Mother Edwards

Today in English, Mother Edwards threw out a really great idea.

We were discussing Shakespeare's Othello, the fact that a contemporary audience would've been on the same wavelength as Brabantio who didn't like the idea of his beautiful daughter Desdemona eloping with The Moor. At the time, foreigners in England, who were not few or far between, were seen as exotic, intriguing and were not in general treated badly. But the thought of a foreigner mixing with an English person - cross-breeding in effect - was something that they were not at all keen on, because there was the whole notion of being pure in one's breeding etc. I don't think white supremacy was in the fore of their minds, but I imagine it was lingering in the background somewhere.

Anyway.

She said that we, the audience of today, can actually still relate to Brabantio. We've moved passed the days, the majority of us, of being afraid of miscegenation because the idea of 'cross-contamination' doesn't make sense anymore. For a lot of people, Mother Edwards and Mando's ma included, caramel-coloured babies are quite appealing. Ha.
Yeah, so she said we can relate because, though it's not a colour thing, there's is still the fear, or slight apprehension, towards other cultures.
I concur.
Her example was if one of her sons was to marry a Muslim woman who wore a burka, she'd be fine with it, but the worry would be the extreme differences between the two cultures.
Like all the different holidays and festivals. The culture of a distant country in which she's been brought up, that dictates the way a child is raised.

The morals and life values that we have are so heavily influenced by our cultural upbringing. It's mental. In Europe, if you beat your kid today, it's frowned upon. In Africa, if you don't beat your kid, it's frowned upon. In Europe, the 'respect your elders' thing is rapidly fading, maybe it's even faded. In Africa, it's essential that you greet your elders whenever you see them with a head nod/bow, and it's the young ones that do all the work. I could go on for days. This kinda stuff bloody fascinates me.

You know what though, written down, this doesn't really seem that interesting or groundbreaking.
But in the lesson, I was like Mmm yeah. That is so true. Wow.

Neverrminndd.

Currently Watching: Corrina, Corrina.

I love it; such a dope film. Shame it's not very well known.
It's set in 1950s America (hardd soundtrack).

This great black lady named Corrina is hired as maid for a man and his daughter. The wife/mother died not too long ago, and the girl hasn't spoken since. Basically, the little girl has such fun with the maid, starts talking again. The dad who was depressed since his wife died, finds joy again in Corrina, who also shares his love of music. (Music is quite prominent in the film. Bare singing) And they fall in love. All this is set on the backdrop of a society where black people and white people didn't do that sort of thing. It is wonderful.