Matthew Paddick

William Shakespeare, a Man of Pure Brilliance.

By Matthew Paddick

The name Shakespeare strikes most people to think of Romeo and Juliet or lines from plays such as “To be or not to be: that is the question.” (Hamlet). Shakespeare was the most culturally gifted man in his time and was believed to be the writer of thirty seven different plays. These plays were made of pure brilliance and as a result should still be taught in schools as him and his works are still relevant. What’s that you say? I’m crazy? Perhaps it is you that is crazy for thinking otherwise? Call me old school if you want, but you should always learn from the best and the best was, is and forever shall be Shakespeare.

For starters, Shakespearean texts are still being used today, both in original form and in modern adaptations. One of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Hamlet, the story about a king being murdered by his brother so that he cease the throne, causing the king’s son to avenge his deceased father by killing the new king, was the inspiration for the animated film The Lion King (A full summary for Hamlet is below). Whilst not written through language used at the time of Shakespeare, it tells a similar story of the prince (Prince Hamlet or Simba) rising over the uncle (Claudius or Scar) after the death of the previous king (King Hamlet or Mufasa) and restoring balance. Hamlet is put on production at many theatres and has been recreated on film. The story has also made appearances in other forms of media, such as on the TV show, The Simpsons. Hamlet features important themes which need to be taught and understood for future generations. Loyalty is a theme in Hamlet as Horatio is loyal to Hamlet and as his father requests that Prince Hamlet avenges the former King. Hamlet accepts and says that he will avenge him.

Hamlet follows the story of Prince Hamlet, the son of the recently deceased king who was killed by none other than his brother, Claudius. The ghost of the King tells Prince Hamlet of the nature of his death and that Claudius was the murderer. The story is set in Elsinore and Hamlet in order to avenge the death of his father, must prove to the kingdom that Claudius is responsible for the death of the king. A group of actors who came to Elsinore was the perfect opportunity for the Prince to prove Claudius’ guilt. Hamlet has the actors perform a similar scene to that of when Claudius killed the King. Claudius leaves the room and is followed by Hamlet, who does not kill Claudius as he was praying. Instead, Hamlet goes to tell his mother of what Claudius has done, but hears noise behind a curtain. Thinking it was Claudius, Hamlet draws his sword and slices through the curtain, killing not Claudius, but Polonius, Claudius’ chief counsellor. As a result, Claudius intends for Hamlet to be killed. He has Polonius’ son, Laertes, to kill Hamlet. Claudius has the Laertes’ blade poisoned so that if Hamlet draws blood, he will die. Laertes manages to pierce Hamlet but the poison does not kill him immediately. Laertes dies of his own blade, and soon after, Hamlet kills Claudius. After having revenge, Hamlet dies of the poison.

Above: A combination of Hamlet and The Lion King Source: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp0hujP1fx1qgudn1.jpg

“GHOST: Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.

HAMLET: Murder!

GHOST: Murder most foul, as in the best it is; But this most foul, strange and unnatural.

HAMLET: Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift, As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge.”

(Act 1, Scene 5)

The quote shows the loyalty that Prince Hamlet shows for his father, willing enough to kill someone to right the wrongs made. Loyalty is shown in many different forms of media, films like The Little Mermaid, Cars and The Lion King. The film based of Hamlet also shares the same theme? What a coincidence. The theme of suicide comes up in many of Shakespeare’s plays including Hamlet a number of times, right at the beginning in fact, when the ghost of King Hamlet gives the job to the Prince. Prince Hamlet throughout the play wonders if death is the way to go and why people don’t commit suicide.

“To be, or not to be: that is the question:

Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them?”

(Scene 3, Act 10)

Above: An animation of Hamlet talking to the skull. Source: https://rosienisbet.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/ham-gif.gif

Perhaps the most famous quote from all of Shakespeare’s plays questions why people don’t kill themselves. Suicide is a theme used in many films of today. The Perks of Being a Wallflower has the recurring theme of suicide as the main character does not fit in and thinks taking his life may be the answer. The theme is also used within Shakespeare’s own play, Romeo and Juliet.

“Some word there was, worser than Tybalt’s death,

That murder’d me: I would forget it fain;

But, O, it presses to my memory,

Like damned guilty deeds to sinners’ minds:

‘Tybalt is dead, and Romeo–banished;’

That ‘banished,’ that one word ‘banished,’

Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt’s death

Was woe enough, if it had ended there:

Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship

And needly will be rank’d with other griefs,

Why follow’d not, when she said ‘Tybalt’s dead,’

Thy father, or thy mother, nay, or both,

Which modern lamentations might have moved?

But with a rear-ward following Tybalt’s death,

‘Romeo is banished,’ to speak that word,

Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet,

All slain, all dead. ‘Romeo is banished!’

There is no end, no limit, measure, bound,

In that word’s death; no words can that woe sound.”

Above: Juliet with a gun to her head so she could be with Romeo. Source: http://24.media.tumblr.com/b7dcceda2146cd4f99ce2cb01f617600/tumblr_mna63ozLjK1sq53qvo1_500.gif

The quote shows that Juliet not being with Romeo is the same as being dead. Romeo and Juliet was the tale of two star-crossed lovers from different feuding families who take their lives as neither could live without the other. The play has the couple being told they can not be, but the couple not listening throughout. The tale was the inspiration for the film Warm Bodies, a film about a girl falling in love with a zombie. This tale uses the theme of suicide by having the two main characters take their own lives as Romeo was thought to be dead and Juliet could not live in a world without Romeo. Both families grieve over each child’s death. Shakespearean plays usually shared themes, and that is no exception for Romeo and Juliet which portrays the theme of loyalty.

“Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?

Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name,

When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it?

But, wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin?

That villain cousin would have kill’d my husband:

Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring;

Your tributary drops belong to woe,

Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.

My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain;

And Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband:

All this is comfort.”

From this quote, it is seen that Juliet is caught between her loyalty with the Capulet house and her loyalty with Romeo, both she remains loyal to. These themes are all used in movies which come from these two plays, along with a number of other plays by Shakespeare. The relevance of Shakespeare is great because his plays constantly inspire the modern world to recreate, tinker and modify each play into something more. Shakespeare is still relevant because of the recurring themes that are used in his plays which are constantly being used in today’s society. Without Shakespeare, many of the world’s greatest forms of entertainment would be gone from society, making him relevant to modern society.