Міністерство освіти та науки України
Управління освіти Чернівецької міської ради
Чернівецька гімназія №7
Пошуково – дослідницька робота
на тему
«Shakespeare in the Modern Life»
Учнів
10 – 11 класів
Керівники роботи:
Брандес Н. С.
Куканова О. І.
Белінський П.В.
м.Чернівці
2014
Plan
1. Biography
2. Introduction
3. How Shakespeare changed everything?
4. Why study Shakespeare?
5. Shakespeare's Lasting Influence in the Arts
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Art and Architecture
Music
Cinema
Theatre
6. Translations into Ukrainian
7. Psychological Aspects of Shakespeare's
Creativity
8. Conclusion
9. Appendix (Shakespeare’s Main Them
1. Biography
William Shakespeare
Information about the life of William Shakespeare is often open to doubt. Some
even doubt whether he wrote all plays ascribed to him. From the best available
sources it seems William Shakespeare was born in Stratford on about April 23rd
1564. His father William was a successful local businessman and his mother Mary
was the daughter of a landowner. Relatively prosperous, it is likely the family paid
for Williams’s education, although there is no evidence he attended university.
In 1582 William, aged only 18, married an older woman named Anne Hathaway.
Soon after, they had their first daughter, Susanna. They had another two children
but William’s only son Hamnet died aged only 11.
After his marriage, information about the life of Shakespeare is sketchy but it
seems he spent most of his time in London writing and performing in his plays. It
seemed he didn’t mind being absent from his family - only returning home during
Lent when all theatres were closed. It is generally thought that during the 1590s he
wrote the majority of his sonnets. This was a time of prolific writing and his plays
developed a good deal of interest and controversy. Due to some well-timed
investments he was able to secure a firm financial background, leaving time for
writing and acting. The best of these investments was buying some real estate near
Stratford in 1605, which soon doubled in value.
Some academics known as the “Oxfords” claim that Shakespeare never actually
wrote any plays they suggest names such as Edward de Vere. They contend
Shakespeare was actually just a successful businessman. Nevertheless there is
some evidence of Shakespeare in theatres as he received a variety of criticism from
people such as Ben Johnson and Robert Greene.
Shakespeare the Poet
William Shakespeare wrote 154 Sonnets mostly in the 1590s. Fairly short poems,
they deal with issues such as lost love. His sonnets have an enduring appeal due to
his characteristic skill with language and words.
“Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:”
- Sonnet CXVI
The Plays of Shakespeare
The plays of Shakespeare have been studied more than any other writing in the
English language and have been translated into numerous languages. He was rare
as a play-write for excelling in tragedies, comedies and histories. He deftly
combined popular entertainment with a rare poetic capacity for expression which is
almost mantric in quality.
"This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!"
-Lord Polonius, Hamlet Act I, Scene 3
During his lifetime, Shakespeare was not without controversy, but he also received
lavish praise for his plays which were very popular and commercially successful.
Shakespeare died in 1664; it is not clear how he died although his vicar suggested
it was from heavy drinking. His tombstone is marked with the following epitaph;
Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare
To digg the dust encloased heare
Blessed by y man y spares hes stones
And curst be he y moves my bones
It is true to say that each line of Shakespeare has been poured over by scholars and
students - no idea or concept has been left unturned. Shakespeare has left a
profound and lasting impact on literature, cinema and theatre.
2.Introduction
Shakespeare makes modern culture and modern culture makes Shakespeare. I
could perhaps put the second "Shakespeare" in quotation marks, so as to indicate
that what I have in mind is our idea of Shakespeare and of what is Shakespearean.
But in fact it will be my claim that Shakespeare and "Shakespeare" are
perceptually and conceptually the same from the viewpoint of any modern
observer.
Characters like Romeo, Hamlet, or Lady Macbeth have become cultural types,
instantly recognizable when their names are invoked. As will become clear, the
modern versions of these figures often differ significantly from their
Shakespearean "originals": a "Romeo" is a persistent romancer and philanderer
rather than a lover faithful unto death, a "Hamlet" is an indecisive overthinker, and
a "Lady Macbeth," in the public press, is an ambitious female politician who will
stop at nothing to gain her own ends. But the very changes marked by these
appropriations tell a revealing story about modern culture and modern life.
The idea that Shakespeare is modern is, of course, hardly a modern idea. Indeed, it
is one of the fascinating effects of Shakespeare's plays that they have almost
always seemed to coincide with the times in which they are read, published,
produced, and discussed. But the idea that Shakespeare writes us - as if we were
Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, constantly encountering our own
prescripted identities, proclivities, beliefs, and behaviors - is, if taken seriously,
both exciting and disconcerting.
We will suggest in what follows that Shakespeare has scripted many of the ideas
that we think of as "naturally" our own and even as "naturally" true: ideas about
human character, about individuality and selfhood, about government, about men
and women, youth and age, about the qualities that make a strong leader. Such
ideas are not necessarily first encountered today in the realm of literature - or even
of drama and theater. Psychology, sociology, political theory, business, medicine,
and law have all welcomed and recognized Shakespeare as the founder, authorizer,
and forerunner of important categories and practices in their fields. Case studies
based on Shakespearean characters and events form an important part of education
and theory in leadership institutes and business schools as well as in the history of
psychoanalysis. In this sense Shakespeare has made modern culture, and modern
culture returns the favor.
The word "Shakespearean" today has taken on its own set of connotations, often
quite distinct from any reference to Shakespeare or his plays. A cartoon by Bruce
Eric Kaplan in The New Yorker shows a man and a woman walking down a city
street, perhaps headed for a theater or a movie house. The caption reads, "I don't
mind if something's Shakespearean, just as long as it's not Shakespeare."
"Shakespearean" is now an all- purpose adjective, meaning great, tragic, or
resonant: it's applied to events, people, and emotions, whether or not they have any
real relevance to Shakespeare.
3. How Shakespeare changed everything?
Stephen Marche’s “
According to this fun, lyrically written and well-researched book, here are just ten
of the many ways that Shakespeare changed everything:
1. He gave us a lot of new words
Just say some words real quick and you’ll probably say one he coined – nearly
10% of his 20,000-word vocabulary was new to his audiences. You may consider
yourself quite fashionable or softhearted. You may consider this post to
be lackluster. But you couldn’t consider any of those things to be those ways if
Shakespeare hadn’t made up the words for you.
2. He inspired an assassin
On November 25, 1864, actor John Wilkes Booth starred as Marc Antony
alongside his brothers, Edwin as Brutus and Junius, Jr. as Cassius, in a one-night
benefit performance of Julius Caesar at New York City’s Winter Garden Theatre
— incidentally raising money to place a statue of Shakespeare on Central Park’s
Literary Walk. Five months later, on April 14, 1865, JWB would put on a more
impactful performance at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, as a real-life Brutus,
assassinating the leader of a nation.
3. He inadvertently caused a pigeon problem
His statue in Central Park is covered in pigeon droppings, and strangely it's kind of
his fault. (Yes, the same statue for which the Booth brothers’ benefit raised the
funds). It's hard to believe that the veritable starling infestation of New York City
came as the direct result of an innocent bird-lovin’, Bard-lovin’ pharmaceutical
manufacturer named Eugene Schieffelin but, alas, ‘tis true. In March of 1860,
Schieffelin released a mere sixty starlings into the Central Park air as a part of his
effort to introduce every bird mentioned in Shakespeare to North America.
Scientists estimate that the descendants of this and another small 1891 Schiefflinreleased flock now number in the area of 200 million.
