Freddie misapplies Shakespeare’s Macbeth to Jagdeo

Jul 13, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Reference is made to Mr. Freddie Kissoon’s column on “an unknown dictator & Shakespeare” (KN Jul 11) referring to President Jagdeo. Kissoon quotes Shakespeare:
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.”
It is a beautiful metaphorical commentary about life and largely.  The candle refers to life and when it is out, life ends and after a while people forget you.  But the quotation is inapplicable to Jagdeo and has no relevance to the argument being advanced by Kissoon in the context used.
In literature, one can assign meaning to a selected passage and relate it to a particular subject. Kissoon is trying to say President Jagdeo is irrelevant in Guyanese affairs, the Caribbean and in West Indies cricket and is seeking an avenue to shine on the world stage and as such using cricket for global attention.
But that cannot be factual as Jagdeo has had many shining moments on the world stage— at the IMF, World Bank summit, South American Summits, at the UN, on Climate Change, and so many other global or regional events.
So what Kissoon is arguing is poppycock and his thesis is not substantiated by the quote – a poor presentation for an academic of 25 years and whose candle at UG is about to be extinguished.
Kissoon claims that Jagdeo’s hoisting a picket sign at the Providence Stadium in May calling for the inclusion of Chanderpaul in the West Indies team was a failure because “the stadium was full”.  Is something wrong with Kissoon’s head?  Jagdeo was not holding a picket sign calling on Guyanese to boycott the match and the President made no such call.
In fact, Jagdeo urged Guyanese to attend the match.  In joining picketers (Jagdeo was not the initiator of the protest) and holding the sign, Jagdeo wanted the world to know that he did not support the exclusion of Chanderpaul from the team. He, himself, watched the game and
congratulated the players.
Contrary to what Kissoon thinks, Jagdeo is still very powerful in Guyana and has strong influence over WICB.  It is because of his intervention through Minister Dr. Frank Anthony that Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were included in the team against Pakistan and India.
Contrary to what Kissoon penned, Jagdeo’s picketing exercise was a success because Chanderpaul was included in the team and led it (or was second) in batting averages in both the Pakistani and Indian series. I can’t quite comprehend how (I am aghast) Kissoon qualifies for a column in a newspaper when his writings are misapplied and eclectic. Doesn’t this guy understand what he reads?
The Shakespearean quote is a soliloquy from Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5). The lines after the quote give the background to interpret the passage. The post quote line speaks of an idiot who is making the statement. The preceding line refers to lighted fools, death and candle.  It is a kind of a fairy tale delivered by an idiot, like the writer who quotes it in a failing attempt to buttress his argument, in which he is really saying that life is fleeting and insignificant with no real purpose or meaning.
On a website, someone writes that the passage means life is fragile like a candle that can be easily blown out and that most memories of life will be forgotten with time. Thus, the quote has no relevance to Kissoon’s main point and does not in any way substantiate Kissoon’s argument about WICB selection of players.
The speaker in the Macbeth quote is cold and heartless when life ended. But Jagdeo isn’t that kind of person.  He is advocating for the players – their career is not over and in fact they are in their prime. Jagdeo is saying that the players were not being given a fair deal from an inept WICB management.
Just a reminder to readers, Jagdeo criticized the incompetent and hapless WICB management and selection committee and the choice of players. Jagdeo feels the swashbuckling Chris Gayle should be in the team. No one has disagreed with Jagdeo.  Only Kissoon feels the dependable Chanderpaul does not belong in the team although Chanderpaul was responsible for the victory against Pakistan and the draw against India.
In time, Gayle will be back in the team and the board will be exorcised handing Jagdeo another cricket victory.
I feel that Jagdeo’s candle (meaning his Presidency) will soon be out but people will not forget his contributions especially to housing and infrastructure. And he still has a lot of clout based on the respect accorded him by regional leaders. They asked him to serve as CARICOM Secretary General and he declined. Caribbean leaders don’t view him as a dictator.
Only Kissoon and those of his ilk see Jagdeo as an elected dictator (a contradiction of terms). In my current NACTA poll, Jagdeo is adored by the ordinary voter.  Only the arm chair academics like Kissoon thinks Jagdeo is unpopular. He needs to visit the ground.
The use of the Shakespeare quote out of context clearly shows that Kissoon does not comprehend what he reads.  This academic comes up with the most asinine and mind-boggling interpretation of passages.
It appears that Prof.
Sankie did not do a good job educating Kissoon in interpreting Shakespeare.  But we can’t blame the teacher. The student is hard of hearing.  Kissoon is repeatedly advised not to make quotations if he does not comprehend their meaning.  He should read and re-read passages carefully and slowly and seek assistance before pronouncing on their meanings.
Vishnu Bisram

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