So far in the 26 years of my life, I have had the opportunity to attend only two out of the several Shakespeare’s plays staged in Malaysia. They were Twelfth Night in 1999, and Merchant of Venice in 2001. It is the latter which I remember till today, especially when Shylock was putting away his weighing scales and the rest when the court rule he forfeit all he had. By then the audience also knew he had lost his only child, his daughter as she had eloped with her lover. So, the right form of reaction from the audience would have been silence as a sign of empathy and sympathy for the humiliation Shylock had to go through, despite the fact he had been unreasonably cruel. However, no man deserves the loss Shylock had to endure. Regardless of the interpretation, the right form would have been silence from the audience, but what do our Malaysian audiences do?! They laugh! Unbelievable! I don’t know how in the world they can have found that heart wrenching scene funny. It was so embarrassing, especially when the actor playing Shylock had to look up sternly from what he was doing to cue the audience to silence, the appropriate reaction towards the scene. It was then I realize how ignorant our Malaysian society is when it comes to Shakespeare’s plays.
The only explanation I can find is that our society has not been exposed to Shakespeare as widely as they should be. This is due to the fact that not only is he perceived to be difficult and all those involved in designing our education system are just not doing enough to make him easy to understand, but also the reduced exposure will ensure the non-existence of neo-colonialism in our society. However, what those-who-know-best do not realize is that, if they are sending our students overseas and even in their own global interaction where trade and commerce are concerned, they are definite to encounter some form of Shakespeare’s work, be it in conversations or in the least significant gesture or phrase.
If we Malaysians are to have the mindset that Shakespeare is a bore because he is difficult to understand, then how are we to expect foreigners, especially the English, to take our children seriously when teaching them Shakespeare, let alone having the faith in our local students staging the plays to our local audience? The main excuses given for this are that our Malaysian audience will not understand it because they are not ready for a Shakespeare play, and our local students will not be able to project the play as it is because they lack the understanding of it less they are taught the play beforehand. I have heard this first hand and it irritates me immensely because I believe our students are capable of it and I have faith if tried really hard, our Malaysian audience will be able to willingly receive Shakespeare’s plays.
How can anyone, let alone a foreigner, comment that our Malaysian society is not ready where Shakespeare and his plays are concerned? How can one predict that to stage a Shakespeare play in all its authenticity will lose its effect on a society like ours? To have his plays accepted as they are, we have to take the risk. A society is never ready for anything unfamiliar until they encounter with it face to face. It is my belief to change the perception of Shakespeare amongst Malaysian audience, and the ability of our students and our society in understanding Shakespeare is to stage it. In staging it, the type of audience has to be considered. To stage a play as challenging as Shakespeare’s I do agree it has to be staged in all its authenticity but it has to be introduced little by little and in a language easier to understand, not only verbal language but also body language. It is a challenge for both the audience and the actors but this challenge comes in stages, for I believe to stage a whole Shakespeare play in all its authenticity would scare the audience and it would make them believe the pre-conceptions on how difficult Shakespeare’s plays are. However, if the play is condensed using the important scenes which are the fuel of the play and the language is altered without losing its original meaning, or either one, then the play would be enjoyable and conceivable. In that way, Shakespeare has breached another gap between generations and societies.
For example, Julius Caesar was supposed to be staged in our college. The plan was to do it all in 30 minutes. Firstly, there was the problem of the magnitude of the play. Secondly, in doing so, there will be lots of important scenes which are crucial to the progress of the play left out. As a result, our Malaysian audience will not be able to grasp and savour the magnificence of the play, neither will they be able to actually grasp what the play is all about since they are not familiar with all of Shakespeare’s plays, especially since most would only be acquainted with the name Shakespeare. Lastly, there were the players who were the students themselves. These students were fortunately more than acquainted with just the name Shakespeare, for they were actually studying Julius Caesar. Therefore, they knew the play inside out. However, not all good scholars are good actors. One needs to actually scout for good actors. Do not get me wrong, amongst those good scholars involved with the play, were also good actors. Anyhow, due to these few glitches and the passion those involved had for Julius Caesar, it was understandable it had to be called off the last minute. However, the reasons given were that the audience would not be ready for it even if the actors were and when suggested altering the language to make it comprehensible for the audience benefit, it was rebuked for if Julius Caesar cannot be presented in its original language then it would be pointless staging it even in its condensed version. It boiled me to hear this because so what if the audiences do not grasp what is being said because it is the actors’ duty to help and guide the audience in understanding the play. If you want Malaysian audience to love and cherish Shakespeare, so help them even if it means modernizing the language, even if it means condensing the play. Why blame them for something which is not their fault? If that is the case, then when can one be sure the Malaysian society is ever going to be ready for Shakespeare?
