...Shakespeare Blog “William Shakespeare is still relevant to modern students” From this proposition I believe that the works of William Shakespeare is still relevant for the students of today. I’m a 15 year old student in High School that believes in this statement. People fight the fact that his teachings are too hard as they don’t understand his highly out dated language that is not commonly used towards them in other subjects, therefore they are not used to the language. This prevents them from having the interest to continue reading his scriptures. Although you actually have to really think about it. For starters think about how many times you’ve used these so far in your life including as a child: Addiction, Assassination, Belongings, Uncomfortable and Eyeball. These are just some of the words that we use today. There are also sayings that people still use to talk...
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...Is Shakespeare relevant to modern students today you ask? Of course he is! As students, who doesn’t love a bit of murder and revenge like in Hamlet, or maybe a story of true love like in Romeo and Juliet, or to hate the real villain of a story, like Lady Macbeth. When you think of Shakespeare, you imagine a very old weird looking man with a daggy moustache and hair, whose words have to be repeated a few times to really understand them and story lines that make even the strangest shows on TV these days seem boring. It would be easy to say that his 39 plays are very old fashioned and not relevant for modern students, however, his themes of hate, betrayal, love, prejudice, revenge and family breakdowns are all relevant for us today. The fact that he was able to show all these themes in his many comedies, tragedies and histories is amazing, how many play writers or authors today can say they cover so many themes in their books or plays? Perhaps my favourite thing about Shakespeare after researching for this blog was his dislike for people in his plays by using insults like “lump of foul deformity” or “poisonous hunchback toad” and “mountain of mad flesh” or my favourite “not so much brain as...
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...William Shakespeare is an English Poet, play-writer and actor. He was born in Stratford, United Kiimgres-1ngdom on April 1564. His Father John Shakespeare was a tenant father who worked on various sections of the land they owned. With his Mother Mary Arden who was a member of Noble Catholic Church Community. William married Anne Hathaway when he was only just a teenager, and together they had three children: Hamlet, Susanna and Judith. Shakespeare has written many plays, and some have been re-made into famous movies such as Romeo and Juliet, McBeth and Hamlet. These show us that in today’s modern society, Shakespeare is still relevant, even if his language may not be heard or spoken. Characters We see supernatural characters in many modern movies today, such as Paranormal Activity, Wicked the musical and True Blood. Shakespeare uses Ghosts, Witches and Fairies as main stars of a few of his most famous plays: McBeth, Hamlet and A Midnight Summers Dress. With the use of these...
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...Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, and is widely regarded today as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet. As quoted in an article,” The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry"”. In the 20th century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance, and is currently an active part of education curriculums. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. It is safe to say that although Shakespearean plays were set in the Renaissance Era, they are still the epitome of English literature and are revered by theaters, performers and audiences alike due to their remarkable credibility in portraying everlasting political, social and moral issues. http://www.neptunetheatre.com/content/Shakespeare_hat_trick His plays move from romantic to tragic, humorous to serious so much so that he not only caters to all tastes but also all times by portraying the political situation of his times as well as the way of living. Even Romeo and Juliet, considered by many as a die –hard romantic scripture actually highlights political issues. One of the main political aspects of the play was when count Paris uses...
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...Welcome I am writing this blog about how William Shakespeare is still relevant to modern students today. When we hear the word “William Shakespeare” we all think of fancy words and old plays , but I did a lot of research only to find out that when we hear the words “Champion, Olympian or Gossip” We never actually think about who invented these commonly used words and phrases that we use in everyday conversations. Imagine if we didn’t have any of the words that he invented like the word bedroom, what would we call that! All of our favourite movies, plays, songs and quotes wouldn't exist today! 21st Century Language One of the most important things that Shakespeare left us with today was his words that he invented and, we all use them in reenactments...
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...Willian Shakespeare, born April 1564, was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. Through his amazing plays and poetry, he has changed the world today. He is often called England's national poet, and the "Bard of Avon”. William Shakespeare was the son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden (Shakespeare). Shakespeare was a huge influence for play writers, directors and poets this day, Shakespeare has touched the hearts of many artists, this has reflected in some artists making movies about shakespeare’s art. This includes many different versions that are made until this day about Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and even The Taming of the Shrew. Some of these plays have been turned into movies, for example 10 Things I Hate About You was adapted from The Taming of the Shrew and Gnomeo and Juliet was created from Romeo and Juliet. His characters and stories reveals truths about the human condition and in ways we have all heard about today. The characters from back then showed lots of themes in the art of plays, the...
