Rosie Feller
The Bard is the Best
What literary author has the power to create new words and have his pieces remain the central lesson material in high schools for almost 500 years after birth? What writer has the creative genius to steal historical stories, place immense meaning beneath layers of motifs and themes, while inspiring readers with his perception of humanity? No one could ever express the pure truths of what it means to be human like William Shakespeare himself. People know Willie as the greatest playwright and poet in England. They certainly aren’t wrong, though they undervalue his genius penmanship drastically. Faulkner, Dickens, Brontë, and Orwell don’t compare------even the newer renowned wordmongers like Tolkien, Rowling, Spielberg, and Angelou could never compare to The Bard, the greatest literary author to have ever lived.
Across the world, people praise Shakespeare for his unique worldly views and incredible use of language to convey human emotion and the weaknesses that are carried with them. “The nearest thing in incarnation to the eye of God"(Olivier, Laurence). “He was the man who of all modern, and perhaps ancient poets, had the largest and most comprehensive soul."(Dryden, John) “He breathed upon dead bodies and brought them into life." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) From actors to poets to philosophers, all of these writers describe the one and only William Shakespeare. The man had an intense outlook on humans, their flaws, their strengths, and their downfalls like no other author ever has. Even Queen Elizabeth I, England’s ruler during the beginning of Shakespeare’s career, said “I am Richard II,” comparing herself to one of Shakespeare’s central characters who enjoys kingship, yet who struggles to mature from adolescence. Characters Shakespeare used in his plays are not only extremely relatable, but they perfectly reflect humanity. He wrote the greatest truth of them all: “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players.” Not one sentence could sum up life like this, yet one person was able to use the right words to create this beautiful metaphor that embodies humanity.
People claim that Shakespeare's stories aren’t realistic, that Romeo and Juliet fell in love too quickly or that the tale in A Midsummer Night’s Dream was utter nonsense. Shakespeare used nonsense by choice. The entire point of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is that it is fantastical and unreal, like much of reality, appearing as though only a dream took place rather than actual events. If Romeo and Juliet wasn’t relatable, why is there such a thing as falling in love at first sight? Countless films involve falling in love over a few days. The star-crossed couple is mentioned in over five-hundred songs and lyrics for good reason. Romeo was impetuous, Juliet was fickle, as many lovers are. Their relationship moved too fast and they met their fall, which Shakespeare perfectly established through the short time period in which their love grew. Is this not “real?” It doesn’t have to be realistic to be true. The deaths in Shakespeare’s plays seem outrageous, yet Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Cleopatra all died according to historical accuracy. It is true that Caesar was stabbed 23 times, Antony committed suicide by his own sword, and Cleopatra was poisoned by an asp bite.
According to Shakespeare Online, Shakespeare invented over 1700 words, including “critic”, “dwindle”, “uncomfortable”, “unreal”, and even “swagger." These words seem so common today it is hard to believe they were conceived over 450 years ago. Most interesting is the fact that Shakespeare created the word “lonely,” such a powerful adjective that expresses emotion in the rawest form. Shakespeare created the word to describe a human weakness and one of our greatest fears. Even various phrases that are commonly known today, such as “the eyes are the window to the soul,” “good riddance,” “a sorry sight,” and “method in the madness” were written originally by Shakespeare. Though some high schoolers claim Shakespeare is difficult to understand and cannot possibly apply to the modern day, the Bard’s words continue to shape our world today. People use his expressions and words daily. In a way, Shakespeare’s wonderful wordsmithing and introspection into the world are the most understood writings possible. If one was assigned to place powerful Shakespeare quotes in an essay, the assignment would be one hundred pages long, filled with the rich language and ingenious structure that only one man could master. Needless to say, his plays are works of art themselves; masterfully painted, of which no other artist can replicate.
T. S. Eliot once said that “good writers borrow, great writers steal.” This statement certainly applies to Shakespeare who, as much as he created, also stole. Various historical figures and stories are used in Shakespeare’s works. Ironically, now several authors create novels, films, and adaptations centered around his ideas and his own words. Though Shakespeare did steal some ideas, such as the ancient Greek tale of Pyramus and Thisbe from Ovid’s Metamorphoses for his initial Romeo and Juliet plot, Shakespeare’s works are unique and original in of themselves. Despite borrowing ideas, Shakespeare authors the characters’ emotions and their weaknesses in ways no other author could, expressing the background to the stories or the intent motives of the acts they commit. Though Shakespeare coined the term “dead as a doornail” in Henry VI Part II, Charles Dickens used the phrase to begin his celebrated novel, A Christmas Carol. Shakespeare wrote “all that glisters is not gold” in The Merchant of Venice which became the basis for J.R.R. Tolkien’s poem for his The Lord of the Rings novels. These authors got their inspiration from the very best.
Students may also complain that as society continues to advance, Shakespeare will outgrow our age and his writing will soon be deemed as too “old,” which is far from the truth. Shakespeare certainly was underrated and unpopular when he first performed his plays at the Globe Theatre in London. However, upon writing his poems and sonnets he began to gain attention due to his unique writing style. He first gained popularity in 1593 after penning Venus and Adonis, an erotic narrative poem at the time that readers found especially charming. Shakespeare’s writing never gets old and it continues to thrive 403 years after his death. Logically, one can assume that his works will continue to be read, studied and praised hundreds of years into the future. Professors and English teachers thrive on the lessons evident in Shakespearean literature, and teenagers are increasingly appreciating The Bard’s works, notably recognized due to the expansion of Shakespearean adaptations, from emoji texting versions of his plays to Disney films that center around his literary plots. Shakespeare isn’t going away anytime soon.
Hamlet is the inner teen struggling with identity and Friar Laurence is the wise adult who warns against adolescent recklessness. Puck is like the foolish child who only wishes to cause trouble and mischief and Cordelia is the mother who is kind and honest, yet who must sacrifice her time and patience for her family. The characters reflect the stages of humanity, one of Shakespeare’s favorite topics to write about. Their unique personalities and faults expose each reader individually; some relate more to Helena, desperate to feel love, while others connect with Sir Andrew Aguecheek when they feel stupid and foolish, and others still share similarities with Macbeth during times when forced to act and make decisions. All in one emotional reaction, the reader has that distinctive “a-ha!” moment in which they realize that Shakespeare has written a piece of their soul that defines their troubles to a tee. Has anyone ever touched so deep the human soul, rewrote history to fit mortal flaws, and moved people to tears with examinations of nature? The answer: only William Shakespeare.