In my opinion, if one wants to change a perception, the time to act is now. Society will never ever be ready unless they are forced to. In this case, start off in small steps in a small society like the college I am teaching in. At the moment, Hamlet is in the planning stages to be performed hopefully by 28th August. Initially, it was planned for the seniors to perform, especially for two very passionate Hamlet fans of which one of them actually spent an amount of time condensing the play, so that they had something they could cherish in remembrance and leave their mark at college with. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, it is now down to the juniors to perform this play they are as much as unfamiliar with as a regular Malaysian audience. Nonetheless, this may be a good start for not only we have a condensed script, but also actors who will be able to identify with the audience unfamiliarity with the play. This will theoretically help in their body language and speech when performing their parts, for if they can relate to the audience and at the same time grasp the condensed play, then they will be able to present Hamlet admirably. They will be performing to a small college community, ranging from locals to expatriates. Therefore, it is more intimidating for part of the audience is familiar with Hamlet therefore there are expectations to live up to especially when these expatriates may have low expectations since staging a Shakespeare play has never been done before in our college and we also have a Malaysian audience. Hopefully, the students will enjoy practicing and performing it because when they do so then the passion will flow in, and with that newfound passion they will be able to perform as well as they should for this play. We may start off with a small community but this community have connections like family and colleagues. With these connections, the education of Shakespeare will hopefully begin. There are definitely risks involved but how can a reformation of mindset be in motion without taking any risks.
Rethinking Shakespeare is what our society should be doing. Or rethinking about any unfamiliar playwrights for that matter. The best way to deal with this is to research the plays one is attending so that one is not completely in ignorance. Shakespeare, as stated in Times, breaches all layers of society, generations and politics in all areas. What is the harm of taking any amount of time to understand a playwright who indubitably speaks to all of us in one way or another? Anyone disagreeing with this is definitely in the dark about Shakespeare and has never ever touched a page of even his sonnets.
Friday, July 4, 2008
English Language and its use amongst students of a kind
‘Considering English is not these students’ first language, the results they gain in their A-levels are pretty good.’
The above comment is one I constantly hear (well not every single time) when the students’ performances in their academic or debates are discussed during meetings or between certain teachers. I am disappointed in those who have uttered this. To me the students we teach have by far better command of the English language than even some of the expatriate teachers and their families. Almost all of the students we have at the college use the English language as their first language even though they are of different races and should be using their mother tongues as their first language.
The definitions of first language and mother tongue remain as they always have been: the former is a language an individual uses from the time they were born whilst the latter is a language used by a certain tribe or race, and it has always been presumed that the mother tongue would always be the first language in any household especially in multiracial and multicultural countries. However, in this 21st century, intermarriages are definitely hard to avoid in societies such as those. Additionally, the environment where one lives makes it hard not to have one’s language intermingled hence our ‘bahasa rojak’. Anyhow, due to the increasing demand our nation should improve their use of the English language, most Malaysian families try their best to use English as their communicative language in their household especially those of intermarriages and those who can afford foreign maids. In other words, mother tongue is now gradually diminishing as THE language used in a household. Instead, the English language seems to have replaced mother tongues as the language for communication. It has also arrived at the stage where it is in stiff competition with BM as the nation’s most preferred language. However, our nation is wise enough to realize the national language will always be BM whilst their communicative language will indefinitely be the English language because they have no choice if they want to be proficient in the language which is the communicative tool in the 21st century global trade and commerce. Additionally, Malaysians also realize that to be multilingual is an advantage in this globalization age. It will get one far ahead, or so I have been told.
