Shakespeare Overall Essay History and Effects on History
Let me tell you a story of two young lovers torn apart by the wrath of their parents... oh, you've heard this one already? How about the story of the evil villain plotting to overthrow his king? Heard that one too? Surprisingly enough, these stories came into creation over two hundred years ago. The wonder lies not in the stories, but in the man behind them. William Shakespeare is really the defining icon for modern literature. Because of his plays, prose, and poems; the works of Shakespeare are considered to be some of the finest literature ever written. His stories established a foundation off which thousands of dramas, romances, and histories have been based. During his fifty-two year life, Shakespeare produced plays that have been the models for books and movies for hundreds of years. One of Shakespeare's outstanding points as a writer was his colorful mastery of the English language, which was nothing short of genius. Shakespeare's keen annotations into the 16th century granted historians a glimpse into traditional 16th century life. The one quality in Shakespeare's writing that never fails to astound me is his ability at capturing the essence of human passion and feeling. My goal for t
Before I begin to verify my thesis, I shall give you little history of the Shakespeare family. William's family was fairly well off, and their wealth fluctuated as according to John Shakespeare's income. John Shakespeare was William's father. John Shakespeare came to Stratford from Snitterfield some time before 1532. He came as a leather tanner's apprentice, although he later became involved in dealing wool and farm products. In 1582, Shakespeare married Mary Arden, William's mother. Throughout William's life, John had a number of professions, but was predominantly a trader in farm products and wool. Prior and after William's birth, John Shakespeare was an exceptional member of the Stratford community. He was elected to several high civic positions, such as ale-taster to the borough, chamberlain of the borough, alderman, chief alderman, and high bailiff, or mayor. However, by 1578, John Shakespeare was behind in his taxes and became an absentee on the civic council. Finally, he was forced to mortgage his wife's estate; and was even fined for missing church. John Shakespeare's business ventures would affect William's future. John began as a leather tanner, became a farm products and wool dealer, and later a justice of the peace. However, luckily for literature, it was John's later financial difficulties that would prevent William from becoming an apprentice to his father. To conclude, I think that yes, Shakespeare is the best modern author yet. I believe this because of three reasons. Shakespeare's eloquent writing style, namely his use of prose, metaphors, and his open interpretations allows the reader to take what they want out of his play, rather than have it forced at them. Shakespeare's characters and plots are so richly developed; the characters behave by their own personalities, an element foreign to prior literature. The plots wrangle with universal questions of morality and tradition, while the characters are very realistic and genuine. Shakespeare's historical plays are an area of interest, not only for the history, for they provide a mirror for society. Over the years, society's views have changed on many issues. Plays such as 'Richard III' and 'King Henry VI' demonstrate how culture and people have changed over a matter of a few hundred years. Imagine, someone in three hundred years may read "Richard III" and react totally differently than you or I would react to the play today. So, all in all, Shakespeare's literary achievements made him the most significant modern author in the history of the English language. Shakespeare's characters encompassed humanity. Earlier this year, I read 'Othello' in English class. Although the language was difficult to understand, the book was a captivating read. One point that Ms. Vincent emphasized the most while reading 'Othello' was to remember that the characters are just characters, and not real people. Although this is indeed true, readers feel differently. "He writes real people," one actress said after acting in an Oscar-winning Shakespearean movie just last year. (http://www.geocities.com/fiver_1/Articles/newsweek.html Dench, Judy) While reading 'Othello,' or any Shakespearean play for that matter, readers tend to lose themselves in the rich plots and intricate characters, and completely forget that the stories are for the most part, fiction. One of the reasons that Shakespeare's characters are so genuine is that they are not limited to one emotion or characteristic. A character may start off with a sincere attitude of goodness, and as the plot thickens, unravel a scheme to murder the king. Characters such as Othello and Macbeth each acted out upon personality and raw emotion, each coping with multiple emotions as well as their own consciences. Characters don't behave according to the play; they behave according to their own individual personalities. It was once said of Shakespeare's characters, "we know to such a degree as we know few if any persons alive."
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Approximate Word count = 3303
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)
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