4. He named a lot of babies
Simpson, Biel and Rabbit, just to name a few. The name “Jessica” first appears in
Shakespeare. The original Jessica was Shylock’s daughter in The Merchant of
Venice.
5. He cleared the path for Freud
Shakespeare thought sexual repression was for the birds. His plays are bawdier
than anything the Farrely Brothers have devised and, while his own rowdy Globe
Theatre crowds ate it up (they were all drunk anyway), future generations found it
necessary to censor the Bard substantially. Bell’s Shakespeare from 1773, the first
collection of Shakespeare’s plays as they were performed on the English stage,
contained only 2/3 of the original material.
6. He helped us understand teen angst
Those who want to see Romeo and Juliet as the embodiments of purity and love,
like 18th-century English playwright David Garrick, are met with an imposing
editorial task. Garrick’s first cut was the elimination of the character of Rosaline,
the source of Romeo’s heartsickness at the play’s outset (she’s the one making his
“sad hours seem long” in Act I, Scene 1) and one of many examples of the young
man’s rash and impetuous teenage behavior. Apparently, people enjoyed the
wishful notion of the purity and sensibility of teenage love, Garrick’s edited
version of the play survived, unchanged, for over a hundred years.
7. He invigorated Nazis and anti-Nazis alike
While it's difficult to categorize Shakespearean politics, it's easy to find
justification of one’s own prejudices and beliefs in the Shakespeare canon. Many
groups and movements have sought to claim him as their own. Shortly after Hitler
became Chancellor of Germany, the Nazi Party issued a pamphlet
entitled Shakespeare – A Germanic Writer. Three years later, during the height of
Hitler's rule, there were more performances of Shakespeare’s works in Germany
than the rest of the world combined.
But those opposed to Hitler’s ideals could also find support in Shakespeare’s
works, particularly in Shylock’s well-known speech from The Merchant of Venice.
8. He raised questions about race and prejudice
Just ask Paul Robeson - African-American actor, athlete, activist, and all-around
rock star who, in 1943, played the role of Othello on Broadway. To this day, that
show’s run of 296 shows is the longest ever for a Shakespeare play on Broadway.
9. He ticked off Tolstoy
Big time. The works of the very-bearded Russian great aside, Shakespeare’s
literary influence is immeasurable. Dickens and Keats credited nobody more. Eliot
claimed that the modern world can essentially be divided into two categories: those
things influenced by Shakespeare and those influenced by Dante. William
Faulkner, Aldous Huxley, Vladimir Nabokov, and David Foster Wallace each
titled one of their works directly from a line in Shakespeare.
But perhaps the influence Shakespeare had on Tolstoy’s writing was even more
profound, since Tolstoy wrote a whole book about his disdain for the Bard. Tolstoy
on Shakespeare reveals, unequivocally, that Tolstoy did not merely lack delight in
Shakespeare’s work, he derived from it, “irresistible repulsion and tedium” and
found the literary world’s reliance on and reference for Shakespeare to be “a great
evil – as is every untruth.”
10. He killed a tree in Bidford
And he did so years after his own death! Legend has it that a retired lush of a Bard
stumbled under said tree – the crab variety – and slept off a night of competitive
drinking with Bidford’s supposedly prolific booze hounds. Tourists tore the poor
tree to shreds, taking home souvenirs of old Willy’s wild night. In the absence of
any really reliable biography, we cling to legends and potentialities to help us
understand anything at all about the man whose writing has helped us to
understand so much.
4.Why study Shakespeare
An Enlightened Literary Appreciation
The first reason to study Shakespeare is the rare quality of his work. He is
widely regarded as the greatest writer in all of English literature. Although
Shakespeare composed a wealth of exquisite, enduring poetry (especially the
Sonnets), he devoted himself primarily to the theater. His genius is evident both in
the breadth and the depth of some three dozen plays, many of which are counted
among the greatest works in English literature. Examples of Shakespeare’s genius
include: the richness of his literary devices; the compelling drama of his plots; the
penetrating nature of his characterizations; the universal interest and appeal in his
dialogs and monologues; his delightful sense of humor; his enduring wisdom and
wit; and his many famous, unforgettable lines. He continues to be the most-quoted
author in the English language. For instance, who hasn’t heard the line, “All the
world’s a stage”?
Shakespeare was an outstanding observer and communicator of human
character. Many of his characters have become immortal in the sense that they
capture types which are universal. Students today continue to identify with them
and their struggles. There is much profit to be gained from comparing and
contrasting Shakespeare's characters with each other, and from learning the reasons
for their strengths and weaknesses. It is to Shakespeare’s credit that he conveyed
these insights in such an effective and entertaining literary medium.
An Expanded Biblical Worldview
A second reason to study Shakespeare is the insight to be gained from his
Biblical worldview. Few people realize how deeply the plays of Shakespeare
depend upon and express a Biblical worldview. Although he tapped many literary
sources for ideas, his primary literary source was Scripture. His references to the
Bible (direct and indirect) far outnumber any other references. A recent (April,
2000) Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Massachusetts demonstrated that the
Bible served as Shakespeare's principal creative resource. The Shakespeare
Oxford Society has acknowledged that "the 1570 Geneva Bible [is]…a window
into the mind of Shakespeare and his writing."
The influence of a Biblical worldview is evident throughout Shakespeare’s
work. His plots are ripe with Biblical principles, lessons and truths. Take, for
example, this short summary of themes from some of his most famous
plays. Hamlet deals with the theme of revenge, and teaches that “Vengeance is
mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19); “All who take the sword will
perish by the sword” (Matt. 26:52) Measure for Measure takes its title from Matt.
7:2 and teaches the reader: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the
judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the
measure you get” (Matt. 7:1-2). Macbeth demonstrates the dangers of ambition,
and the Biblical truths: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before
a fall” (Prov. 16:18); “For what does it profit it man if he gains the whole world
and loses his soul”(Matt. 16:26; Mk. 8:36; Lk. 9:25). Much Ado about
Nothing deals with the theme of deceptive appearances and warns the reader: “Do
not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” (Jn. 7:24); “The LORD
sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks
on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). The Merchant of Venice conveys a message of
mercy and demonstrates the Gospel truth that: “Judgment is without mercy to one
who has shown no mercy; yet mercy triumphs over judgment” (Jas. 2:13)
It is evident that Shakespeare wrote from a God-centered, redemptive
perspective. As the Christian writer and English professor, Louise Cowan, says in
her popular and delightful Invitation to the Classics (A Guide to Books You’ve
Always Wanted to Read): “Shakespeare saw life as leading to a final end of
reconciliation and love." It is this Biblically based optimism and foundation for
hope which inspired Shakespeare's ’comic’ (happy-ending) view of the world.
In his comedies, Shakespeare depicted a world of love and joy, filled with
faith and forgiveness, and leading to a happy end. However, as in real life, the
happy endings never come without a struggle. Inevitably the heroes and heroines
must face obstacles and threats which can only be resolved through faith and hope,
and through redemptive strategies whereby love finds a way. In the tragedies,
the challenge or obstacle is the pride of a tragic hero who suffers some
downfall. The challenge of the hero is to respond to the downfall with humility
and repentance. Will the hero submit his pride to truth and justice (and ultimately,
to God), or will he remain fixed in a defiance which demands his own way? To
quote Cowan again, will the hero "submit to a power higher than his own pride or
continue with himself as the center of existence"? Othello and Macbeth choose
self; Hamlet and Lear allow themselves to be remade.
There are few stories which take a reader deeper into a Biblical view of the
world than those of Shakespeare. Sin and repentance; judgment and redemption;
the law and the Gospel—the great themes are all there. In our current cultural
context, it is easy to forget the contributions of Christianity to Western civilization,
in general, and to great literature, in particular. The study of Shakespeare is a good
reminder.
