Groans. I can already hear them, yet I expect this reaction while bringing up a classical poet, playwright, and literature laureate. Shakespeare’s dramas, tragedies, comedies, and so on are of upmost importance, and many may ask, “Well how is that so? Everything he wrote was in the 16th century; he’s out of touch.” I beg to differ and must stress the beauty of his works: they have lasted so long and are adored by so many because they change with time. Believe it or not, what Shakespeare wrote about society in England then does in fact relate to the current 20th and 21st centuries.
Think about all of the movies that are based off of his play: West Side Story (1961), Romeo + Juliet (1997), 10 Things I hate About You (1999), Hamlet (1996), or even Gnomeo & Juliet (2011). Many of these are very modern takes on Shakespearean classics; some are animated, some take place in high school in the 1990s, one involved gangs in the streets of New York and ethnic prejudices. The brilliance of Shakespeare’s plots and his language are timeless. With the plays and other works he has left us, we have endless ability to decode each, turning them into something that those who may not favor British literature will cherish.
His characters very much represent modern day people and attitudes; Fairy Queen, Titania, in A Midsummer’s Night Dream is a strong, independent, and driven woman who does not take orders from her husband, Oberon. She does indeed struggle with getting her way sometimes though, and this may reflect the growing trend of women being the head of households and being in charge of families in modern times. Then there are lovers, Romeo and Juliet; we have all been in their shoes before and have acted overtly dramatic over another person who we believe is the “end all be all.” Most of us, whether we would like to admit it or not, dabble in reading the horoscopes or pondering our fate and place in society. Some of us more than others may be prone to disobeying our parents, rebelling, and dating whomever we would like.
Being in a terrific Shakespeare class this semester, to anyone who desires to learn more about the beloved figure, or for those who maybe have not encountered him other than in high school, I highly recommend researching more about him; he never disappoints and you are bound to find one character out of the plethora that relates to you or your circumstance!