O Brave New World.

[Shardik]

Miranda's. Not Huxley's

"O wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is!
O brave new world
That has such people in it!"

(The Tempest. Act 5, Scene 1)

I'm still feeling this way since the 4th of November. After such a dark eight years, to see this change, this bright hope in the form of a man come to signify the change that is so desperately needed for this nation is tantamount to a renaissance of which I have only dared to dream of.

Like so many others here at DU, I have seen and participated in the fight for Civil Rights since the 60's and while we lost on Prop 8, the significance of America electing a person of color should not be overlooked. The prop 8 of California just means that we aren't done yet. But if we can put Obama in office, I would like to think we can overturn prop 8 in a manner that won't take 40 years or even months.

We are in a brave new world today and I feel as if; for the moment; All things are possible.

[Burma Jones]

1. 'Tis new to thee........

Prospero was a right cynical old man

[Shardik]

2. And rightly so...

Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own,
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell;
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands:
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free.

[TahitiNut]

3. It was my "breakthrough" moment in high school English when I presented ...

... the thematic parallels I saw between 'The Tempest' and 'Brave New World.' (My English teacher damned near had an orgasm. I surprised the shit out of him.) It's pretty clear that Huxley had the Tempest in mind ... the 'innocence' vs. 'wisdom' theme is strong in both.

[Shardik]

4. I had the pleasure of knowing someone who dropped with Huxley.

Some PhD from CA named Leary.

BNW tipped its hat to Shakespeare but probably owed more to HG Wells who he originally set out to parody Wells' Utopian views with his own dystopia.

[Shardik]

5. Kicking because I like the subject matter.