Humanities Moments

“It’s not nonsense, it’s Shakespeare.”

Contributed by Dr. Michael P. H. Stanley
William Shakespeare
Dr. Michael P. H. Stanley describes an encounter with a terminally ill patient who, in his pain and confusion, demands to leave the hospital ward in the middle of the night. While the patient’s pleas are initially regarded as “nonsense” or evidence of his delirium, Dr. Stanley recognizes the patient’s writings as lines from Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. As Dr. Stanley highlights, his experience speaks to the lasting power of texts and stories to leave an indelible imprint on our minds, offering up a means of communication when all other words fail.

Title

“It’s not nonsense, it’s Shakespeare.”

Description

Dr. Michael P. H. Stanley describes an encounter with a terminally ill patient who, in his pain and confusion, demands to leave the hospital ward in the middle of the night. While the patient’s pleas are initially regarded as “nonsense” or evidence of his delirium, Dr. Stanley recognizes the patient’s writings as lines from Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. As Dr. Stanley highlights, his experience speaks to the lasting power of texts and stories to leave an indelible imprint on our minds, offering up a means of communication when all other words fail.

Source

Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare

Contributor

Dr. Michael P. H. Stanley

Identifier

its-not-nonsense-its-shakespeare

Player