ABSTRACT
Second pass: “English studies.” The concept of the “major author,” the fantasy of literature as the study of other minds. Thus also, incidentally, “the SAA” and other gatherings for which “Shakespeare” is centerpiece, mouthpiece, and piece de resistance. Not incidentally, therefore,
Third pass: “Harold Bloom.” The idea of the omniscient literary-critic-thinkerthrough-literature who is authorized, by his calling, to pronounce likes and dislikes as doxa and doxies. Certainly, therefore,
Fourth pass: “romantic love.” Falsely ascribed to the Petrarchists and the Arthurians and others who dally with the possible/impossible obstacles of “she is a virgin,” “she is married,” “she is dead;” “she is he.” Perhaps the key term here should not be “romantic love” but “young love” and “marriage for love.” Here I do not mean to appropriate all the “invention of childhood” discourse, but rather to recognize “Romeo-and-Juliet” as a major cultural instantiation. Finally, and most obviously,
Fifth pass: “the movies.” Note the ubiquitous claim, since Walter Benjamin, that Shakespeare would have written for the screen rather than the stage if he had been born in the twentieth century (perhaps with Romeo-and-Juliet necking in the balcony).
