Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven!

Author: Obeid Al Marri

Greetings and salutations fellow bloggers and blogerettes, in this blog, I’ll be discussing if Shakespeare is still relevant. You must be giggling if you were just reading this you would have probably thought “Shakespeare still relevant? Oh Please…” Be honest, that was what I thought too! But after i began to research and actually READ yes, read a couple of his literary works here and there, I can SURELY tell you this that he IS still relevant… Firstly as always let me explain to you his implementations in everyday life…

I would like to ask you this fellow blogger, why do People still read some of Shakespeare’s plays and poems? Well, the answer is simple. Shakespeare’s literary works of art are entertaining for the sole reason that they tackle or symbolize various realistic themes present in life surrounding us and the methodology in which the characters, backgrounds, conversations are portrayed are basic mechanisms that bring to life these very captivating works. Since Shakespeare lived in a time of social uncertainty much like ours, Shakespeare's plays speak better to a modern audience dazed by change, vagueness and pointless violence than they did to the Victorians who couldn't understand why Shakespeare would write about dealing with changes, deception, ambiguity and senseless violence. These themes were all but foreign to their minds but to us, they are not.

“Well, you still didn’t answer the question...” I am getting there you impatient fool!.. I mean sorry, Agh. Shakespeare’s fine works of art and literacy has had a tendency to touch us, not physically, but emotionally since we understand the struggle and the themes he presents in most of his works.  An example of his relation to real life is that of when Shakespeare says "a man in his time plays many parts, his act being seven ages". This might be a form of gibberish rubbish to you but just as you try to analyze it you will come to an understanding that this simple example that can relate to life for the reason that a person acts different as time passes. When you are a child you tend to act very juvenile and as you age you act more mature and become more self-dependent.

Personal response:

Other than its relation to reality and the impact of ‘the Wizzes’ literary works, readers and individuals that study and analyze the beauty of Shakespeare’s works tend to develop a certain mental discipline and understanding of both the literature usage and the discussion of universal themes and issues which are relevant today. Personally, I believe these fine works of art and literacy are still relevant for use today not by the imitation of the plays in reality but their implications of the themes and the approach of tackling certain issue that are present. While it may appear that a lot has been changed, the essence of Shakespeare has not been lost, and it has merely been adapted to make it more appropriate for younger audiences of today.

Here, Watch this video that answers the question “Why study Shakespeare Today?” from a different perspective by Kim F. Hall, professor of English at Barnard College: 

--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k7rTeq40Zg

And to conclude this Blog, here is your weekly fact dosage:

Did you know!

It is unknown how Shakespeare died. Possibly after a night of heavy drinking. He wrote a curse on anyone who plunders his grave; his remains have yet to be disturbed.

And…

Shakespeare plays could often be violent, killing off lead characters! (I hope our class demonstration of Macbeth goes well with no blood shed taking place *fingers crossed*)

Farewell, fair cruelty.