Is Shakespeare Relevant Today Essay

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Not many people might be interested in plays and the theatre, and many plays soon after being performed become forgotten to the ages. However some become timeless, ask any random person walking down the street what they know of Shakespeare or any of his plays and they most likely will be able to quote a few lines of the famous “to be or not to be” or mention Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare has stood the test of time, it has been many years since his death and we continue to study and read his works, amazed and baffled by the language, his plots, and in awe of his poems. Shakespeare’s plays are still relevant today because of the timeless themes and realistic characters; while the author is relevant himself because of how strongly he has impacted …show more content…

Themes such as love, betrayal, revenge, death, and greed are still relatable in today’s society; it is because of themes such as these that we can still connect and understand his plays. Themes such as the ones Shakespeare used comes straight from the human condition which we are able to feel; everyone feels love, most of us have at one point dealt with death in our lives, some might have felt betrayal and the need for revenge, and some might fight with their greed (Jenson). All these are emotions that we can relate to in some way or the other. Take the play Hamlet for example; as the audience listens to Hamlet’s monologue we are able to relate to his shock, anger, and disgust for his situation. The audience is able to at least sympathize with his need to avenge his father’s death. Furthermore, in Romeo and Juliet the theme of love and tragedy rings strong as the young couple fights for their relationship and the audience roots for their happily ever after. Everyone wishes for a love just as passionate as Romeo and Juliet’s. No matter how many generations pass human emotions do not change and because of this Shakespeare’s plays still stay relevant and just as compelling as the era it was written in

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