An enriched cultural literacy
Given the magnitude of his contribution, it is no wonder that E.D. Hirsch
insists that a healthy knowledge of Shakespeare is essential to a basic, “cultural
literacy.” What Christians often forget is that cultural literacy is crucial for
evangelism. Shakespeare provides a wonderful “bridge” for discussing the great
questions of life, and for introducing the answers of Scripture. I can still remember
hearing a sermon, when I was just a youth, about Hamlet and his struggle for a
reason to live. God used the story of Hamlet to speak the Gospel to me in a fresh
and powerful way.
Forty years ago J. B. Phillips wrote the little classic, Your God Is Too
Small. His book struck a nerve in the Christian community. We so quickly fall
into idolatry, settling for our own, static images of the Almighty, and forgetting the
infinite power and holiness of the true and living God. We forget that God is at
work all the time, all around us, and that God does not “leave himself without
witness” (Acts 14:17).
In the book Peace Child, Don Richardson has written about his experiences
as a missionary to the Sawi tribe of cannibals in New Guinea. After many failures
and discouragements in the early 1960s, Richardson was surprised to learn that
God had planted a redemptive custom in ancient Sawi tradition. He learned that
God had built a bridge, a “redemptive analogy,” for the true story about Jesus. The
Sawis believed that the only way to make peace between enemies was through a
“peace child.” Only if a man would actually give his own son to his enemies could
that man be trusted. Once he made that discovery, Richardson was able to
introduce the Sawis to Jesus as God’s “Peace Child,” and suddenly the cannibals
began to believe and to be saved (Regal/ Gospel Light, 1974).
Out of this experience Richardson came to believe that God is far more
active even in pagan cultures than we ever dreamed, working even in myths and
customs to prepare lost souls to hear the truth. All people know that they’re
missing something. Ancient cultural myths and traditions often express that sense
of need. In a second book, Eternity in Their Hearts, Richardson went on to record
over two dozen other examples of cultural bridges, or redemptive analogies, which
missionaries have used successfully to present the Gospel around the world
(Regal/Gospel Light, 1981).
I believe that Shakespeare is one of the gifts which God has provided for us as a
rich source of “cultural bridges” and “redemptive analogies.” Students of
Shakespeare are richly rewarded for their efforts. He offers so many treasures and
delights, including: an enlightened literary appreciation; an expanded Biblical
worldview; and an enriched cultural literacy.
5. Shakespeare's Lasting Influence in the Arts
One of the most prolific writers known to man, William Shakespeare has
undoubtedly left quite a legacy through his literary achievements. Author of over
thirty plays and hundreds of poems, the man known as the Bard remains one of the
world's best-loved poet and playwright. His plays, in particular, remain popular
with theater troupes around the world and are constantly performed in various
stages and with different interpretations. His poetry is similarly well-received;
these poems are a significant part of education, particularly for students of English
literature. Yet few people may realize that the extent of Shakespeare's relevance
does not end with poems and stage plays; the legacy of the Bard endures beyond
the confines of his own artistic field.
This paper posits that William Shakespeare's literary contributions have
significantly influenced various fields of artistic expression, such as architecture,
painting, music and film. To prove so, however, it is necessary to first look into the
man himself, as well as his significant achievements in the world of literature.
Only by doing so can a proper understanding of the Bard and his lasting legacy be
achieved. Furthermore, this study shall look into the influence of Shakespeare on
the aforementioned artistic genres, namely architecture, painting, music and film.
The time span of this study covers the period following the death of the Bard to the
contemporary era. As such, any example of Shakespeare's influence on the arts can
be included in this study.
Art and Architecture
The influence of Shakespeare is such that a research facility in Maryland is
devoted to the rebuilding of the Globe Theater of London - the stage wherein most
of his plays first came alive. The theater had been destroyed in a fire then rebuilt,
only to be demolished decades later. Few details are known about the architecture
of the Globe, and yet many of the architects today - even those outside of London,
where the original once stood - are obsessed with reconstructing Shakespeare's
creative abode. By 1970, however, plans were made to rebuild the Globe as a
tribute to Shakespeare. The Shakespeare Globe Trust was established and work
began on piecing together the details of surviving sketches of the Globe (The
Shakespeare Globe Trust 2008).
The reconstruction of the Globe was made on its original site and completed by
1997 - four years after the death of the Trust founder, Sam Wanamaker. Based on
previous writings and the description of the Globe according to its former guests,
the reconstructed building is largely faithful to the original and now serves as the
location for productions of Shakespeare's most beloved plays (The Shakespeare
Globe Trust 2008). This is one example of how Shakespeare has influenced
architecture through his literary achievement. Though there may be few examples
of Shakespeare-inspired architecture, the reconstruction of the Globe shows the
significance of Shakespeare even in other fields of artistic expression,
Many painters were inspired by Shakespearean dramas in their artworks. One such
painter was Turner, whose paintings were not limited to imitations of the masters
and biblical scenes. He is known for his depiction Juliet in an imagined scene,
entitled "Juliet and Her Nurse" - a scene that Turner transposed from imaginary
Verona to Venice. His following piece was entitled "Jessica" - a controversial
painting that depicted Shylock's daughter as she moved away from the window,
farther from the audience's view. The painting was controversial not for its subject
matter, but for Turner's outrageous use of color. It is important to note, however,
that Turner was far from the only painter to make use of Shakespearean scenes -
his contemporary Gilbert Stuart Newton also produced a slightly similar painting,
entitled "Shylock and Jessica".
Music
Though it may seem like quite a stretch to assume that Shakespeare also has
influences on music, in truth, the Bard's mark extends even to this field. A
combination of disco music and Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream was
designed in 1999, leading to a psychedelic performance that brings together the
Bard's fanciful play and the music of 70s era. The result is a mishmash of songs
that are reminiscent of the disco era yet entirely relevant to the story of
Shakespeare's beautifully whimsical stage play. The Bard now has become revived
even in the era of modernity, making the music that accompanied the original stage
play updated enough to find and attract an audience even today.
With his mastery of meter and an indisputable way with words, it’s no surprise that
musicians flock to William Shakespeare for inspiration. Greats ranging from Lou
Reed to Bob Dylan have drawn from the writer as an influence, and new blood like
Titus Andronicus have even taken their name from one of his works. Today, the
day rumored to be his birth date and one that surely is the day of his death, we’re
taking a look at some of the more modern takes on his work in music.
5. “Desolation Row” by Bob Dylan
Lines Most Inspired by Shakespeare:
“And in comes Romeo, he’s moaning ‘You belong to me I believe.”
“Ophelia, she’s ‘neath the window, for her I feel so afraid”
The Inspiration: Although the specific narrative in Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row”
doesn’t necessarily follow one inspired by Shakespeare, many of the characters
that paint the Dylan’s ultimate picture that is the song are plucked straight from his
plays—Hamlet’s Ophelia and Romeo and Juliet’s Romeo.
4. “Ophelia” – The Band
Lines Most Inspired by Shakespeare:
“Ashes of laughter, the ghost is clear.
Why do the best things always disappear? Like Ophelia
Please darken my door.”
The Inspiration: For having such a bouncing, feel-good groove, “Ophelia” by The
Band’s lyrics are nearly as dark as the words on the pages of Hamlet. Drawing
directly from the madness that Ophelia goes through in the play, the band uses this
track to compare the character to a disconnected, hard-to-reach girl.
