University slaps Shakespeare with bizarre ‘trigger warnings’—from ‘dirt’ to ‘puppetry’

This reflects a dangerous trend where academia prioritizes modern, often liberal, sensitivities over the historical integrity and educational purpose of classic literature.

 

A British university has taken political correctness to absurd new heights, issuing over 200 trigger warnings for works by William Shakespeare, cautioning students about everything from “dirt” to “puppetry.”

According to a report in the Daily Mail, the University of the West of England (UWE), located in Bristol, has flagged 220 of the Bard’s works, including classic plays and their modern adaptations, as potentially distressing.

Drama students are now being advised to brace themselves for so-called “harmful” content, with warnings that even cover natural elements like “extreme weather” and theatrical effects such as “popping balloons.”

One of Shakespeare’s final plays, The Tempest, comes with a particularly strange set of cautions. Students are warned about its “depiction of magic,” which has been a central theme of the play for over 400 years, and the possibility of seeing balloons pop in a 2016 stage production. 

This follows a growing trend in academia where classic literature is scrutinized through the lens of modern sensitivities, often at the expense of historical and artistic context.

Shakespeare’s works have survived centuries of political and social upheaval, yet they now appear to be under siege from overzealous university administrators. 

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Sheila Gunn Reid

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Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.

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COMMENTS

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  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-02-08 01:24:54 -0500
    “It appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.” (“Hamlet”, Act 2, Scene 2)
  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-02-08 01:18:59 -0500
    To the university administrators, “Thou wouldst make a good fool.” (“King Lear”, Act 1, Scene 5)