William Shakespeare passed away more than 400years ago. His plays and sonnets are required reading for high school students and university students. I was one among those 12th-graders who got lost in all of the “thou”, “thy”s and “doth”s. At the time I found Shakespeare’s work difficult and irrelevant to my everyday life. It was a mistake I did not realize. Et tu?
Despite the fact Shakespeare’s work is a collective scholarly agreement (link to external), many people still admire his writing. Why? Because his timeless storylines still speak to us today through new interpretations of them in popular culture. As a teenager, I might have struggled to understand the ideas of William Shakespeare from early 17th-century, but that does not make his writings irrelevant for today’s world.
The contrary is true. Maggie Trapp, Shakespeare (link is external), explains why Shakespeare is so popular and how important it is to understand the culture of Shakespeare’s writing today.
He adapts current work to make it new.
Shakespearean references and influence are continuing to be used in entertainment today.
Trapp states that Shakespeare’s plays exhibit an openness. “They encourage thought, and his vast works are open to reinvention. Shakespearean plots are Romeo, Juliet, Hamlet and King Lear. They are based upon old stories, histories, myths and legends that he modified into his own material. Shakespeare was a master at adapting, so his work is largely based around borrowing and interpretation. It’s no coincidence that Shakespeare’s plays have been repeatedly reworked.
It’s not just movies that rework Shakespeare’s plots. Game of Thrones, which is linked externally, has been influenced more by Shakespearean culture and have grown to be a cultural phenomenon. Part of the reason for that could be seeing Shakespearean-inspired drama performed on screen–the modern equivalent of the stage from The Bard’s own time. His work can be appreciated from a different perspective when it is live and not prerecorded.
George R.R. Trapp notes that Martin in a Rolling Stone Interview noted that Shakespeare borrowed almost all the plots from other authors. Martin makes no secret of the fact Martin’s immensely popular story (both the TV series and the books) was taken from other stories–Shakespeare, among others. Game of Thrones fans love to see Lady Macbeth’s traces in Cersei, Falstaff and Iago in Littlefinger. Game of Thrones’ characters have many facets and are vivid. They resemble rich, multifaceted characters like Shakespeare’s. In fact, these characters have been so well-known that we can recognize them in any context. These familiar characters can become dull and out of date over time. However they remain fresh and real in Shakespeare’s and Martins’ hands.
Current books also reimagine Shakespeare’s world for modern times.
Trapp explains that “The Hogarth Shakespeare link is external” project is a new series of books in the which Anne Tyler (link is extern) and Margaret Atwood (links are external). Trapp adds that this book is a marvellous new series of books in where Trapp and Jeanette Winterson, Anne Tyler, Gillian Flynn and Anne Tyler have reinterpreted Shakespeare’s plays to reflect modern sensibilities.
“In Atwood’s take on The Tempest a (wrongfully) disgraced Shakespeare producer finds himself staging Shakespeare’s play at a prison as part his elaborate revenge plot for his former theater colleagues. Jane Smiley is another remarkable adaptation of Shakespeare’s play A Thousand Acres. Smiley’s book A Thousand Acres takes the King Lear plot, and transforms it inside out to a stunning effect.
Shakespeare’s work remains relevant regardless of the time it is read.
Trapp states, “Shakespeare’s contemporary Ben Jonson wrote Shakespeare’s work was ‘not of an era but for every time,’ which has been proved to prove to be prescient.” “The plays are more timely than ever, and have more relevance than any other time.” They can help us understand the politics and psychology of our moment. For hundreds of decades, these plays have been able communicate complicated truths to all sorts of audiences and to all sorts of readers.
Trapp states, “We are able to see our postmodern predicament by Richard III’s powerplays; our culture’s grappling with the gender binary is evident in Twelfth Night’s probing on gender roles. and expectations.” “Shakespeare was most likely unaware that his works would have such an impact on our culture in the 400 years following his death.”
Shakespeare can help us make sense of our experiences.
