ANGLIA ESTE O INSULA

Objet : Nu uitati acest mic amanunt...

In deschiderea cursului despre istoria Angliei, tinut la Collège de France, istoricul Jules Michelet a spus o fraza ramasa celebra: " Messieurs, l'Angleterre est une île, j’ai tout dit”.

For generations of historians, the single most important fact about Britain has been that it is an island. “Messieurs,” the 19th-century French writer Jules Michelet began his lectures on our history, “L’Angleterre est une île.” The Edwardian children’s historian HE Marshall entitled her bestseller Our Island Story; a generation later, Arthur Bryant gave the first volume of his British history the Shakespearian title Set in a Silver Sea.

Even today, despite the existence of a road and rail link with the European mainland, the idea of Britain as a nation of seafaring islanders remains at the heart of the english tradition.

Desigur, traditia rau interpretata te poate duce la dezastru. Votul majoritar din 23 iunie 2016 echivaleaza, cum plastic s-a exprimat un comentator, cu o auto-mutilare voluntara!
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Discutand noi despre subiectul zilei (barbarismul Brexit), am dat de splendida metafora a lui Shakespeare  “This precious stone set in a silver sea” [Richard II, 2.1, 40-51].  Nu mai frecventasem de mult editia Shakespeare, Opere, 9 vol.  univers 1982- 1990  (sunt si crizele istorice bune la ceva).

In campaniile electorale din Anglia si de peste tot se folosesc drept arme  persuasive trimiteri la istoria veche sau recenta la personalitati ale panteonului istoric si cultural.: frumos exercitiu de manipulare si demagogie fara frontiere.

M-am amuzat gandindu-ma cum ar putea fi folosit textul shakespearian pentru promovarea ideii leave (pana la linia punctata) si stay dupa linia punctata.

William Shakespeare, Richard II, 2.1, 40-5

This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle,

This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,

This other Eden, demi-paradise,

This fortress built by Nature for herself

Against infection and the hand of war,

This happy breed of men, this little world,

This precious stone set in a silver sea,

Which serves it in the office of a wall

Or as a moat defensive to a house,

Against the envy of less happier lands,

(........................................................)

That England, that was wont to conquer others,

Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.

A chacun son Shakespeare...

Ion