Authors Intentions

I think you are both shifting away from the original argument. The discussion about covering songs moves this largely to a stylistic issue rather than an issue of intent. For example Placebo's version of Kate Bush's "Running up that hill." totally changes the rhythm and tempo of the song and increases the pathos without touching Kate's original somg writing intent. Back to Shakespeare, Macbeth everyone will agree was largely written to flatter James 1st. There's a long and quite boring (to us) section in the England scene discussing the Kings evil (scrofula) which James was absolutely convinced he could cure by laying his hands on the sufferer, and of the course the whole presence of the witches was a nod to his beliefs and to his book "Daemonologie". But was flattering James his central intent. I don't believe so. His story was one of hubris and the witches simply the medium by which his central character was brought down. We can increase or reduce the degree toward which we focus on the witches we can reset the play in a variety of different milieu but we don't change the central message of the downfall of treachery. Of course "The Merry Wives of Windsor" was written to please QE1 because she loved Falstaff and wanted to see him in his own play. It is therefore only a vehicle for Falstaff and can only really be played that way. Mind you he still managed to get in a bit about virtue triumphing and lust being down trodden which we cannot avoid. The basic intent (and I realise that I am guessing) is still served despite stylistic differences. Intent is more important than style. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au