YE OLD BLOG
Hamletting you know about the Elizabethan Era
AMIE YANG
SHAKESPEARE TODAY
Sam Troughton and Mariah Gale star in a modern rendition of Romeo and Juliet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
For hundreds of years, Shakespeare has stood the test of time. It isn’t just the historians, professors, and book lovers who recognized the author’s works, but nearly everyone has a least heard of, or read, many of his stories. His playwriting is still popular today, with many acting companies dedicating themselves to performing renditions of his writing. So what is it about Shakespeare that makes him so captivating to the modern audience?
“We read a lot of Shakespeare’s work in our classes,” said high school teacher Mariah Bradshaw, “his work teaches our students the basic themes of life- love, treachery, bravery, and what it means to be human.”
She isn’t the only one. Many high schools across the U.S requires students to read at least one Shakespearian novel throughout their high school experience, whether it be tragedies like Hamlet, or lighthearted comedies like A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
However, it isn’t by force that most people have come to understand and appreciate Shakespeare’s writing. Historian W.B Jackson quotes, “William Shakespeare has a special, artistic like flow to his writing that no other author can replicate. He manages to capture the attention of his audience in the first few lines because there is something beautiful and unique to be said about his writing.”
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.”-WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
New York City Ballet performs A Midsummer Night's Dream
Shakespeare’s arguably most popular play today is a tale of two star-crossed-lovers, who were torn apart in the tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet. This story has been re-written and sold in movies, as well as gracing the stage of Broadway. Popular movies included Leonardo Di Caprio’s Romeo and Juliet, a modern version of the classic tale with guns, cars, and gangs, as well as West Side Story, a musical that came to a surprising end. Since so many people have heard of and seen the story of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, we decided to take to the streets to see what people really think of this famous author.
“I’ve only ever read Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but yeah, I enjoyed it. I think Shakespeare’s work needs to be performed to get the whole experience.” -Amanda Carlos, high school student
“No, I’ve never read Shakespeare, but I know about him, I know about his work. Who doesn’t?” -Brian Barnes, resident New Yorker
“Shakespeare is dope. I like that movie, the one with guns and car chases? Sweet. Oh and the plot was good too.” -Joey Marshall, fifth grader
The average consensus was that most people knew and appreciated Shakespeare and his work. Even though some of his stories have taken a modern twist, many people still enjoy the classics and his unique use of language. Shakespeare’s messages about love, bravery, and justice resonated until today, and will exist for many more years to come.
Disclaimer: All interviews and people mentioned in this writing are purely fictional. Any coincidences are merely coincidences.