Analysis of Shakespeare in the Bush
Through the author’s experience of telling the story of Hamlet in the Tiv, I recognized that there is no universal understanding. We all believe that we have no difficulties in understanding Hamlet, but the Tiv people interpreted the story in a totally different way. People interpret human life in terms of their own life experience. Therefore, literature even human life is open to many interpretations due to the different educational background, marriage system, growing environment, religion etc. which we acquired from the text.
Meanwhile, I noticed that in the Tiv the elders are the authority. They felt that they know everything and they are right all the time, because the old man asked the author to refer to the elders in her country to get the real meaning of Hamlet. The elders are always been listened because they are thought to have much life experience, and they are supposed to know what is the best. Nevertheless, as far as I am concerned, it is impossible that the elders are always right. People make mistakes, although the elders have much more experience than the young ones. As a result, when people judge the matter, life experience is important indeed, but we cannot rely on it completely.