Neoplatonism in Shakespeare and its Effect on Modern Literature
Few writers have managed to enter the world-wide public consciousness as well as Shakespeare; everyone knows his name and can terribly misquote his plays. Yet, for all his popularity, many of his critics have called him unlearned, saying his plays are entertaining but shallow. These same critics often point at the many inconsistencies of his writing, claiming that Shakespeare was not trying to convey anything but witticisms and beautiful sounds. Of course, even his harshest detractors acknowledge his plays and sonnets have influenced the world's literature on a scale that is intimidating; every writer of his era stood in his shadow, and modern literature stands on his shoulders. Shakespeare was a product of his time as much as any man must be, and his writing is rife with the ideals of Neoplatonism, which was only just surfacing in the European realm of thought as Shakespeare began writing. Platonism and its effect on Shakespeare, and in turn his effect on modern literature, has had lasting repercussions.
Neoplatonism: A School of Thought
Many philosophers other than Plato himself make up the umbrella of Neoplatonism. These philosophers, both contemporaries of Plato and his successors, offered varied viewpoints and fleshed out Plato's ideas. Neoplatonism is the result of an amalgamation of both philosophic and religious/mystic beliefs. Kaballah, Islam, and the more esoteric elements of Christianity were incorporated into the framework of Plato's teachings. Arcane practices such as alchemy and theurgy, now known to be foolish pseudo-sciences, arose out of Neoplatonic beliefs.
One of the key tenants of Plato's teachings is The Forms. Plato attempts to explain t...
... middle of paper ...
...Neoplatonism that could very well have damaged society. Cultural relativism is a fact of the reality humanity inhabits, so carrying the idea that only one Ideal exists can easily allow a person to slip into prejudice or bigotry. Also, the conceptualization of perfection, or the idea Anselm employed in his Ontological Argument, as something that which nothing greater than can be conceived, has changed the way in which the world works. This concept of perfection is self-defeating since the imagination is limitless and variable. Every person is constantly picturing the Form of Good and everyone is manufacturing that Ideal differently. Whether Neoplatonism is detrimental or advantageous to society is a point nearly impossible to argue since our society is so derivative of it; Neoplatonism has had a definite impact on the art of the world, and therefore the world itself.
For Plato, Forms are eternal and changeless, but there is a relationship between these eternal and changeless Forms and particular things we perceive by means of our senses in the world. These particular things change in accordance to the perceiver and the perceiver’s environment and this is why Plato thought that such things do not possess real existence. For Plato, onl...
William Shakespeare has become landmark in English literature. One must be familiar with the early days of English literature in order to comprehend the foundation of much of more modern literature’s basis. Shakespeare’s modern influence is still seen clearly in many ways. The success of Shakespeare’s works helped to set the example for the development of modern dramas and plays. He is also acknowledged for being one of the first writers to use any modern prose in his writings.
Although William Shakespeare is considered to be one of the most revered and well-renowned authors of all time, controversy surrounds the belief that he actually produced his own literary works. Some rumors even go so far as to question the reality of such a one, William Shakespeare, brought on by paralleling the quality of his pieces with his personal background and education. With such farfetched allegations, it persuaded others to peek into the person we all are taught to learn as “Shakespeare”, but who is actually the person behind these genius works of literary promise and enlightenment? To some, Shakespeare is as much accredited to his works as frequently as you see his name placed. To others, Shakespeare is a complex enigma into which we the people are supposed to unravel; the true author behind a falsely-given pseudonym. The debate pertaining to the true authorship of William Shakespeare’s works are still questioned in today’s society.
