One sad thing about the USA is that we have not yet produced a Shakespeare. I remain hopeful.
JohnHuang2 and I discussed last year how literature and history were being intertwined with the war on terror, although many of the people doing so did not realize what they were doing. It is interesting to go back and read the references to the Crusades, St. George and the Dragon, Roland, and King Arthur. Those who don't have a literary background missed it, but I found it quite striking, especially coming from the mainstream media sources like Howard Fineman.
They have reverted to type, of course, but for a moment in September of last year they were carrying a message that was, I believe, from a higher source. We are, I believe, called to wage this war. (You may feel free to consign me to the loony bin...but it was quite striking at the time.)