Borges meets Shakespeare

      That's right. In this blog the world-renowned Jorge Luis from La gran Buenos Aires will take center stage. Interestingly enough, in my Spanish Lit class today, we talked to some length about an interview that my professor had with Borges many years ago in Argentina. The subject of the conversation quickly turned to Borges' work, and why he had chosen never to write anything in English (after all, alongside Spanish it had been his native language, although growing up in Argentina). He responded to Dr. Ted Lyon, "What, me? Write in the same language as Shakespeare? You must be kidding."

      Borges was exposed to literature of all kinds, but the fascinating thing is his naturally assumed position in comparative literature. He was never exposed to a bias between either Spanish or English because of his independently studious nature. And yet, above all, he has preferred the master Shakespeare as one of his role models. Another testament to the universality of Shakespeare, even in Hispanic circles.