The use of the English language as the main communication tool in most households has families introducing all kinds of materials to improve the use of the language. Observing the students at this top notch college, Shakespeare and other classical writers seem to have pervaded most of this students’ world. It was even surprising to see non-literature students singing along to the My Fair Lady’s musical, and students who have not been exposed to literature take such an interest in the subject that they take the initiative to research more in depth about subjects concerning anything they themselves think they would like to know about a particular text. You also have science students who although have just come out of our public schools right after their SPM or STPM adapting easily and swiftly to a whole new language teaching system for their A-levels. How can we forget their performance in their IELTS….we have most of them scoring bands 8 and above which some teachers may struggle achieving.
Why stop only at their academic performance? In their everyday interaction with teachers, these students are mostly conversing in English even the most problematic ones because we encourage them to for the sake of improving. They also make it a point that most of their stage performances are in English, and even if they are doing Dikir Barat or Bangsawan performances, it is always noticed these students have an English translation for the benefit of the audiences they are performing for. And at each and every one of these, the students’ use of the English language is as good as its native speaker and maybe better. Even if there is a glitch in their use, it is their courage and confidence in their proficiency to use the language that should be admired and taken note of, not their flaws.
What is frustrating beyond words is that these teachers would praise these students in private meaning either in person to the student or to me but when it comes to praising them out loud like in meetings or debate competitions amongst adjudicators I hear them saying the students’ use of the language is not up to standard and its because it is their second language. Hypocrites. I want to scream at these teachers but they are all seniors and more experienced, and besides I was still new and inexperience. Be silent, say nothing. It is courtesy. Pathetic.
Being teachers and guides to students, shouldn’t these students be given credit where credit is due? What’s the point of being and saying something else in front of these students and something else behind them? Teachers should bear in mind students are humans too. If you don’t treat them with respect or trust them with the truth, then how do you expect them to trust in you and your teachings? If one wants to be treated with respect, one should earn it. Martin Luther King said that character and intelligence is the true goal of education. Isn’t that what we are unknowingly doing; moulding these students into one character or another? If these students are not given the true perspective of their abilities, then wouldn’t the raw truth hurt when they are out in the real world? And if these students are incapable of using the language as they should do, then would it not be the teachers’ duty to teach and guide them towards it? In this case, the truth of the matter is that teachers who complain about their students performances in the use of the language are actually drying their dirty linens. It just shows their failure as a teacher in his or her duty to help and guide students. Additionally, it is as though the teachers are blaming the students’ natural abilities and efforts in improving themselves to cover up their (the teachers) inadequacies. Besides this is the English language, if a teacher complains then he/she should be good in the language to actually have the right to complain, but to the students’ face; not praise the students to their face and bitch about their shortcomings behind their backs. How is this character building and intellectually inspiring? If this is the case, then what is in the name of a teacher?
For the students at where I teach, they have the energy and they are more broadminded than the previous as the batches keep coming in every six months. They are tough intellectually and they do not care how emotionally disturbing it is as long as their teachers are there to support them and discuss with them their performances. They want control over their destiny and their lives’ choices. We as teachers should be there to help them realize their responsibilities even if it means playing the devil’s advocate. Sometimes to be kind, one has to be cruel but not brutally cruel, more of an encouraging one. These students are at the points in their life where they have to think for themselves including the consequences their decisions will have on them and those around them. If we cannot cope with telling them the truth, then our job as teachers are as pointless as it is made out to be. We have experiences which they don’t. We have to impart them to the students whenever possible. There are so many ways to teaching students and helping them improve in their education. Teachers should help those who deserve it as much as they can. Give credit where credit is due.
The above comment is one I constantly hear (well not every single time) when the students’ performances in their academic or debates are discussed during meetings or between certain teachers. I am disappointed in those who have uttered this. To me the students we teach have by far better command of the English language than even some of the expatriate teachers and their families. Almost all of the students we have at the college use the English language as their first language even though they are of different races and should be using their mother tongues as their first language.
