Summative Entry – Shakespearean Literature

“The human and artistic concerns of the Shakespearean despite language differences are similar to our own concerns; the response to those concerns- given by the poets, novelists, dramatists and artists- can help us live fuller, more meaningful and creative lives in our own times.”

 

Another semester seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye, and yet so many things still seem to be the same. I know a little bit more now. I’ve lost a bit of weight. I’ve gained a LOT of new opinions. But overall, the same.

Ironic, I suppose, seeing as a familiar sort of sameness can be applied to the time of Shakespeare’s works- the Renaissance- and today. I do not refer to the literal sense, of course, as we have surely progressed technologically since then and in the way that one may view creative expression. I refer to the themes, the concerns, the key elements that impact the human experience and create meaning within our lives: love, loss, revenge, family, power, I could go on but I fear I would be here for quite a while and I really don’t have the word-count for it.

The language may be different, but the message remains the same.

We began this semester with an in-depth exploration into the Roman-Egyptian world of Antony and Cleopatra, of which I thoroughly enjoyed analysing the relationships between its characters. Not only is the work itself a true masterpiece, but the opportunity to see a modern performance by the Bell Shakespeare Company allowed me to further bring the play’s message into a contemporary light. Love and power never seemed to fit so perfectly as it did in the role of Cleopatra, and it can be argued that she serves as one of the earliest icons of a women in control. What I find truly admirable is the internal struggle of Cleopatra, and her unwillingness to compromise herself due to her love for Antony. Today we see so many people- and sadly, women especially- fighting and compromising, set a choice between love or power. Cleopatra proves that you can have both, and while she is not forgotten, she certainly deserves greater acknowledgement today. Shakespeare may not have known it then, but he was ruminating on issues that have long since outlived him.

Soon after the we stepped into the fantastical world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, highlighting the need for belief in the extraordinary as well as the strength of love. Overcoming the threat of punishment (potential death being a very likely one), we see the overcoming of adversity in the way that Hermia is determined to be with the one she truly loves. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have kings knocking on my door telling me who I can and can’t be with, but I will say that this adversity is most certainly still present today. Whether the reasons preventing you be age, race or sexuality, love today still meets many obstacles. However, like Hermia has shown me, with true determination it is possible to jump such hurdles in order to be truly happy. Perhaps some magical assistance too, but maybe we shouldn’t get out hopes up on that.

Beyond this, Shakespeare uses this play to touch on the importance of creativity. He speaks on the true power that comes with creating words within one’s mind and transferring that to paper, and the truly inspiring ways in which individuals express themselves. It is something that resonates today, and needs to be expressed now more than ever. His response to the adversity to art is a message to never stop, and to express yourself in whatever way you see fit, whether that be painting, dancing, writing, or dressing up on stage and screaming at an audience (so long as they actually want to watch you, otherwise it’s just weird).

Looking into Shakespeare’s sonnets gave me clearer insight into the themes and concerns of himself personally. I found, not too surprisingly, that they weren’t very different from my own or that of my friends. Sure he wrote about it with very different words to how I would, but the gist remains the same. In fact, I thought I’d take up a pen myself (or keyboard, rather) and see if I could express some of my feelings in the way Shakespeare would. As it turns out I enjoyed it a great deal, and am happy to showcase it as my best creative blog.

Finally, the analysis of The Tempest makes me believe that Shakespeare intended for it to be his last work, and his message was clear. Within the play we witness is characters exit in better conditions than they had begun, serving as an ageless request that we all live our lives in such a way that we may exit better of than we had arrived. It may be his swan song, but it is certainly not forgotten by audiences of today. Although I’ve had the privilege of already exploring it in my HSC years, a second analysis of the text this year has allowed me to add to my initial impressions of the play- call it a second first impression, if you will. It is for this reason that I’m pleased to showcase it as my best critical blog.

Art is subjective, and we each gain and understand what we want to from it. William Shakespeare’s works are the same, but the things he speaks on certainly resonate with audiences of today, and are able to influence how we may live more meaningful lives. His work is truly timeless, and while our words today may differ, Shakespeare has proven that the Renaissance period is not unlike our own, and that our feelings and concerns are shared by others.