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...Does Shakespeare write about issues that are still relevant today? Even though Shakespeare wrote his well renowned plays in the 12th century, his main themes and prominent messages are still relevant today. Shakespeare Macbeth and Mark Brozel’s reworking strongly suggest that Shakespeare does write about these issues. Macbeth is a classic tragedy which is so versatile that it can be set in any context. Ambition is the most prominent theme in Macbeth. The audience sees ambition run riots in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s mind, who try so hard to fulfil their desires, no matter what the cost is. For example, Macbeth goes from a good, loyal and honest general to a murdering maniac. This is what ambition does to a human being. It brings out the darkest of demons in a human being. “For mine own good All causes shall give away. I am blood Stepp’d in so far that, I should wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er”- Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 4) Shakespeare uses the technique of similes to compare Macbeth’s crimes as that of him walking through a bloody river. In this simile, Macbeth is comparing his heinous crime to wading through a bloody river. It is Macbeth’s thinking that once a man commits a murderous act for his personal gain, it is impossible to stop. Macbeth implies that turning back would be as tedious as committing the crime. In Mark Brozel’s 2005 adaptation of Macbeth, Macbeth-Shakespeare Retold, the theme of ambition is explored in a different context but with...
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...First, ShakeSpeare has a very huge global influence through his plays. According to “Britain Puts on a Shakespeare Marathon as The Word Arrives for Olympic Games” the article states “ … Shakespeare is truly a writer for the whole world.” So then that being said that even though the Bard is dead he truly is an inspiring writer. That even though he is dead his plays are still being heard not only in America but even across the world and inspire many people today. Also, “His ability to speak to audience around the world is undimmed.” (“Britain Puts on a Shakespeare Marathon as The Word Arrives for Olympic Games.”) Another reason why Shakespeare has an global influence that his ability of writing could reach all people everywhere and of all size...
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...outlets. One such artist is William Shakespeare, the famous English poet behind plays like Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. Shakespeare’s plays have managed to gain and maintain cult followings for hundreds of years. Shakespeare is arguably one of the biggest and most notable names in literary history thanks to his extensive contribution to the English theatre. With such great influence and cultural reach comes...
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...Intro Four hundred years have passed since William Shakespeare penned his last play. Yet his language, themes and characters are as alive today as they were when the first plays were. The plays have been performed in almost every language, on stage and screen and at popular festivals around the world. Shakespearean works are required to read for high school English students. Even in prisons, teachers find that Shakespeare offers contemporary connections that open pathways to learning for some of society’s weakest. The reason his work is so popular is that Shakespeare wrote about human nature and how people behave. That is why, although his words can be hard to understand, his ideas are as relevant now as they were four centuries ago. Characters...
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...Shakespeare writes about themes that are still relevant today because his themes of ambition, fate, violence and even the unnatural world is seen so often in our lives. We see ambition run amok in both Macbeth and his wife, who try so hard to fulfill their desires. For example, Macbeth a good, loyal and honest general os overrun by his ambitious personality was so dangerous, and destructive it led to his downfall. Lady Macbeth was overly - ambitious, too. In her eagerness to kill the king she prays to the unnatural saying "come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the toe – top – full of the direst cruelty. Make thick my blood,". Ambition relates to our lives today, as like Macbeth, many people aren't happy with what they have - they only want to attain power to attain more. Both today and in the Tragedy of Macbeth, ambition overthrows morals and virtues. Both Banquo and Macbeth question fate when the witches prophesies that Macbeth will be made thane (a rank of Scottish nobility) of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. Macbeth is rapped with ore at this possibility. This theme definitely relates to today, as so many people try and plan their future and believe they know what they will be doing in a decade, but in many circumstances, they end up doing something very different, due to choice. Macbeth shows that once one violent act is done, it only leads to another, and this does not stop. This means, violence usually does not...
