A Frightening Fan
Friday, January 2nd by scott malia
When we talk about Shakespeare, inspiration inevitably enters the discussion. People who are passionate about his plays and poetry often express that enthusiasm in terms of the way The Bard’s works inspire them. In some cases, it spurs people into writing of their own, whether it is poetry, drama or some other form. For others, their response to his work might move them to compose a piece of music or paint a painting. In some ways, that’s where his reputation of greatness has its origins: in its ability to inspire a following.
What is more surprising (and certainly more troubling) is to think that those works were inspirational to someone whose contribution to the world was negative rather than positive. An excerpt from the new book, Hitler’s Private Library, provokes a disquieting response. In this chapter, several paragraphs are dedicated to the works of Shakespeare among Hitler’s private collections. The book asserts that Hitler was so fond of The Bard that he rated him higher than native German dramatists such as Goethe (often referred to rather reductively in the English-speaking world as the “German Shakespeare”). Among the plays, it seems he was particularly fond of Julius Caesar, for which he even sketched a set rendering. In addition, the writer notes that Hitler often quoted from Shakespeare in his conversations with others. The author acknowledges that many of the volumes in Hitler’s library were never read by their notorious owner, but Shakespeare does not fall into this category. Reading that one of the most terrible and destructive human beings in history delighted in this brilliant writer manages to be both confounding and disquieting.