The definitions of first language and mother tongue remain as they always have been: the former is a language an individual uses from the time they were born whilst the latter is a language used by a certain tribe or race, and it has always been presumed that the mother tongue would always be the first language in any household especially in multiracial and multicultural countries. However, in this 21st century, intermarriages are definitely hard to avoid in societies such as those. Additionally, the environment where one lives makes it hard not to have one’s language intermingled hence our ‘bahasa rojak’. Anyhow, due to the increasing demand our nation should improve their use of the English language, most Malaysian families try their best to use English as their communicative language in their household especially those of intermarriages and those who can afford foreign maids. In other words, mother tongue is now gradually diminishing as THE language used in a household. Instead, the English language seems to have replaced mother tongues as the language for communication. It has also arrived at the stage where it is in stiff competition with BM as the nation’s most preferred language. However, our nation is wise enough to realize the national language will always be BM whilst their communicative language will indefinitely be the English language because they have no choice if they want to be proficient in the language which is the communicative tool in the 21st century global trade and commerce. Additionally, Malaysians also realize that to be multilingual is an advantage in this globalization age. It will get one far ahead, or so I have been told.
The use of the English language as the main communication tool in most households has families introducing all kinds of materials to improve the use of the language. Observing the students at this top notch college, Shakespeare and other classical writers seem to have pervaded most of this students’ world. It was even surprising to see non-literature students singing along to the My Fair Lady’s musical, and students who have not been exposed to literature take such an interest in the subject that they take the initiative to research more in depth about subjects concerning anything they themselves think they would like to know about a particular text. You also have science students who although have just come out of our public schools right after their SPM or STPM adapting easily and swiftly to a whole new language teaching system for their A-levels. How can we forget their performance in their IELTS….we have most of them scoring bands 8 and above which some teachers may struggle achieving.
Why stop only at their academic performance? In their everyday interaction with teachers, these students are mostly conversing in English even the most problematic ones because we encourage them to for the sake of improving. They also make it a point that most of their stage performances are in English, and even if they are doing Dikir Barat or Bangsawan performances, it is always noticed these students have an English translation for the benefit of the audiences they are performing for. And at each and every one of these, the students’ use of the English language is as good as its native speaker and maybe better. Even if there is a glitch in their use, it is their courage and confidence in their proficiency to use the language that should be admired and taken note of, not their flaws.
What is frustrating beyond words is that these teachers would praise these students in private meaning either in person to the student or to me but when it comes to praising them out loud like in meetings or debate competitions amongst adjudicators I hear them saying the students’ use of the language is not up to standard and its because it is their second language. Hypocrites. I want to scream at these teachers but they are all seniors and more experienced, and besides I was still new and inexperience. Be silent, say nothing. It is courtesy. Pathetic.
Being teachers and guides to students, shouldn’t these students be given credit where credit is due? What’s the point of being and saying something else in front of these students and something else behind them? Teachers should bear in mind students are humans too. If you don’t treat them with respect or trust them with the truth, then how do you expect them to trust in you and your teachings? If one wants to be treated with respect, one should earn it. Martin Luther King said that character and intelligence is the true goal of education. Isn’t that what we are unknowingly doing; moulding these students into one character or another? If these students are not given the true perspective of their abilities, then wouldn’t the raw truth hurt when they are out in the real world? And if these students are incapable of using the language as they should do, then would it not be the teachers’ duty to teach and guide them towards it? In this case, the truth of the matter is that teachers who complain about their students performances in the use of the language are actually drying their dirty linens. It just shows their failure as a teacher in his or her duty to help and guide students. Additionally, it is as though the teachers are blaming the students’ natural abilities and efforts in improving themselves to cover up their (the teachers) inadequacies. Besides this is the English language, if a teacher complains then he/she should be good in the language to actually have the right to complain, but to the students’ face; not praise the students to their face and bitch about their shortcomings behind their backs. How is this character building and intellectually inspiring? If this is the case, then what is in the name of a teacher?
For the students at where I teach, they have the energy and they are more broadminded than the previous as the batches keep coming in every six months. They are tough intellectually and they do not care how emotionally disturbing it is as long as their teachers are there to support them and discuss with them their performances. They want control over their destiny and their lives’ choices. We as teachers should be there to help them realize their responsibilities even if it means playing the devil’s advocate. Sometimes to be kind, one has to be cruel but not brutally cruel, more of an encouraging one. These students are at the points in their life where they have to think for themselves including the consequences their decisions will have on them and those around them. If we cannot cope with telling them the truth, then our job as teachers are as pointless as it is made out to be. We have experiences which they don’t. We have to impart them to the students whenever possible. There are so many ways to teaching students and helping them improve in their education. Teachers should help those who deserve it as much as they can. Give credit where credit is due.
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