Forms are connected in a complex relationship with particulars, known as Methexis, where particulars participate in forms. Plato further addresses his theory of forms through the argument of forms versus particulars. According to Plato, forms are general, universal definitions, while particulars are specific, different brands. He claims that a single form binds together many particulars. Therefore, Plato argues that particulars are always less than forms. Since particulars participate as forms, particulars get their distinctive features from forms. This idea is expressed through the phrase, “one over the many”. In order to understand Plato’s theory of forms, we can think of the example of the horse. The “form” of a horse applies to all horses, it is the most perfect abstract example that comes to mind. However, an individual horse is a particular, changing object that is imperfect. The “horseness” or form of the house is unchangeable. Therefore, Plato concludes that forms are the most important and that they are more real than material
following his death” (110). Because so little is known about Shakespeare himself, the idea that he is a literary genius that is above all humanity has long endured. Wells goes on to point out that although he is the author of extraordinary...
Plato: For today’s class Aristotle and I are going to discuss our ideas on the Theory of Form
Although William Shakespeare wrote his play’s 400+ years ago, I often find themes and language that still relate to my personal life. Although Shakespeare is most commonly known as the greatest English writer, there is controversy from Generation Z, my own age group, claiming that his plays are no longer relevant to us.
The impeccable style and craft of Shakespeare’s writing has always been looked upon with great respect, and it continues to serve as an inspiration to writers and thinkers today even as it did when it was being first performed in London. Shakespeare’s modern audience, however, is far less diverse than the one for which he originally wrote. Due to the antiquity of his language, Shakespeare’s modern readership consists mostly of students and intellectuals, whereas in Shakespeare’s own time, his plays were performed in playhouses packed with everyone from royalty to peasants. Because of this, Shakespeare was forced to write on many different levels, the most sophisticated of which appealed to his more elite audience members, while the more straightforward and often more crude of which appealed to his less educated viewers, and the most universal of which still appeals to us.
William Shakespeare today is known as one of the most prolific playwrights of all time. His writings, which include sonnets as well as plays, are well known for their masterful use of wordplay and dramatic tension. His sonnets are especially masterful in their use of these things. One such sonnet, sonnet 94, utilizes the art of metaphor to present morality as something that supersedes both class and beauty.
Across the Universe of Time: Shakespeare’s influence on 21st century society. It is harder to imagine a more universal writer than William Shakespeare. Rarely, if ever, is one of his many plays not being performed anywhere in the world and similarly rare is the tertiary English student who has not examined his work at length. His plays, sonnets and poems are common fodder for high school English departments across the globe.
William Shakespeare's Relevance Today For as long as formal education has existed in Britain it has been a largely standard assumption that teaching the works of William Shakespeare is relevant and necessary. Perhaps the relevance of his writing is taken for granted, perhaps it is necessary to re-examine the role of Shakespeare for the modern audience. There are indeed many people who question the relevance of this 440 year old playwright to a 21st century audience, taking it even as far as perhaps the greatest heresy of all, questioning the necessity of GCSE pupils learning Shakespeare at all.
Shakespeare has created stories that are so powerful, emotional, comedic, tragic and romantic that they are still continuously remembered and studied in the modern era. Though the essence of his talents does not lie in the simple themes behind his plays, but more so in
Scott, Mark W. Shakespearean Criticism: Volume 8, Excerpts from the Criticism of William Shakespeare's Plays and Poetry, from the First Published Appraisals to Current Evaluations. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1987. Print.
Arguably the greatest playwright of his time, perhaps in all of history, William Shakespeare's literary works have had a tremendous impact (see Appendix 2). Reaching into the pop culture of the modern world through movies and quotes used in everyday conversation, Shakespeare's influence is astounding (see Appendix 1). One rarely stops to think, however, about events that had an impact on Shakespeare's life, particularly his writing. The outbreak of the plague, social disparity, political unrest, just a few of the historical happenings that impacted Shakespeare's plays, including Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and Henry IV
Plato also argues for the reality of ideas as the only way to be sure of ethical standards and of objective scientific knowledge. In the Republic and the Phaedo Plato suggests his theory of forms. Ideas or forms are the established archetypes of all phenomenon, and these ideas are the only thing completely real and true; the physical world holds only relative reality for the time being. The forms are simply ...