3. “Romeo Had Juliette” – Lou Reed
Lines Most Inspired by Shakespeare:
“Betwixt between the East and West he calls on her wearing a leather vest.”
The Inspiration: Of all the songs on this list, maybe Lou Reed has the most
straightforward adaptation of a Shakespeare piece with his modern, New Yorkinspired take on Romeo and Juliet with the opener for his 1988 album, New York.
The track features the two lovers, Romeo Rodriguez and Juliette Bell drawn apart
by families living on the East and West sides of the city.
2. “Macbeth” – John Cale
Lines Most Inspired by Shakespeare:
“Alas for poor Macbeth
He found a shallow grave
But better than a painful death
And quicker than his dying breath”
The Inspiration: As showcased above, plenty tracks from former Velvet
Underground members feature Shakespeare-inspired lines, but maybe the best one
is John Cale’s “Macbeth,” which swaps out one of the most remembered lines
from Hamlet. “Alas, poor Yorick” is traded for “Alas for poor Macbeth,”
referencing his ultimate demise.
1. “Exit Music (For a Film)” by Radiohead
Lines Most Inspired by Shakespeare:
“Pack and get dressed
Before your father hears us
Before all hell breaks loose
Breathe, keep breathing
Don’t lose your nerve
Breathe, keep breathing
I can’t do this alone”
The Inspiration: It’s no secret that Radiohead’s “Exit Music” was inspired by a
Shakespeare work. In fact, frontman Thom Yorke had no problem using the
modern remake, Romeo + Juliet, as inspiration to create a song for the closing
credits. The result is a beautiful track that could end nearly any film.
“I saw the Zeffirelli version when I was 13 and I cried my eyes out, because I
couldn’t understand why, the morning after they shagged, they didn’t just run
away,” Yorke has been quoted about the song. “The song is written for two people
who should run away before all the bad stuff starts. A personal song.”
Cinema
Apart from earlier adaptations of the Bard's literary work, contemporary films
since the 1990s have continuously presented their own interpretations of
Shakespeare's most popular stage plays. These adaptations, however, are far from
verbatim. The effect renders these stage plays "modernized" for the palate of
today's younger crowd. One such movie is Baz Luhrmann's Romeo+Juliet - a film
adaptation designed to be more palatable to the MTV generation. Violent,
passionate and with a touch of Mafia-like clan wars, Luhrmann's version is
frenzied, in some areas losing the Bard's view and original rendition. It is,
however, a significant example of reinterpreting the original plays of Shakespeare
to render them less academic and more entertaining, as they were originally
intended (.
Other film adaptations are similarly entertaining, though the degree of faithfulness
degrees from movie to movie. Ten Things I Hate About You, an adaptation of
Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, generously diverges from the original play.
The changes are, in part, due to the sensitivities of the politically-correct era, with
few feminists willing to accept the idea of "taming". Changes, therefore, had to be
made to the characters, essentially rendering the story more of a high school teen
romance rather than a faithful adaptation of the Bard's romantic comedy. Though
entertaining and intelligent in its own way, the movie is far from a significant
modernized version of the original play .
There are other films apart from the two mentioned earlier that define the
translation of Shakespeare into the modern era. The translation, however, is not
always successful. In some cases, the rendering of Shakespeare is used to frame the
changes and conflicts of the modern era. Hamlet, for one, is a favorite among
directors reaching for artistic story-telling. The internalization of Hamlet's struggle
makes for brooding moments favorable in film, such as in the case of Ethan
Hawke's "Dane" (the movie's name for Hamlet, in deference to his nationality),
who Combs and Durgnat (2001) describe as more of a James Dean type rather than
a personification of the prince .
These are some of the ways by which William Shakespeare has remained relevant
to the world at large. Beyond his literary contributions, he has survived as one of
the world's most enduring playwrights, providing insight to the human condition in
a manner unfading despite the passage of time. The Bard continues to be relevant
and inspires even other artists in their different areas of artistic expression. Though
his background and authorship may be in question, there is no doubt that his legacy
as a writer and social analyst will endure. The reality of William Shakespeare's
person may remain shrouded in secrecy forever, yet one thing remains: the beauty
and intelligence of Shakespeare's tragedies, comedies and romances will live on.
Centuries have passed since William Shakespeare last put ink to paper, but the
stories he's spun aren't going anywhere. Director Joss Whedon was a film festival
hit with his updating of Much Ado About Nothing (2012), and today another retelling of Romeo & Juliet hits select theatres (after Warm Bodies gave the story a
zombie twist).
But period costumes and lofty dialogue isn't the only mark of a Shakespearean
story; in fact, more movies owe their plot and characters to the Bard than the
average movie fan is likely to realize.
With that in mind, we put together the following list of 10 Movies You Didn't
Know Were Based on Shakespeare.
She's The Man (2006)
Based On: "Twelfth Night"
The Twist: Change a shipwreck to a new high school, and Shakespeare's tale of
gender-bending, disguises and love triangles is tailor-made for a new generation.
In Shakespeare's original comedy, the young Viola is separated from her twin
brother after a shipwreck, and disguises herself as the male Cesario. Eventually
acting as go-between for a wealthy Duke and his romantic interest, he/she begins
to fall for the Duke, as the Duke's would-be lover develops feelings for
Viola/Cesario.
Amanda Bynes takes over the role of Viola' when updated to a high school setting,
posing as her brother to play on a boy's soccer team. Although the film didn't
garner the same accolades as the source material, Shakespeare can't be blamed for
this one.
The Lion King (1994)
Based On: "Hamlet"
The Twist: The bulk of the story and several key scenes remain intact, with
Denmark swapped for the African savanna, and people swapped for animals
(mostly lions).
It's easy to overlook the relationship between "Hamlet" and The Lion King, since
Shakespeare certainly didn't invent the idea of an 'evil uncle.' But any theater fan
would be able to follow the parallels along: the proud king (Mufasa) is killed
'accidentally' by his evil, power-hungry brother (Scar), and after a time away from
the kingdom, the prince and rightful heir (Simba) returns to bring the truth to light.
The film even includes the ghostly vision of Mufasa, and Simba's pair of fasttalking friends Timon and Pumbaa (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the original).
A musical treatment and happier ending, of course, but "Hamlet" nonetheless.
West Side Story (1961)
Based On: "Romeo & Juliet"
The Twist: Swap out Italy for New York City's Upper West Side, the wealthy
families of Capulet and Montague for rival gangs the Sharks and the Jets, and add
in some musical numbers, and you've got a hit on your hands.
It's a rare feat to adapt a centuries-old story that ultimately becomes as famous as
the source material (to a generation, at least), but West Side Story - based on the
Broadway play - comes close. The tale of Romeo and Juliet's forbidden love is
almost second nature to movie fans, but by infusing their musical with issues of
race, immigration, and class conflict, the minds behind the adaptation formed a
truly American take on a classic.
The Puerto Rican Maria and the Polish-American Tony take over the title roles, but
most of the plot remains the same.
Kiss Me Kate (1953)
Based On: "The Taming of the Shrew"
The Twist: The classic is re-imagined as the ongoing struggle between two key
actors, whose disagreements jeopardize the entire play they are now attempting to
perform - William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew."
American song writer and composer Cole Porter's biggest hit, Kiss me, Kate was
also based on the Broadway play of the same name, and possesses some of the
most overt references to Shakespeare out of all the films on this list.
The film (and play) blend the story being performed with the one taking place
behind the stage so well, some viewers may have realized some parallels were
forming, but never grasped just how much of Shakespeare's core story was
adopted. Brilliance aside, the Porter's songs and music take up much of the
spotlight - something Shakespeare was apparently missing.
