So... Mr. Shakespeare?

[Sushi]

I've always liked this quote regarding "the supposed 'centrality and universality of the English tradition'" epitomised by the teaching of Shakespeare since colonialism and has only in the last 20/30 years been seriously discredited. According to Ngugi:

These writers, who had the sharpest and most penetrating observations on the European bourgeois culture, were often taught as if their only concern was with the universal themes of love, fear, birth and death. Sometimes their greatness was presented as one more English gift to the world alongside the bible and the needle. William Shakespeare and Jesus Christ had brought light to darkest Africa. There was a teacher in our school who used to say that Shakespeare and Jesus Christ used very simple English, until someone pointed out that Jesus spoke Hebrew.

[WeMissGamecentral]

...and Shakespeare spoke a language of which i had no clue as to how to translate it.

[MeesChees]

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore are'nt thou, Romeo?

[offbeat69]

I don't suppose that text is available online somewhere?

[Deleted]

mhyschys said:

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore are'nt thou, Romeo?

he's lying underneath your c**t you dozy cow

[Sushi]

offbeat69 said:

I don't suppose that text is available online somewhere?

Doubt it, but just look at some post-colonial criticism. Especially stuff on The Tempest, Heart of Darkness, etc. and you will find similer comments.

[offbeat69]

Games named after seminal writings:
Beyond Good & Evil
Heart of Darkness

Can anyone think of any others?

[Jamie85]

I have both of those games.

The latter being the reason I bothered saying that.

[offbeat69]

I had Heart of Darkness, but I don't seem to anymore. Any idea why my games have a habit of disappearing?

[Jamie85]

I thought it was a load of shit at the time anyway.

It's probably one of those "classic" games it turns out.

[offbeat69]

I liked it, it played like Flashback/POP/etc. Very short though, if I remember correctly.

[voodoo]

was heart of darkness the Akuji game? you were killed and have to fight/platform your way back to life to get your revenge?

[offbeat69]

Heart of Darkness is about a boy who goes looking for his dog and ends up on another, more evil planet. I think the game you're thinking of is Akuji the Heartless.

[Sushi]

I never knew there was a game called Heart of Darkness...

I cannot really think of any games named after 'seminal writings', but there are quite a few that try to seem a great deal more intelligent in applying it somewhat to the storyline.

I have mentioned this before, but overtime my hate of Xenogears in its terrible use of Freud has grown. MY NAME A CHARACTER ID? I mean come on!

Eternal Darkness is interspersed with references from theorists, but that is actually done quite well... in comparison to other game anyway...

Has anyone seen any other terrible/good examples of the use of famous theorists in games?

[Deleted]

Final Fantasy 7 had Heidegger and Bugenhagen in it

[offbeat69]

Metal Gear Solid is laden with theories, albeit often subtlely. See the voice over at the credits of MGS2 (I think it's number two) for a prime example. I wish people wouldn't think of that game series as just being a John Woo (etc) influenced game, it's so, so much more special than that.

I can't think of any others off the top of my head, but there must be some. Japanese games are obsessed with theology, nature and philosophy, so it seems likely that there's plenty to pick from.

[MeesChees]

Vagrant Story has characters called Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in it, methinks. And they are characters from Hamlet, innit?

[voodoo]

Guildenstern is a character in Onimusha 2 or 3

[Deleted]

there are loads of examples of higher culture in games, it's just that most people don't notice the references