Monastic Pictures And Venetian Dusk

[selenak]

One of those books sold in the local shops in English is titled "explore Venice with Shylock and Othello!" Now I know this is probably just a collection of quotes from Merchant of Venice and Othello, but the way my imagination works was: Wouldn't that make a good modern AU fanfic challenge? Shylock and Othello, working as tour guides? That would be a surviving Othello who has to do community service by employing his talent for telling tales which won Desdemona for the tourist masses, and Shylock who after his trial has been condemmed to some kind of community service as well instead of the baptism. Or maybe someone could even find some historical equivalent. Anyway, Othello's grandiose rethoric and Shylock's short, to the point, acid statement would clash beautifully, and there would be all types of conflicts, what with both them outsiders to Venetian society, but Othello as the one who thought of himself as part of it, of having completely assimilated, who admired it, until, and who feels horribly guilty, and Shylock as the one who hates Venice for what it did and does to him, except for the part where it's still his home. There is potential, I tell you.

Meanwhile, I offer some pictorial illustration for recent pots, as is my wont.


On Sunday morning, I visited the Museo Ebraico, where among other things they have these beautifully printed Talmud editions. The main text is inthe center and around are printed the comments:





In the afternoon, as described in my earlier post, I visited San Lazzaro degli Armeni. The island on which it's on looks thusly:



And here's the monastery:



With "Thank you, Byron" inscription on the outside:



The chapel looks thusly:





The Refektorium, where the monks eat:



Let's have a look into the main library:





And that's one of the collection rooms. Not the one after Byron.



The one named after Byron has the mummy in it:



That's the distance to the Venetian shore he's supposed to have swum. Show off.





Having returned with the only boat back, in the evening, I had a stroll around. As you do.









That sort of portal is Gothic, 14th or 15th century if I recall corretly, and called Paradiso:



Santa Maria Formosa in the dusk:



And the square in front of the Ospedale:



And thus says Venice bueno notte:

Comments

[kerrypolka]

I would read the hell out of that Shylock and Othello story. And/or take the tour. Whatever.

[selenak]

Me too, but I'm afraid no one else will write it to me, which means I'll have to do it myself if I want to read it. As for the genuine articles, you see sometimes people wearing Carnival outfits walking around, advertising events, but so far no Othello or Shylock has presented himself...

[lonelywalker]

Shylock & Othello doing community service certainly has sitcom potential. Strikes me as a bit Good Omens, actually... You are writing this, right? Right?

[selenak]

I might have to, if no one else will, for I really want to read it!

[skywaterblue]

This is a fun idea. What if they're not the /real/ Othello and Shylock, but tourists themselves who got Venetian Jerusalem syndrome? Alternatively, I read a story yesterday about a Conservative Rabbi who got drilled out of his Rabbinical status because they caught him writing responsa to himself under a more-liberal persona.