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Based On: "The Tempest"
The Twist: The supernatural elements of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" are reskinned into an alien world, and sci-fi fans would have no idea they're witnessing a
story with elements written centuries before space travel.
Forbidden Planet is remembered for many reasons: as one of the original true
science-fiction feature films, its style and imagery helped influence the genre for
decades. But the wealth of laser beams and robots help disguise one of the film's
main influences - "The Tempest," Shakespeare's tale of magic and revenge,
considered one of the playwright's greatest works.
The shift from a remote island to an alien world means that much of the play has
been adapted beyond recognition, but major themes and story arcs follow those set
down by the Bard. And we can't help but think that Shakespeare's comedy and
Leslie Nielsen is a match made in heaven.
Romeo Must Die (2000)
Based On: "Romeo & Juliet"
The Twist: Focusing on race instead of family loyalty, and exchanging words and
daggers for guns and martial arts, "Romeo & Juliet" is adapted into a modern
setting yet again.
If our list has shown anything, it's that screenwriters don't make the mistake of
actually making their story's source material blatantly obvious in the title. So with
Romeo Must Die, there's a good chance many martial arts fans would simply have
seen the title and thought nothing of it.
In the film, the title is explained as mocking Jet Li's 'Romeo-like' pursuit of a rival
gang leader's daughter (Aaliyah). After all, Shakespeare would roll over in his
grave if his play was adapted into an action movie called 'Romeo Must Die,' right?
We'll never know, but this film actually does take several cues from the classic
play, albeit with an Oakland, CA flavor.
Deliver Us From Eva (2003)
Based On: "The Taming of the Shrew"
The Twist: Proving that Shakespeare's comedy about the trappings of affection
never gets old, stars LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union offer yet another modern retelling, this time with the titular 'shrew' a health inspector who loves to stick her
nose in her sisters' love lives.
We doubt William Shakespeare ever dreamed of forming a story around a leading
man as suave or irresistible as LL Cool J, but the rapper-turned actor fits the role of
the man hired to romance the notoriously frigid Eva. Like previous adaptations, the
con turns to genuine love, and the action spins wildly out of control.
Although Deliver Us From Eva may not be received with the same accolades as
Shakespeare's greats, its no less of a faithful adaptation (but certainly not the last
for the play in question).
Ran (1985)
Based On: "King Lear"
The Twist: The aging king dividing his estate among his daughters is re-imagined
as a Japanese warlord handing his empire off to his three sons.
Seen as one of the greatest tragedies of the English language, it's no surprise that
when Japanese director Akira Kurosawa made his very last epic film (the most
expensive Japanese film ever made at the time) he used the chance to tell a story
infused with both Japanese legend and Shakespeare's "King Lear."
The chaos and infighting that emerge from the father's decisions is placed on a
much grander scale in Ran, but Kurosawa's adaptation of "King Lear"s core themes
are visible to any theater fan. And a fitting tribute to one of the greatest and most
influential directors Asia ever produced.
O (2001)
Based On: "Othello"
The Twist: The story of deceit, manipulation, jealousy and murder is moved from
Venice to a high school, with the main cast of players simply students, as opposed
to soldiers.
The naming of characters certainly shows just how closely the film O stays to the
source material, with every character possessing an anglicized version of their
respective role. Casting a young Mekhi Phifer as the titular Othello ('Odin'), his
budding romance is sabotaged by the cunning deceit of Hugo (Josh Hartnett),
based on 'Iago,' one of the most inexplicably evil villains tragedy's ever seen.
The film revolves mainly around Hugo's plotting, updating most of his schemes for
modern audiences - including the disastrous final act. But the racial themes of the
original play are also heightened, with the Moorish general re-imagined as the only
black student in the entire school, and the star basketball player.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Based On: "The Taming of the Shrew"
The Twist: The young Bianca is looking for a date to the prom, but will only be
allowed to attend if her older, colder, more 'shrewish' sister Kat finds a date as
well. The solution? Hire a suitor.
The idea behind 10 Things I Hate About You is fairly straightforward: fill a high
school romantic comedy with as many beautiful people as possible, and teenagers
might actually sit through a Shakespearean play. The plan worked, but its close
quite faithful adaptation of "The Taming of the Shrew" could be largely
responsible for the fact that the movie was actually enjoyable (with the talents of
Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt helping as well).
At this point, we're forced to make a terrible realization: for all his accolades and
admiration, William Shakespeare was essentially helping to create the genre of
teen/high school angst comedy.
Theatre
Shakespeare's works have been a major influence on subsequent theatre. Not only
did Shakespeare create some of the most admired plays in Western literature
(with Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear being ranked among the world's greatest
plays), he also transformed English theatre by expanding expectations about what
could be accomplished through characterization, plot, language, and
genre. Specifically, in plays like Hamlet, Shakespeare "integrated characterization
with plot," such that if the main character was different in any way, the plot would
be totally changed. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare mixed tragedy and comedy
together to create a new romantic tragedy genre (previous to Shakespeare, romance
had not been considered a worthy topic for tragedy).Through his soliloquies,
Shakespeare showed how plays could explore a character's inner motivations and
conflict (up until Shakespeare, soliloquies were often used by playwrights to
"introduce (characters), convey information, provide an exposition or reveal
plans").
Shakespeare's plays portrayed a wide variety of emotions. His plays exhibited
"spectacular violence, with loose and episodic plotting, and with mingling of
comedy with tragedy". In King Lear, Shakespeare had deliberately brought
together two plots of different origins. His closeness to human nature made him
greater than any of his contemporaries. Humanism and contact with popular
thinking gave vitality to his language. Shakespeare's plays borrowed ideas from
popular sources, folk traditions, street pamphlets, and sermons etc. Shakespeare
used groundlings widely in his plays. The use of groundlings "saved the drama
from academic stiffness and preserved its essential bias towards entertainment in
comedy ". Hamlet is an outstanding example of "groundlings" quickness and
response. Use of groundlings' enhanced Shakespeare's work practically and
artistically. He represented English people more concretely and not as puppets. His
skills have found expression in chronicles, or history plays, and tragedies.
Shakespeare's earliest years were dominated by history plays and a
few comedies that formed a link to the later written tragedies. Nine out of eighteen
plays he produced in the first decade of his career were chronicles or histories. His
histories were based on the prevailing Tudor political thought. They portrayed the
follies and achievements of kings, their misgovernment, church and problems
arising out of these. "In shaping, compressing, and altering chronicles, Shakespeare
gained the art of dramatic design; and in the same way he developed his
remarkable insight into character, its continuity and its variation". His characters
were very near to reality.
"Shakespeare's characters are more sharply individualized after Love's Labour's
Lost". His Richard II and Bolingbroke are complex and solid figures
whereas Richard III has more "humanity and comic gusto". The Falstaff trilogy is
in this respect very important. Falstaff, although a minor character, has a powerful
reality of its own. "Shakespeare uses him as a commentator who passes judgments
on events represented in the play, in the light of his own super abundant comic
vitality". Falstaff although outside "the prevailing political spirit of the play"
throws insight into the different situations arising in the play. This shows that
Shakespeare had developed a capacity to see the plays as whole, something more
than characters and expressions added together. In Falstaff trilogy, through the
character of Falstaff, he wants to show that in society "where touchstone of
conduct is success, and in which humanity has to accommodate itself to the claims
of expediency, there is no place for Falstaff", a loyal human-being. This sentiment
is so true even after centuries.
Shakespeare united the three main steams of literature: verse, poetry, and drama.
