The Tutorial Room

SWAIN stands by a fire, in the tutorial room, and throws the works of Shakespeare into the fire; a grin appears on his face. The dim lighting is only provided by the fire, creating a ‘primitive’ atmosphere. ANGELA enters and is shocked. STEVE and MELISSA decide not to attend the tutorial. 

ANGELA         What’s going on?

SWAIN            You mean today’s lesson? Well, we’ll be burning this load of rubbish.

[Tosses The Tempest into the fire. Chuckles to himself.]

Care to join?  

ANGELA         No thanks, not today.

SWAIN            You sure? It’s rather satisfying eradicating the world of these glorified works. Take for example [pauses in thought] Romeo and Juliet. Tell me, what makes this any better than… Neighbours?   

ANGELA         Well…

SWAIN            Don’t bother, we’ve been led to believe that his works are masterpieces because the Western world has chosen to perceive it as amazing. I mean, what is so remarkable about a man falling in love with a woman and both of them committing suicide? Don’t we see enough of that in Neighbours? Romeo and Juliet should have enjoyed a life of ‘Jouissance’ and ignored everything else.

[Throws Romeo and Juliet into the fire with utter contempt.]

ANGELA         [Does not know what to make of SWAIN’S actions.]  

Do you think…

SHAKES          [Appears on the opposite side of the fire.]

‘Tis believes what thou is doing is most unwise.    

SWAIN            [Tosses Hamlet and Othello into the fire. The fire intensifies. SHAKESPEARE is distressed, but tries to hide it.]

For centuries we’ve had to tolerate plays, poems, sonnets that express disgusting patriarchal ideology from a Western Liberal Humanist point of view. All the great ideologies like non-essentialist feminism and multiculturalism are not even mentioned in your works. [mockingly] Tell me, Shakespeare, what is worthy of mention in your plays? I can say that the works of Foucault, Marx and Eagleton are far more brilliant than your…stuff.