“Thou art the cap of all the fools alive.” So says Apemantus to the title character in the William Shakespeare play “Timon of Athens.” He might also direct his insult at New Zealand’s arts council. After 30 years, it has chosen to end government funding for Shakespeare in Schools, a program in which students interact with the Bard’s works through acting, directing, costume design and other creative forms of engagement.
Among the reasons for not renewing the grants, Creative New Zealand said the Shakespeare program did not adequately defend its relevance in “the contemporary art context” and focuses on “a canon of imperialism.” This bow to political correctness infects much more than Creative New Zealand. It sweeps across much of the West, including the education system of the United States.
The rejection of the Bard is sad and silly. Shakespeare wrote and performed in a particular time: the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He did so in a particular place: the England of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. This particularity is unavoidable and gives us a beautiful window into the past. But do not make the mistake Creative New Zealand made — Shakespeare is also for the world. His greatness stems not from his time and place but from how his works have transcended both.
