Shakespeare’s works have been around for nearly 50 decades, spanning 38 plays and 154 sonnets. His cultural impact and influence has rippled throughout the time since his death.
But how is it that he has stayed so relevant in the modern age?
For starters, you might’ve come across Shakespeare in school. He has an immense educational following due to his stark genius.
He spans many subjects such as Drama, English and even History. As he is so integrated into our educational system, he is hard to not come across.
Many of Shakespeare's plays are still being performed today. His plays are so fresh to modern audiences due to the lack of stage directions and welcoming new interpretations.
Many famous actors have done Shakespeare as he offers timeless insights into human nature, society and the complexities of relationships which make interpretations fresh and exciting.
Firstly, his plays have cross cultural interpretations and impact. His works have been diluted and shared throughout many corners of the globe. Worldwide retellings have a massive following despite this Elizabethan background.
Romeo and Juliet starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes was a massive success.
Macbeth has been interpreted many times by famous names such as Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellan.
Even 10 things I hate about you is sourced from The Taming Of The Shrew by William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare's legacy is in his works, his words and his stories. Many famous lines have seamlessly become notorious sayings- even those who don’t follow Shakespeare know these lines.
From the infamous “All the worlds a stage” to the everlasting quote - “To be, or not to be, that is the question” - it grapples with life hardships, questioning the nature of our own existence, resonating with modern themes of mental health and the search for purpose.
He also addressed many cultural issues and was very ahead of his time in terms of his stances in the plays.
In Julius Caesar he explorers the perils of populism and mob mentality.
In The Merchant of Venice the play's complex stance of prejudice and retribution parallels current social justice issues; it also reflects on the limits of law.
Richard III portrays the willingness to murder just to secure power and views on disability.
The most prominent feature of Shakespeare's work is his contribution to the English language. He invented 1,700 words, many of which are still in use today.
Such as Goodnight, Addiction, Majestic, Radiance and even Lonely.
He even invented many famous phrases such as “Break the ice” or “All that glisters is not gold”.
These words and phrases, still readily used today, shows how important Shakespeare is in the modern age.
Overall, Shakespeare has stood the test of time and has solidified himself in modern culture for many years to come.
