I had some level of appreciation for Shakespeare’s views on many aspects of human nature and loved the vivid descriptions and wisdom portrayed by Patrick Kavanagh.

After initially liking many of the texts I studied during my second level education, the in depth analysis of these eventually lead me to hate the majority of them. To this day I can’t stand farce and couldn't bear to sit through a performance of “The Playboy of the Western World”. My introduction to Shakespeare via Romeo and Juliet didn’t exactly spark my enthusiasm, to be honest I thought Romeo was a bit of a wozz, but I didn't develop the same sort of aversion to Othello and Macbeth. 

Trying to learn numerous quotes and poems off by heart seemed rather tedious and pointless at the time, but now eleven years later some of those quotes remain etched in my mind and often surface when I encounter modern day experiences to which they seem to aptly relate.

The poetry of Patrick Kavanagh’s often springs to mind when I ‘m thinking or reading about our modern day world of excess. Choice abounds, we can experience different countries and cultures through travel, experiment with countless cuisines and ingredients, update our wardrobes seasonally. Despite the excitement and opportunity afforded by this level of variety, are we any happier than when these commodities were simply functional and we sought satisfaction in simpler things?

“We have tested and tasted too much lover

through a chink too wide their comes in no wonder”

(Advent)

In the poem Advent I think Kavanagh is reflecting on the damaging effects of excess, he appears to promote a pseudo detox where we return to simpler more basic things in order to regain an appreciation for what we have.

“Here in this darkened room,

 with the dry black bread and sugarless tea of penance

we will return to dust the knowledge we stole,

 but could not use.” (Advent)  

In the extreme this could perhaps relate to addiction and it is widely reported that Kavanagh was an alcoholic.

I think Shakespeare may also have addressed addiction  in a number of his works, within the opening act of Macbeth I think Shakespeare may also address addiction, particularly the deception associated with addiction.

“An oftentimes to win us to their charm, the agents of darkness lure us with the honest trifle only to betray in deepest consequence”

Macbeth (Shakespeare)

In my mind the “honest trifle” represents the high associated with addictive substances/behaviours, however the consequence of engaging with this “honest trifle” eventually leads to destructive consequences far more damaging than the brief positive experience.

In recent times numerous research studies have explored the impact that sleep has on mental and physical functioning. Indeed inadequate sleep has been linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease and other life threatening illness. The highly successful has gone so far as writing a book depicting the role sleep has to play in her success and the detrimental effects of not getting enough sleep. Shakespeare appears to have established the health benefits of sleep  and promoted them in advance of the scientific evidence and his works are littered with references to sleep and sleep disturbance.

Being an anxious individual who doesn’t function well on less than 8 hours of sleep, I think Shakespeare was fairly accurate in his references to both the mentally and physically restorative qualities of sleep,  

Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care,
The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,
Chief nourisher in life’s feast.
Macbeth (2.2.46-51)

and the impact that worries have on our ability to sleep. 

Care keeps his watch in every old man’s eye,
And where care lodges, sleep will never lie;
But where unbruised youth with unstuff’d brain
Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign:
Romeo and Juliet (2.3.36-42)

Without doubt my decision making abilities are affected by level of tiredness, something which I think all of us can identify with. Perhaps the minister of health should take note of Shakespeare’s wisdom in relation to the long working hours of junior doctors. As clichéd as it seems I do believe that most things, not all, do seem “better in the morning” or at least more manageable

You lack the season of all natures, sleep

Macbeth (3.4.167)

Some would say the same concepts could be conveyed using much simpler language, but if so would they be as memorable? Would they stand out from the barrage of modern day philosophy which we encounter via social media on a daily basis? Without the sometimes extreme examples portrayed in his works would such words have adequate meaning or would they remain abstract concepts?

I have personally dabbled with “mindfulness”, which I feel is essentially a practice of noticing and allowing oneself to be amazed by what all around us, all that we take for is granted. I think poets had this nailed long before it became fashionable, particularly Kavanagh. He frequently focuses on the intricacies’ of the ordinary everyday sights around him. Indeed he expresses the pleasure that can be acquired when you “wallow in the habitual, the banal”

In my mind Kavanagh had great insight into the human experience, and the difficulties associated with addiction, isolation, unrequited love and his desire to overcome these limitations. He conveys his opinions on these issues in such an artistic way that they have lingered on and become more relevant since those former leaving certificate days.

I’d love to hear your views on this post?

 So please comment below, don’t be shy!!

Do you think Shakespeare is outdated and not relevant for our current times?

Would you like to see his works replaced with more contemporary material?

Were there any poets, authors, play rights works which you studied and you really enjoyed, disliked?

Are there any quotes which have remained in your consciousness or which you think are particularly relevant today?