Key Points from the Lecture on Harold Bloom and Shakespeare

Introduction to Harold Bloom

• Described as a dominant figure in literary criticism
• Known for his strong opinions and controversial ideas
• Acknowledged as an inimitable critic with grand influence
• His work has shaped contemporary understanding of literature

Shakespeare's Importance According to Bloom

• Recognizes Shakespeare as a monumental literary figure
• Bloom's book, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human
• Shakespeare's characters like Falstaff, Hamlet, Cleopatra are seen as milestones in the human literary canon

The Concept of Logos and Davar

• Logos: Greek for 'word', gathering together of meaning
• Davar: Hebrew for 'word', action, and thing simultaneously
• Shakespearean characters as embodiments of knowledge

Falstaff, Hamlet, and Cleopatra: Self-awareness and Knowledge

• Falstaff, Hamlet, and Cleopatra have a profound self-awareness
• Their characters provide ongoing subjects for meditation
• Self-consciousness in these characters can be seen as formative in the development of modern personality

Hamlet's Experimental Thinking

• Hamlet’s soliloquies break traditional thought processes
• A reflection on being, self-existence, and consciousness
• Hamlet as a figure of deep psychological complexity and introspection

Falstaff's Vitality and Joy

• Represents a zestful and exuberant approach to life
• His language and identity embody sheer joy and unquantifiable presence
• Falstaff’s approach can be contrasted with Hamlet’s more philosophical musings

Shakespeare's Dialectic: Presence and Absence

• Shakespeare's genius lies in what he leaves out (ellipses)
• The questions that remain unanswered within his texts
• Examples like the ambiguous relationships and identities in Hamlet

Knowledge and Character in Shakespeare

• Characters like Falstaff teach us joy and defiance of time
• Hamlet, as a character, embodies tragic reflection and self-questioning
• These figures together provide a diverse range of human experience and knowledge

Literary Knowledge and Interpretation

• Bloom’s emphasis on interpretive reading of Shakespeare’s works
• Shakespeare's capacity to create rich, complex characters who exhibit profound human traits

Falstaff, Hamlet, and Cleopatra as Archetypes

• Each character represents a facet of human experience
• Their stories contain lessons on existence, identity, and mortality

Literary Knowledge

• Literary knowledge is construed as a larger, self-sensitive understanding of life
• Reading Shakespeare allows for deeper insights into self-awareness and human consciousness

Conclusion: Shakespeare's Timeless Influence

• Shakespeare’s works provide a lens through which human experiences can be understood
• His characters and their existential musings continue to influence literary studies and our concept of self
• Bloom’s reflections on Shakespeare challenge us to think deeply about language, identity, and what it means to be human