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...that it was written or the problems of the future. Classics are historical books that have an outstanding meaning to them and they all relate to life and they are relevant today because the meaning portrayed by them, transcend over time. Classics are classics if they consist of one of these topics: love, death, and wishes. The first theme you’ll see most commonly used in a classic is love. In the stories, “Sonnet 18” and “Sonnet 130” by W. Shakespeare, and “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allen Poe, they all portray that love is a wonderful thing. In Sonnet 18, lines 1-4, it states, “So long as man can breathe or eyes can see so long lives this, and gives life to thee.” The meaning of this is that your beauty and love for one another is never failing as you continue to live. In sonnet 130,lines 9-11, Shakespeare wrote, “I love to hear her speak, yet well I know that music hath a far more pleasing sound. I grant I never saw a goddess go.” As you can see, love can be a good or bad thing. In this case, love is a hideous thing and Shakespeare wrote about how love is funny. In a change to the meaning of love we move to the light happy side.In “Annabel Lee”, Poe states on lines 36-37, “And the star never rise, but I feel the bright eyes, of the Beautiful Annabel Lee.” He meant by this quote to say that although she is dead I still feel her presence and see her beauty and never fail to see it even if the stars don’t shine. The short story, “A lady or a tiger” by Frank R. Stockton, told about...
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...‘Shakespeare is interested in the essentials of human nature, holding a mirror up to our humanity’ Shakespeare understood humanity in a way that no other playwright before him had ever explored. Harold Bloom, a prominent Shakespeare authority and literary critic, contends that Shakespeare invented personality and human nature as we know it today. Up until Shakespeare, there was a “villain”, a “hero”, a “fool” and an “innocent” and the audience knew right away which was which. Shakespeare didn’t write “heroes” and “villains.” He wrote real people with real flaws, who were all equally capable of committing good and evil. One of the most important themes in Macbeth involves the witches' statement in Act 1, Scene1 that "fair is foul and foul is fair." (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 10) This phrase aptly describes the macabre status quo within the character Macbeth and without. When Macbeth and Banquo first see the weird sisters, Banquo is horrified by their hideous appearances. Conversely, Macbeth immediately began to converse with these universally known evil creatures. After hearing their prophecies, one can say that Macbeth considered the witches to be "fair" when in reality their intentions were quite "foul." Macbeth's possession of the titles of Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland came by foul means. Macbeth became the Thane of Glamis by his father Sinel's death; he became Thane of Cawdor when the former namesake was executed for treason; and he was ordained...
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...may be over 400 years old but, is still relevant today due to popular and common themes in modern times. Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet is about two teenagers who fall in love at first sight, but is forbidden and unrequited because the two families (Capulet and Montague) are feuding. The lack of communication between the two in this play leads to both of the lovers taking their own lives so they can be eternally together. Love is unsurprisingly the play’s most overriding and most significant theme. The love that Shakespeare ultimately portrays in the play is a youthful lust that the kind of love that Romeo and Juliet display leads the star crossed lovers to enact a selfish isolation from their parent’s demands and expectations around them. Romeo and Juliet avoid their commitments to anyone else and choose to act selflessly only towards one another. Romeo and Juliet’s youthful lust is one of many reasons why their relationship grows so intense so quickly. Throughout the play, Shakespeare only describes Romeo and Juliet's love as a short-term burst of youthful passion. In most of his work, considering that no other relationships in the play are as pure as that between Romeo and Juliet, though, it is easy to see that Shakespeare respects the power of such a youthful, passionate love but also cries the impermanence of it. Death In Romeo and Juliet, death is everywhere. Even before the play shifts in tone after Mercutio's death, Shakespeare makes several references to death...
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...Classic text will never go out of style because the concepts within have something important to teach us and are still meaningful and relevant today. The renaissance period was a time in Britain between the late fifteenth to mid–seventeenth centuries and was a major turning point for British culture. The renaissance period is famous for the works of Shakespeare and Marlowe. Their literature reflected free thinking, historical, philosophical, and religious influences of the time. William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe used Aristotelian tragedy, in which a great man is brought undone by a fatal flaw in his own character. In these types of tragedies the characters’ misfortune is brought upon by himself, not by vice. This was a concept portrayed 500 years ago yet rings true today. People are not flawless and most misfortunes are brought on by some error in judgment. Examples of characters with this tragic flaw include Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and Shakespeare’s King Lear. Shakespeare’s ‘The Tragedy Of King Lear’ must be taken in context. Before the renaissance period the only form of drama was the occasional religious mystery play. The plays of the renaissance period drew away from the religious theme. As a result there was a huge expansion in the range of subjects that the authors wrote about. Thus the tragedy of the character coming undone by flaw not by evil, was seen in the plays. King Lear’s basic flaw is his test of his daughters superficial love over real love...
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