Is Shakespeare Still Our Contemporary?

Is Shakespeare Still Our Contemporary?

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Of course there are still a few far-fetched aspects in Shakespeare's plays that are hard to go along with today - for example all those young women dressing as boys, for the purpose of disguise. But there are some modern equivalents - I saw a documentary recently, showing how teenage girls living on the streets of Brazil deliberately dress in a boyish way to avoid being attacked.

A better-known example is Julia Roberts in the film Sleeping with the Enemy , dressing as a boy to pay a clandestine visit to her mother in a nursing home. And talking of films, this modern medium has given Shakespeare's plays a new lease of life, and introduced them to a much wider audience than would ever have contemplated going to the theatre.

Is Shakespeare Still Our Contemporary? (eBook)

The Romeo and Juliet story has always been one of the best known, and millions of people have seen the Baz Luhrmann version, which translated so well into a modern Californian setting. And what about Shakespeare himself? Does he bear any similarity to a typical modern man? Well, from the little we know about him, he was surely what today we would call 'driven', leaving his wife and family behind him in Stratford to pursue his career in London. In his thirties he may have gone through a crisis of sexual identity; he was a practical man of the theatre, knowing what paid and what didn't, and creating his own 'market'.

Six reasons Shakespeare remains relevant 400 years after his death

He socialised in the pub with his friends and colleagues; he knew how to write to please audiences of all classes; he was successful enough to gain royal patronage, and to attract the enmity of rival playwrights and poets; he had no time for pomposity, pedantry or puritanism; he may have associated with prostitutes; he may have contracted a sexually transmitted disease. It's just that, while living life to the full, he also had the magical ability to write the most amazing plays to entertain his contemporaries.

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Those plays are still entertaining people, whether in authentic historical performance or modern interpretation on the stage, or in countless film and TV adaptations throughout the world. We invite you to discuss this subject, but remember this is a public forum. Please be polite, and avoid your passions turning into contempt for others.

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Remember, you can also make your own, personal feed by combining tags from around OpenLearn. For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need. Let's take a look at the man and his work. A current production of Julius Caesar is causing controversy in the USA for allegedly depicting Donald Trump's murder, but what does this tell us about the nature of Shakespeare's plays?

It has been over years since Shakespeare died, but his works still 'play on' today. Explore the life, times and legacy of the Bard of Avon His likeness and his works have been used to sell soap, chocolate, cigarettes, computers, beer, soda and almost anything else you can think of.

Is Shakespeare still relevant?

None of the printed portraits that accompanied his work date back to his lifetime. The online version of the guide will be accessible through USC Libraries in the coming months. Max Nikias unveils iconic statue that serves as a counterpart to Tommy Trojan. Erin Jones wants to be a vigilant sounding board for students in need of counseling. Particle pollution is the culprit, raising concern about health impacts later in life.

Skullduggery abounds in works by Shakespeare. In these instances, Shakespeare reveals the struggle within relationships from both an adult and youth perspective. Shakespeare does not provide any easy answers. Shakespeare is relevant to the modern audience because his subject matter is as challenging to us today as it was back then. Shakespeare sought to write from a human perspective.

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His work connected with so many because it articulated what it means to be a human being. In doing so, his work proves to be as relevant today. How is Shakespeare still relevant to a modern audience?

Expert Answers teachersage Certified Educator. Related Questions Do you think that people will stop being interested in Shakespeare or stop reading Shakespeare? What influence does Shakespeare Ashley Kannan Certified Educator.

Shakespeare deeply embedded in contemporary culture

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