Each one of us is part of his characters or themes.
Trapp states that Shakespeare’s plays, poems, and characters are still relevant to us. “His plots still resonate with us, his characters still leave an impact, his language still moves quickly and startsles, and his characters still leave an imprint.” “His characters have a lot in common with us. We identify with Hamlet’s depression; Othello’s envy; and we feel Lear’s decline. These characters are simultaneously types and revelations. Shakespeare’s characters can be easily identified, yet they can also surprise us. And this is what makes them so fascinating.
We can all identify with the feelings elicited by his stories.
Trapp adds that Shakespeare’s language was beautiful and his characters complex. The themes–love. honor. betrayal. jealousy. fear. pride. lust.grief–are all issues of importance to us today.”
Shakespeare can help us make sense of our experiences. And our experiences–concerning everything from gender, family and political intrigue to fame, race and class–are nimbly and memorably explored in these plays. Shakespeare’s characters and his plots have been around for a long time. His plays are a way to see yourself differently.
Today, audiences can connect both on stage and with his words.
Shakespeare’s themes have universal appeal and are timeless. This makes his interpretations appealing to a wide range of audiences. Andrew Dickson, author Worlds Elsewhere. Travels Around Shakespeare’s Globe. This article explains how one Shakespeare play can please multiple audiences.
Trapp explains, “In Shakespeare’s era, audiences were much better attuned with words and aurality.” They experienced the plays directly; they would very rarely have read the plays. Today we are more likely to experience these plays in our own mind, as opposed to reading them in isolation. We attribute a lot to the generative powers of the words on a page, while Shakespeare’s audience – who were predisposed for his language & allusions in ways that we don’t now – was more invested into the live moment of entertainment being put before them.
The Bard’s work can be harder to understand because of the difference between live performance and “in your mind’s eyes” performance. Teaching his work in a manner that is relatable today’s current events can help bring his fascinating work alive and make it easier for people to grasp.
Trapp says, “Shakespeare wanted to see his audience react immediately; he valued a physical connection to the work.” “He wrote for live audiences. His plays were designed to be performed. These plays offer a lot of material that can be used to analyze in a classroom setting. However, our experience with his work should include seeing the plays performed.
“In class (link external), we incorporate discussions about the plays’ characters, plots, and themes with an eye to the plays themselves as performances and encourage students see live performances of these plays whenever possible.”
It is not always possible for students to view live Shakespearean plays. Trapp explains, “By using videos of local Berkeley Shakespeare performers, dramaturges or academics who dig deep into specific plot points, staging issues, and language choices within the plays, students are able to learn how to react to these recordings through mini essays of their own. Commenting on how the ideas that they hear can be applied in new viewings.”
This is not the only way Trapp’s Shakespeare class (link to external) makes subject matter relevant for each of her student.
Trapp continued, “Students could also draw upon their own experiences from high school students who viewed the plays.” We compare what students have seen to date with what they are now learning, or what they can learn from previous viewings.
Through Shakespeare’s plays it is possible learn about oneself and to connect with others by watching the comedy and drama in everyday life. Is it still relevant and valuable to read Shakespeare today?
Shakespeare is often cited even when we don’t realize it.
Have you ever said, “with bated respiration,” that someone is the “beall or the end all” or that it was your goal to “break that ice?” Have you ever asked “Knock-knock!” Do you know who it is?
Trapp asserts that Shakespeare is an important part of today’s daily discourse. “If any of the following words have been used by you: “Green-eyed monster”, “in a pickle,” “tongue-tied”,?standing on ceremony,” wild goose chase,’ or?” hoodwinked,” he said.
“His expressions were both innovative and creative, and they have become so integral to the English language that they transcend coinage. We’re so immersed in Shakespeare, we don’t even realize it. He was a gifted writer and poet, and his metaphors made each one of us richer as readers or writers.
Sky Blue Theatre offer Shakespeare Workshops for primary.