Act Four: What constitutes a classic?

Our sense of the canon is changing. So what books should everyone have to read in school now?   Alyssa Rosenberg on culture and politics   Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard star in an adaptation of “Macbeth.” (The Weinstein Co.) Long weekends are a great time to relax and unwind, but I also find that my brain sometimes works out new solutions to old problems given the extra time to play. So if you’re so inclined, I was hoping you all might put a little thought to a question that spurred a lot of response in last Monday’s chat so that we can continue the conversation when we reconvene on Sept. 12. One reader wrote in to note with surprise that his or her (I can’t see your names in the chat, so I don’t know the chatter’s gender) son-in-law had never heard of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” The reader was flabbergasted that there didn’t seem to be some basic core of knowledge that everyone picks up in the course of his or her education. I generally agree that a core cultural literacy that everyone gets a crack at is a good idea, but I think some of you thought I was endorsing a rather narrow view of the classics. As one reader put it, “There has also been a shift in recent years to shift focus away from so much of the dead, white, male works and into other cultures and other voices. So, what [the original poster thinks] is ‘essential’ reading, other people may find a vestige of an earlier, less enlightened time in education. Certainly, there should be some limit on how much Shakespeare we must read. Times, they are a changin’.” Another wrote in that “My mother had never heard of some of my favorite authors from high school, like Zora Neale Hurston, Graham Greene, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Margaret Atwood. So I gave her some names to read, and she gave me some in return. Common texts are good, but the more common texts we have, the less freedom we have to explore other things.” I agree with both of these insights. But if we agree that there should be some common body of literature that we all get to study and use as common references, what should that syllabus look like? As I mentioned in the chat, I’d like to see more classics of non-Western literature in there, maybe including the new translation of “The Tale of Genji.” But I’d love to discuss your suggestions, too. See you back on the blog on Tuesday, and in the chat in a couple of weeks. And have a very happy Labor Day weekend! ADVERTISEMENT   What to watch, read and listen to over Labor Day weekend A movie to watch, a show to binge and a memoir by a television pioneer. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •  Read more »   The conservative critics the BBC left out of its best movies poll There may not be a lot of conservative critics, but there are some. In trying to build a film canon, the BBC should have included their voices. By Sonny Bunch  •  Read more »   ‘You’re the Worst’ creator Stephen Falk on mental health, abortion and comedy "You're the Worst" is both grimmer and funnier in its third season, returning to FX tonight. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •  Read more »   Our gawking at Anthony Weiner reveals something ugly about us We're quick to compromise our principles when we want to make fun of someone. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •  Read more »   ‘The Night Of’ had nothing new to say about the criminal justice system Fancy speeches and itchy feet aren't substitutes for insight. By Alyssa Rosenberg  •  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   Recommended for you   Intersect The corner of the Internet and interesting, in your inbox weekly. Sign Up »         Share Act Four:       Twitter      Facebook Trouble reading? Click here to view in your browser. You received this email because you signed up for Act Four. For additional free newsletters or to manage your newsletters, click here. We respect your privacy. If you believe that this email has been sent to you in error or you no longer wish to receive email from The Washington Post, click here. Contact us for help. ©2016 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071