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Relevance of Shakespeare in the 21st century
Relevance of Shakespeare in the 21st century
Analysis of hamlet by shakespeare
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Shakespeare’s writings have touched many lives, both in the Elizabethan era and in today’s modern society. He has so many famous writings and plays that there are too many to talk about. He put a lot of time, heart, and effort into all of his writings. Three of his most famous major works are Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet. They are timeless and classics. It is even a question as to why they have lasted to this day. It is most likely because of Shakespeare’s popularity, imagery, and writing style.
Shakespeare was wildly popular during the Elizabethan era. He, unlike like many authors during this time, was actually famous while he was alive. While Shakespeare was regarded as the foremost dramatist of his time, evidence indicates that both he and his contemporaries looked to poetry, not playwriting, for enduring fame. Shakespeare’s sonnets were composed between 1593 and 1601, though not published until 1609. That edition, The Sonnets of Shakespeare, consists of 154 sonnets, all written in the form of three quatrains and a couplet that is now recognized as Shakespearean. During this time, Shakespeare was also very famous for creating new words. “In his poems and plays, Shakespeare invented thousands of words, often combining or contorting Latin, French, and native roots.” ("William Shakespeare." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. . ) He had expanded the Oxford English Dictionary with about one thousand words. This led into him expanding the way that he was writing. “Shakespeare wrote more than thirty plays in his lifetime.”( "William Shakespeare." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. . ) These thirty plays are normally d...
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...uring Shakespeare’s early works rather than his later works.
All in all, it is easy to tell that Shakespeare’s writings have touched many lives during the Elizabethan Era and in today’s modern society. His famous plays and writings have stayed with us throughout the years. That is because of Shakespeare’s popularity, imagery, and writings. It is no question as to where we would be here today without Shakespeare’s famous works and writings.
Works Cited
Spurgeon, Charles E.. Shakespeare's imagery and what it tells us. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1935. Print.
Shakespeare, William. Mr. William Shakespeare's comedies, histories & tragedies: a facsimile of the first folio, 1623. New York: Routledge, 1998. Print.
"William Shakespeare." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. .
Works Cited
Clark, W.G., and W. Aldis Wirhgt, eds. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Vol 2. USA: Nd. 2 vols.
One reason his writings are still powerful and influential because it is an art form of expression. Shakespeare uses a variety of fictional characters to show new aspects of humanity. The play of Othello is a good example of an art that has movement and progresses over a set time. It does not restrict the readers or writers because both can create their own little fantasy world while writing or reading the play. Before the television age, people use theater as form of entertainment and also a good way to pass down human history to the next generation. Back then, people really enjoy the different theatrical themes. For instance, Shakespeare sets up a deceitful theme in “The Tragedy of Othello,” especially in the character Iago. He is the main plot and key figure to the entire play. Iago quickly learn his opponent’s weakness and use...
Shakespeare, William, Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. The Norton Shakespeare. Second ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. Print.
Cohen, Walter, J.E. Howard, K. Eisaman Maus. The Norton Shakespeare. Vol. 2 Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor. New York, London. 2008. ISBN 978-0-393-92991-1
Shakespeare, William. The First Folio of Shakespeare: The Norton Facsimile. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1968.
Dutton, R., & Howard, J.E. (2003). A Companion to Shakespeare’s Works.(p. 9) Maiden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
Clark, W. G. and Wright, W. Aldis , ed. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Vol. 1. New York: Nelson-Doubleday
Shakespeare, William. The Norton Shakespeare. Edited Stephen Greenblatt et al. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1997.
Shakespeare consists of classic tales, as some would say. He uses such a beautiful language and a strong depiction of his characters, atmosphere, background and even the overall message he tries to send through his productions. Specifically, Hamlet is a very important play because it covers a broad range of themes that we encounter today in the 20th century ranging from love, betrayal, politics, war, death, insanity, espionage and so on. Shakespeare’s work was a form of art and you can get a lot out of his
Shakespeare has perhaps contributed the most to the English language of any writer known to man – literally. Over 1000 words and phrases that he coined as part of his plays and prose are now in common use across the globe. He changed nouns into verbs, verbs into adjectives, added on previously unheard-of prefixes and suffixes and in some cases made words out of nothing. Even culturally sensitive words such as ‘ode’ (The ANZACS) and scientific jargon (‘epileptic’) are in fact products of Shakespeare. Bernard Levin probably summed this up best when he wrote: “If you cannot understand my argument, and declare "It's Greek to me", you are quoting Shakespeare; if you claim to be more sinned against than sinning, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you recall your salad days, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you act more in sorrow than in anger, if your wish is father to the thought, if your lost property has vanished into thin air, you are quoting Shakespeare; loose, if you have been tongue-tied, a tower of strength, hoodwinked or in a pickle.
Shakespeare's works have been a major influence on theatre. Not only did Shakespeare create some of the most admired plays in literature, he also transformed theatre by expanding expectations through characterisation, plot, action, language, and genre. He raised the status of popular theatre, permitting it to be admired by all.
Shakespeare, William, and Sylvan Barnet. The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare. General Editor: Sylvan Barnet. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1972. Print.
Shakespeare is very intelligent in his choice of images. He continuously uses common images which transcend time, as they are central to human nature. This enables the imagery’s effect to stay constant, no matter who reads it or when it is read. Works Cited Shakespeare, William, and Aaron Durband. Macbeth.
In his time, Shakespeare was the most popular playwright of London. As time passed, his smartness covers all others of his age; Jonson, Marlowe, Kyd, Greene, Dekker, Heywood—none had the craft or the kindness of character. He was the master of poetry writing and he did it well. He created the most vivid characters of the Elizabethan stage. His usage of language, both high and low, shows a remarkable fun and insight. His themes fit all generation even to this day.
Clowns and Jesters abound throughout the Shakespearean canon, and the Bard’s later plays are no exception. In this paper I plan to examine the later Shakespearean fool, particularly King Lear’s Fool and Cymbeline’s Cloten and how they represent various political and social ideas. First, I will examine the historical significance of both Fool and Cloten’s station, their historic relevance, and similarities to other socio-political archetypes. Next, I will look at how Lear’s Fool and Cloten reflect the idea of progress by revolutionary derailment of main characters inspiring monarchical overturn and progress. Third, I will examine the symbolism in their deaths and how it reflects the historic trend of the maligned lower class, post overthrow.