The question was which other character could be nominated along with the seven selected, six if you delete Faraday. I have taken the liberty of suggesting alternatives for the Open seven, with a rather personal and not entirely serous perspective.
Cleopatra is the chosen person to study reputation from a Classical Studies perspective. How about, as an alternative, Boudica, also known as Boadicea. We could include spelling and pronunciation here.
English literature is studied via Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. I suggest, as it’s being produced at Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake later in the year, John Ford and ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore. My wife and I are booked to attend a theatre school in Keswick in September, coinciding with the AA100 EMA deadline.
Paul Cézanne’s work and reputation introduces Art History. Claude Monet would be my alternative selection. No personal connection, just a favourite.
I would keep a History presence, regardless of strategic shrinkages. But fascinating as Faraday was going to be, how about a Scot? John Logie Baird grew up close to a (very) distant cousin of mine in Helensburgh, Alexander Fleming is Nobel laureate, but my choice is James Watt. I attended Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh more than a year or so ago.
Stalin promises to be so interesting in so many ways that it is difficult to replace him. Stalin has so many facets to him. Being Scottish I would suggest William Wallace, if only to attempt to understand the recent interest, although Stalin represents more modern history and hence more accessible archive material. Alternatively, being from Arbroath, I suggest the King who signed the 1320 Declaration of Independence in the Abbey there, Robert the Bruce.
The music divas are varied, this chapter has no single person focus. Shame, I would like to learn more about Beethoven or Mozart or the Scottish singer Andy Stewart, who went to school with my sister. Luckily for him, she emigrated to Canada in the 1960s.
For Religious Studies, the role and reputation of the Dalai Lama is another hard figure to replace. Mother Teresa, an Archbishop of Canterbury or a Pope perhaps. I have actually been to Tibet and visited Lhasa, so the Dalai is my personal choice too.
I hope you enjoy my selections.