To the versification of the Old English language, he imparted his eloquence and
variety giving highest expressions with elasticity of language. The second, the
sonnets and poetry, was bound in structure. He imparted economy and intensity to
the language. In the third and the most important area, the drama, he saved the
language from vagueness and vastness and infused actuality and vividness.
Shakespeare's work in prose, poetry, and drama marked the beginning of
modernization of English language by introduction of words and expressions, style
and form to the language.
6. Translations into Ukrainian
Bashan, Mykola (1950, 1964, 1984)
Mykola Bashan (1904 -1983) translated The Thempest
Fedkowytsch, Jurij (1870)
(1834-1888) translated Hamlet, ed. 1902 by Iwan Franko
Franko, Iwan (1912)
Iwan Franko (1856-1916) translated the Merchant of Venice
Grebinka, Leonid (1975)
Leonid Grebinka (1909-41) translated Hamlet (published 1975)
Kostomarow, Mykola (1840)
Mykola Kostomarow (1817-1885): translation of "Desdemona's song": First
Ukrainian Shakespeare text.
Kropysnyzky, Marko (1890)
Marko Kropysnyzky (1840-1910) translated Othello for the stage
Kulisch, Panteleijmon (1882; 1889-1902, 1998)
1882: Othello, Troilus and Gressida, Comedy of Errors
1889-1902: Lear, Coriolanus, Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, Much Ado,
Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, Measure for Measure, Hamlet
Kurbas, Les
The Ukrainian modernist Les Kurbas - director, actor, playwright, filmmaker, and
translator - was the first artist to introduce Shakespeare to the Ukrainian stage.
Creating the foundations of Soviet Ukrainian theatre and cinema, he was also
responsible for its avant-garde direction. Shakespeare in the Undiscovered Bourn is
the first book-length study in English of Kurbas's modernist productions of
Shakespeare and the first book on Soviet Shakespeare productions in Ukraina in
any language.
Myrnyj, Panas (1895, 1897)
Panas Myrnyj (1849-1920) translated Macbeth, King Lear (1895/1897)
Mysyk, Wasyl (1960, 1964, 1984)
Wasyl Mysyk (1907-83) translated Timon
Osmatschka, Teodosij (1962)
Teodosij Osmatschka (1895-1962) translated Macbeth and Henry IV
Rylsky, Maxym (1941, 1950, 1964, 1984)
1941 King Lear
Staryzkyj, Michael (1882)
Hamlet (1882)
Swenzizkyj, Pawlin (= Pawlo Swij)
scenes from Hamlet, first in prose, then in metrical language.
Ukrainka, Lesja (1898)
Lesja Ukrainka (1871-1913): Macbeth
Chronology
1840
Desdemona's song by Mykola Kostomarow
1865
scenes from Hamlet by Pawlin Swenzizkij (Pawlo Swij).
1870
Fedkowytsch, Jurij Hamlet
1882
Kulisch, P.: Othello, Troilus and Gressida, Comedy of Errors
Michail Staryzkyj: Hamlet
Franco, Iwan: 76 sonnets
1889-1902
Kulisch, P.: Lear, Coriolanus, Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, Much Ado,
Macbeth, Antony und Cleopatra, Measure for Measure, Hamlet.
1895
Panas Myrnyj: Macbeth
1897
Panas Myrnyj: King Lear
1942
First production of Hamlet at the Lviv Opera Theatre (Les Kurbas)
1898
Lesja Ukrainka (1871-1913): Macbeth
1900
Pawlo Grabowskyj, sonnets
1912
Franko, Iwan: Merchant of Venice
1920-40
Reprints of Kulisch's translations
1941
Rylskyj, Maxym: King Lear
1950-52
Complete Works in 2 volumes. Iryna Steschenko, Maxym Rylskyj, Jurij Korezkyj
1962
Teodosij Osmatschka: Macbeth, Henry IV
1964
Complete Works in 3 volumes; translators M.Rylskyj, M. Bashan, W. Mysyk,
Boris Ten, Iryna Steschenko
1966
Dmytro Palamartschuk: Sonnets
7. Psychological Aspects of Shakespeare's
Creativity
Accompanying the rise of psychoanalysis in the twentieth century, many modern
critics have applied the methods of this field to literature, and quite fruitfully to the
dramatic works of Shakespeare. Tracing its origins to Sigmund Freud's publication
of The Interpretation of Dreams in 1900, psychoanalytic criticism has
demonstrated a natural affinity to the Shakespearean oeuvre, as contemporary
critics—notable among them, Harold Bloom—have located in the rich examples of
Shakespeare's major tragedies Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, andKing Lear significant
sources for Freud's theories. Additionally, the contemporary era has witnessed a
proliferation of psychoanalytic thought, and has produced a range of theoretical
approaches, many of which have been rewardingly applied to Shakespeare's
comedies, problem plays, histories, and romances, as well as the tragedies.
Likewise, in the last decades of the twentieth century, psychoanalytic criticism has
in many cases been successfully combined with other critical approaches,
particularly with feminist or gender theory, to produce several of the dominant
strains of contemporary critical thought relating to Shakespeare.
The myriad subjects of psychoanalytic criticism coupled with the breadth of
Shakespeare's drama make this one of the largest categories of Shakespearean
criticism. Unconscious motivation, neurosis, jealousy, matters of autonomy and
emotional isolation, sexual desire, and Oedipal or pre-Oedipal conflicts figure
prominently among the multitude of psychological topics related to the dramas.
Libidinal impulses and Oedipal patterns are frequently explored by critics in
relation to such works as Macbeth, The Tempest, Hamlet, and Coriolanus to name
a few. Of these, Coriolanus appears as a common subject for psychoanalytic
critics, such as Janet Adelman (1976), who has examined his aggressive, masculine
drive toward self-sufficiency as he struggles with an obsessive dependence upon
his mother. The subject of uncontrolled, jealous passion has been taken up by
several commentators, who have focused on the consuming desires of Othello
and The Winters Tale's Leontes. As for Shakespeare's histories, Valerie Traub
(1989) has blended psychoanalytic and feminist criticism in studying the
psychological effects of a patriarchal social order on the subjugated female Other
in the Henriad, while Harry Berger, Jr. (1985) has observed the disordering
properties of psychological conflict between fathers and sons in this sequence of
histories.
Other critics have emphasized the broad sweep of psychoanalytic criticism as it is
applied to the Shakespearean text. Norman N. Holland (1964) has outlined the
psychology of contrasting worlds in The Merchant of Venice and Romeo and
Juliet, and studied phallic aggression in the histories and late romances. The
conflict of trust versus isolation appears in the criticism of Richard P. Wheeler
(1980), who has classified Shakespeare's later dramas using these representative
psychological polarities. Elsewhere, M. D. Faber (1970) has observed the
importance of psychoanalysis as a means of assessing Shakespeare's often
brilliantly realized characters, but warns against the extremism that such a narrow
focus can create. Additionally, a minority of critics have turned their pursuit of
psychoanalytic criticism toward the figure of Shakespeare himself, though
typically with only limited success.
From the earliest days of psychoanalysis, Freud found in Shakespeare's works
evidence for the soundness of at least one of his basic postulates. When he first
hinted at the discovery in his own analysis of what he later termed the œdipus
complex, he referred to A Midsummer Night's Dream, not to Hamlet. In a
memorandum to [Wilhelm] Fliess he commented: 'It seems as though in sons this
death wish is directed against their father . . . ' (9, p. 207). A few lines later Freud
pointed out that 'Titania, who refused to love her rightful husband Oberon, was
obliged instead to shower her love upon Bottom, the ass of her imagination' (9, p.
208).
