No Man Is an Island

摘要

There is something magical, irrationally intriguing, aboutislands. Indeed any land mass surrounded by water—whetherverdant or barren, historically fascinating or bereft of meaningfulhistory—beguiles continent-based observers who oftenendow the island with fanciful attributes.Islands are sanctuaries of imagination. Somehow, in thecreative fancy of those who dwell on land surrounded solely bystill more land, an island becomes the site of mystery, the incubatorof creativity, and for the romantically-inclined, a cruciblefor renewed youth and bliss. Shakespeare, for one of hislast plays, foreswore the Italian peninsula and the dirty streetsof London and based the dramatic action of The Tempest upona mythical island.