I’ve changed my avatar to Shylock after the trial.
Shylock was the villain in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. I watched and read the play about 20 years ago. He was the villain. But that was partly because he was a hated Jew. Today most people would have sympathy for him. The point is he was largely misunderstood at his time.
I certainly don’t consider myself a villain in any way. But I used it in a couple of other message boards. I think it is thought-provoking in any event.
EDIT: Actually I don’t like the way the picture is centered. Oh, well. I guess it is good enough. Can the rest of you tell what it is? That is the important thing.
I just read the Wikipedia entry, interesting stuff. If nothing else I’m continually amazed by the huge impact of Shakespeare’s work that is still felt today. The words, phrases, and tropes you hear or say all the time,and a lot of times forget they come from Shakespeare.
The little avatar next to a post is simply a blurry black and white pic of something indistinguishable but probably in a city.
The big one on your user page is identifiable as an old guy in a wizard’s (?) cloak imprecating about something. I’d sooner assume it was Merlin or somebody from a modern fantasy series like Tolkien or Rowling or ??? than Shylock.
It’s problematical. Shylock is widely seen as a stereotype that panders to anti-semitism. It’s similar to adopting an image of Sambo or Chief Wahoo or Fu Manchu as your icon. People are going to wonder if you’re supporting the stereotype.
I couldn’t tell what it is, either, but I used a magnifier and googled it. Don’t use that as your avatar. You may think it’s of an unjustly harassed Shylock fleeing injustice, but it actually depicts Shylock’s frustration and anger at his daughter running off with her lover and most of Shylock’s money. Here’s the passage it originally illustrated:
I never heard a passion so confused,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable,
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:
'My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!
Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!
A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter!
Okay, I tried to upload a peace-love sign. But I got the error message ‘invalid discourse’. So I uploaded the picture next to it, a lioness kissing her cub.
I posted the same picture on Facebook with the quality of mercy quote from The Merchant of Venice too. The symbolism is mercy is found everywhere in the world, as in the case of a ferocious lion kissing her cub.
Okay, now you’re going to find something wrong with this one too . (As I said, peace-love was my first choice.)
Although when I first looked at it shown next to your post I thought it was two bunnies in the grass. Only when I clicked to get the large version were they obviously lions.
Okay, I changed it again. I’m sorry. But you just couldn’t see what the picture was. Other people noticed the same thing.
I tried reloading that picture I originally wanted. But I always get the message ‘invalid access’. So I tried a different picture.
It’s a peace sign with mushrooms. I don’t take drugs myself. But I do support their legalization.
If anyone has a better pic they think I’d like, share it with me. I’d really appreciate it .
EDIT: Also if there’s any policy against a picture like this, accept my sincerest apology and I will change it right away (as I said, it was the only one that would load).
. (As I said, peace-love was my first choice.)