Freud recognized a theme common to his self-analysis, to the Œdipus Rex of
Sophocles, and to Hamlet. In another note to Fliess he wrote: 'I have found love of
the mother and jealousy of the father in my own case too, and now believe it to be
a general phenomenon of early childhood. . . . Every member of the audience was
once a budding œdipus in fantasy . . . the same thing may lie at the root of . . .
Hamlet's . . . hesitation to avenge his father . . . he . . . had meditated the same deed
against his father because of passion for his mother . . . ' (9, pp. 223-224). Initially
Freud believed that the theme of Hamlet was related to the dramatist's life. In The
Interpretation of Dreams he wrote: ' . . . it can . . . only be the poet's own mind
which confronts us in Hamlet . . . [the drama] was written immediately after the
death of Shakespeare's father (in 1601), that is, under the immediate impact of his
bereavement and, as we may well assume, while his childhood feelings had been
freshly revived' (8, p. 265).
Freud considered 'the analysis of works of the imagination and of their creators . . .
among the most fascinating in the whole application of psychoanalysis' (7, p. 321).
In the same note to Fliess referred to earlier, Freud said: 'The mechanism of
creative writing is the same as that of hysterical fantasies. . . . By means of this
fantasy [the writer] protected himself against the consequences of his experience.
So Shakespeare was right in his juxtaposition of poetry and madness (the fine
frenzy)' (9, p. 208). In Delusions and Dreams in Jensen's Gradiva, he described two
methods that 'may enable us . . . to gain some small insight into the nature of
creative writing. . . . One . . . to enter deeply . . . into the dream-creations of one
author in one of his works. The other . . . to bring together and contrast all the
examples . . . of the use of dreams in the works of different authors' (6, p. 9).
In this study the eleven earliest plays, taken in chronological order, were treated as
if they were the productions of a patient in analysis. The audience was viewed as
participant-observer and transference object for the writer, its role resembling that
of a therapist. Each play was read (and listened to, if recorded), with eye and ear
attuned to its latent as well as its manifest content.1 The plays were then compared
with the known sources (1) to ascertain what the playwright selected, what he
eliminated, and what apparently originated in his own mind. Whatever
Shakespeare had to say about psychology and mental illness was also carefully
noted.
For purposes of a psychoanalytic inquiry, I have assumed that the plays are closely
connected with Shakespeare's life experiences. I also proceeded on the assumption
that Shakespeare wrote the plays attributed to him by his contemporaries. Thus far
I have found nothing in the plays to cause doubt that he did write them and many
details to indicate that he did. I have also found that this approach to the subject
tends to clear up some of the mysterious lacunae of knowledge that have fostered
doubts as to the authorship.
When Shakespeare wrote that the madman imagines 'more devils than vast hell can
hold' and juxtaposed this process with the 'fine frenzy' of the poet, he was
expressing a radical attitude about psychopathology and the etiology of mental
illness. In Elizabethan days, psychopathology and psychodynamics were regarded
chiefly in terms of demoniacal possession, witchcraft, and bewitchment.
Psychotherapy consisted of exorcizing the demons that had possessed the sick
person so that they would leave his body and free his soul. It was indeed a reversal
of accepted thought to say that demons were the products of the deranged mind
rather than the cause of it.
Legalistic consequences of psychopathology involved imprisonment, torture, and
execution. At the time Shakespeare was writing these lines, men, women, and
children were being convicted as witches in league with the Devil. It has been
estimated that more than seven hundred fifty thousand people were burned or
hanged for witchcraft during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, an average of
ten every day for two hundred years (22). It must have been terrifying to a man
who could understand that what was happening in his own mind could seriously
jeopardize his life.
Today many of these unfortunate persons would be considered mentally ill and
would be referred for psychiatric care and hospitalization. The magnitude of what
was going on at that time is difficult for us to comprehend; psychiatry is still
struggling with the aftereffects of that massive attack upon the mentally ill.
Shakespeare's concept of mental disorder resembles that of the physician Johann
Weyer. A pupil of Cornelius Agrippa, Weyer received his medical degree from the
University of Orléans. He became court physician to Duke William of Cleves in
1550, and prevailed upon the Duke to halt the persecution of witches. Weyer's
clinical observations led him to believe that mental illness, rather than demoniacal
possession, was responsible for the aberrant behavior of these people. His book on
witchcraft (21) was published in 1563 and went through six editions in twenty
years (22).
Whether Shakespeare read Weyer in the Latin is not known. His work on the
subject of witchcraft has never been translated into English.2 Certainly the
dramatist was acquainted with Weyer's ideas and we can only speculate why he
was so impressed. An English popularization of Weyer, written in 1584 by
Reginald Scot (19), was one of the sources for A Midsummer Night's Dream. Scot
freely acknowledged the influence of Weyer, whom he described as 'the most
famous and noble physician'. Later both Scot and Weyer would be vigorously
attacked by James the First in his book on witchcraft (14). One of James's first acts
on becoming King of England was to order copies of Scot's book to be seized and
burned.
Zilboorg (23, 24) considered Weyer's book one of the most important in medical
history and described him as the leader of 'the first psychiatric revolution', with
Freud the leader of 'the second psychiatric revolution'. Although Freud made no
reference to Weyer in his papers, he had a very high regard for the scientific
importance of Weyer's treatise. He once wrote that among the ten most significant
books he would include 'scientific achievements like those of Copernicus, of the
old physician Johann Weyer on the belief in witches, Darwin's Descent of
Man, and others' (5, p. 245).
Freud, in an article about Charcot, expressed the same point of view as Weyer and
Shakespeare: ' . . . existing records of witchcraft trials and possession . . . show that
the manifestations of neurosis were the same then as they are now' (4, p. 20). Later
he wrote a fascinating article, entitled "A Seventeenth-Century Demonological
Neurosis," in which he stated, ' . . . the neuroses of those early times, emerge in
demonological trappings. . . . The states of possession correspond to our neuroses. .
. . We merely eliminate the projection of these mental entities into the external
world which the middle ages carried out; instead, we regard them as having arisen
in the patient's internal life . . . ' (10, p. 72).
8. Conclusion
The Importance of Shakespeare
In a world where the quality of the art form called "writing" is so often said to be
rapidly diminishing, it is important for scholars of English literature to retain some
studies of the true classics, such as Shakespeare. A well-rounded education
logically must have a strong foundation in both modern and classical literature, the
latter of which an in-depth study of Shakespearean works would more than satisfy.
Not only was Shakespeare so well accomplished in his writing skills that he has
become an undeniably significant point in the history of literature, but a majority
of his works were written on such basic human themes that they will endure for all
time and must not be allowed to slip into the tragic oblivion of old age.
William Shakespeare has become an important landmark in English literature. To
see why this is so crucial for students to study, let us consider an analogy. One
must be familiar with the conditions and circumstances of colonial America and
pre-Revolutionary times if s/he is to understand the rationale behind many of the
provisions of the Constitution, a two-hundred-year-old document still alive and
highly significant today. In much the same way, one must be familiar with the
early days of English literature in order to comprehend the foundation beneath
much of more modern literature’s basis. Shakespeare’s modern influence is still
seen clearly in many ways. For example, the success of Shakespeare’s works
helped to set the precedent for the evolution of modern dramas and plays. He is
also credited with being one of the first writers to use any modern prose in his
writings; in fact, the growth of the popularity of prose in Shakespeare’s time is
clearly shown as he used prose progressively more throughout his career.1
Furthermore, there can be no doubt that Shakespeare was a master of the artistry
of the English language. He wrote with such fluidity of thought, word, rhythm, and
sound that the work is presented in a complex manner, but is not unintelligible,
even for the inexperienced reader. Often a single line would have several different
meanings, each providing us with insight into a character or plot.
At a first glance, these characters seem only to be concerned about the poor health
of their King. Yet each line reveals something about each character. Lord Rivers
cares nothing for the King’s well-being, and desires only to comfort the Queen, so
that he might be well in her favor and possibly gain some higher position. Lord
Grey knows nothing of the King’s true condition, and honestly foolishly believes
he will recover. The Queen is far more concerned with what will become of her
once the King is dead, than she is concerned about the death of her husband. The
fact that all this might be gathered from so few words is a sign of a very skilled and
crafty author, one which certainly must be studied and learned from.
Another sign of a truly paramount writer is one who finds even the entire existing
vocabulary of his language limiting to his creative consciousness; Shakespeare
often did, and so on occasion created his own form of grammar and vocabulary,
much of which has since become common use. (A few examples of these would be
the words "amazement", "dislocate", "premeditated", "dexterously",
"windle","lackluster," using the masculine singular pronoun—"his" for "its" —now
used for poetic effect, and using some nouns as verbs, such as "he childed as I
fathered.")3. Few modern writers have such skill as to create new words which
"stick" in our language, or to write in such a way that their words become common
usage centuries later.
By using just the right combination of words, or by conjuring just the right image,
Shakespeare authored countless passages and entire plays so powerful, poignant,
comedic, tragic, and romantic that many are still being routinely memorized and
performed today, nearly four centuries later. Yet the beauty of Shakespeare’s talent
lies not so much in the basic themes of his works as in the ingenuity with which he
painted these portraits of love, power, greed, discrimination, hatred, and despair.
Queen Elizabeth in the movie Shakespeare in Love (1999) decreed that William
Shakespeare was the first author to successfully put the very essence and truth of
love into words; although only a movie, the decree is nonetheless accurate. It was
this truth that he wrote which allowed his plays to attract both courtiers and
peasants to the theatres, for the truths of humanity are not specific according to
wealth or status. Everyone dreams of having love like Romeo and Juliet; it is for
this reason that one of the most famous Shakespearean scenes is the balcony scene.
Wrote Ben Jonson, Shakespeare is "not of an age, but for all time."
There can therefore be no doubt that substantial knowledge of the works of
William Shakespeare is necessary for any education of English literature to be
considered complete and well rounded. The extraordinary writing skills with which
Shakespeare created his accurate portrayals of human truth have not been rivaled
or replicated since his death, nearly four hundred years ago. To simply "skim over"
such an integral part of literary history would be to take the innards out of a living,
breathing creature. A creature cannot survive incomplete, and literature cannot
survive without William Shakespeare.
9. Appendix (Shakespeare’s Main Themes)
Themes are the central ideas about human behavior that a play, book, or story
illustrates. William Shakespeare’s use of themes reflected his deep understanding
of human emotions. Such themes as love, alienation, revenge, ambition, violence,
evil, and power were not created by Shakespeare; they were used by the ancient
Greeks and Romans and they are still being used by contemporary writers—they
are universal.
Themes of Romeo and Juliet
The most prominent themes of Romeo and Juliet are alienation and love. Romeo
and Juliet fall in love although their families are enemies. Juliet becomes alienated
from her family and friends because of her love for Romeo. Her father wants her to
marry another man, her nurse agrees, even though she know that Juliet is already
married to Romeo. Romeo is also alienated, as a result of his love for Juliet and his
lack of desire to fight the Capulets. But neither he nor Juliet are rebels. They do not
want to be involved in the struggles of the community, but they are drawn in
nonetheless because of their love for each other.
Love is also a major theme in Romeo and Juliet, but love has a completely
different meaning today than it did in Elizabethan England. Today, love is a
positive emotion and we expect that couples who marry have fallen in love. But in
Elizabethan times—and for thousands of years before—marriages were arranged.
Society had strict rules about appropriate matches, and marriage was a public event
involving both families and the structure of the state.
Couples usually married because it was an advantage for their families, either to
form powerful alliances or to fill family coffers. Love had no part in these matches,
which were orderly and controlled; love, therefore, when it occurred was seen as
“sudden, tumultuous and catastrophic”—an unfortunate thing to have happened to
a person. And acting upon feelings of love often ended in tragedy.
Themes of Hamlet
Alienation is the major theme of Hamlet. Because Hamlet feels that his father has
been killed by his uncle and there is no one in Denmark he can trust, he is terribly
depressed and his thoughts lead him to consider murder and suicide. Another
theme of Hamlet is humor, but Hamlet’s humor is bitter and lethal and is used for
self-preservation as he feels that he cannot tell people what he is really thinking.
So, he adopts the role of humorist.
Hamlet is a play of many levels. While much of it is immediately accessible and
understandable, the meaning of such a play can change as we go through events in
our own lives. That is the mark of great art.
Themes of Macbeth
The play, Macbeth, deals with the themes of ambition, violence and the nature of
evil. Macbeth is ambitious, and his ambitions soar when the witches tell him that
he will be king. He kills the current king, Duncan, and the bloody and violent
events do not cease until the final scenes of the play.
Ambition, like love, has very different connotations in the modern world than it did
in Elizabethan times. Today, to be ambitious can be a good quality. If a person
works hard and achieves success, society usually rewards him. In a feudal society,
people were not supposed to be upwardly mobile. It was considered unnatural for
anyone to want to rise above his or her station in life. As in marriage, one’s life
followed the structure of a particular class. And so, ambition was considered a
dangerous or negative quality.
Macbeth is a particularly violent play. The word “blood” appears more than two
hundred times. The killings engender more killings until the main characters are
steeped in blood. While Lady Macbeth goes mad from the killings, Macbeth
remains consistently strong and evil throughout the play. He does not flinch from
his fate; he is a true Shakespearean villain, and evil person who doesn’t feel guilt
or make excuses for his actions.
Macbeth has been called a study in evil, and this play raises the questions of the
nature of evil. Does everyone have the capacity to commit atrocities?
Shakespeare seems to answer this question by providing a foil for Macbeth, a
character in the same circumstances who acts in a different way. The witches also
tell Banquo that his descendants will be king, but Banquo deos not commit any
violent acts. His behavior is a contrast to Macbeth’s.
Themes of Julius Caesar
The major themes of the play are rebellion and the power of words.
William Shakespeare was a political conservative and, in Julius Caesar, as in many
other of his plays, rebellion against a legitimate rule was against the laws of nature.
Order must be reestablished at the end of Shakespeare’s tragedies. A leader is
restored to the throne and society once more follows the laws of nature, which are
the same as the rightful laws of the land.
Even though Brutus is motivated by idealism, the murder of Caesar causes chaos.
While Caesar might have been a threat to democracy, he was not a cruel man and
he was a true leader.
While deeds do have effect, words often inspire people to take action. And,
according to Shakespeare, a good orator can inflame and manipulate the masses—
which is what Mark Antony does at Caesar’s funeral. Moments before, the crowds
had backed Brutus. With Antony’s words, however, they turn against the
conspirators who killed Julius Caesar.
Shakespeare was a master of words. When we see his plays performed on a stage
or in film, we get a better idea of the power behind those words.
Although Shakespeare’s society was different from our own, although there were
different rules, a different vocabulary, different philosophies, and different
meanings for such concepts of love, ambition, and rebellion, we can understand
more about both culture and about ourselves from seeing and hearing his plays.
Shakespeare’s themes are universal; they touch emotions in us in the same way as
they did in Elizabethan times. His words describe the thoughts and feelings of
characters who are more like us than not.