Why is Shakespeare so Popular? — The Bard's Permanence

Table of Contents

Introduction

There are only a few people in the history of mankind, who have been able to surpass the limits of the time they lived in. They produced works or promoted ideas that stayed relevant in every age. Very interestingly, most of the people who have this special talent to reach out to humanity’s heart belong to the fields of literature, philosophy, science, or art. Works from these people continue to inspire and educate us time and again. Among these special people, one is William Shakespeare, also known as Bard of Avon. Shakespeare lived during 16th and 17th centuries, but his works are still read, performed, and studied. His plays and poems are popular pieces that have surpassed the limits of time, culture, and geography, and made him the universal man in literature.

Reasons of Shakespeare's Popularity

Shakespeare's incredible popularity to date is due to several reasons. He is good at the use of language, his themes are timeless, he has a deep understanding of humans. Below are some of the main reasons why Shakespeare is still very important and relevant.

1. Mastery of English Language

Shakespeare’s command of the English language was unmatched. One of the reasons why his works have become classics was his ability to write attractive and unforgettable phrases, such "To be, or not to be" from Hamlet and "The world is a stage" from As You Like It. Shakespeare has contributed a lot to the English language as well. He has added more than 1,700 words into English. Phrases like "break the ice," "wild-goose chase," "heart of gold," "faint-hearted," and "love is blind" are all his inventions too. Shakespeare created each of these expressions in his plays, which have now ingrained in our daily speech.

2. Timeless Themes of his Plays

The second important reason for Shakespeare’s popularity are the themes of his works. He always wrote on timeless and universal subjects. His plays and sonnets deals with the themes of love, betrayal, ambition, power, jealously, and mortality. All these are timeless and universal themes because humans have always struggled with these problems throughout the history, and they still do. For example, Shakespeare shows the intensity of youthful love in Romeo and Juliet; the destructive power of uncontrolled ambition in Macbeth; the destructive consequences of envy in Othello.

3. Relatable Characters in his Plays

The third reason for Shakespeare’s popularity are his characters. Readers and viewers can easily connect with Shakespeare’s characters because the emotions, problems, and wishes they show are universal. The characters he has created are not just heroes or villains, but humans with flaws, goals, and uncertainties that audience can find in themselves. For example, Hamlet’s hesitancy and incapability to act shows the internal conflict of making difficult choices, which is one of those problems that every human being can relate to. Similarly, the Othello’s jealousy and Macbeth’s ambition shows that how human weaknesses lead to problems, and this also makes people easy to relate to. In a nutshell, Shakespeare had a God-gifted ability to write about what it means to be human, which has made his characters stay relevant. It is one of the reasons for his popularity too.

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4. Emotional Appeal of his Works

Shakespeare’s plays are also very popular because of the emotional appeal they have. They arouse many kinds of feelings in the readers and viewers. If his comedies make us laugh, his tragedies make us cry. For example, his comedies like A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night are all fun, while his tragedies like Macbeth and Othello are all dark.

5. His Dramatic Versatility

Shakespeare popularity is also due to his versatility as well. He did not write only in one genre like many of his contemporary playwrights. Instead, he wrote in all major genres. Be it tragedy, comedy, history or romance, he wrote in every one of those. This is in fact how Shakespeare has found the way to reach every possible reader and spectator. There is some for everyone in his plays.

6. Adaptations of his Works

Shakespeare’s plays are so popular that they have been adopted into many different forms, such as films, novels, and operas. His plays have inspired many movie directors, such as Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood (based on Macbeth) and Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider (based on Hamlet). This adaptability of his works has helped Shakespeare to stay relevant. Shakespeare’s ideas and characters have inspired many musicians and artists too. Musicians like Giuseppe Verdi has written many operas on Shakespearean plays (his opera Otello, based on Othello, is regarded as one of the finest operas). Similarly, artists like William Blake, Henry Fuseli, and George Cruikshank have painted many well-known scenes from Shakespearean plays.

7. Global Influence of his Works

Due to his popularity, Shakespeare’s works are translated into every major language too. His plays are performed all over the world. Shakespeare’s work is accessible to different nations and languages because of his ability to connect to everyday human situations. In countries like India and Pakistan, his works are very frequently performed in the native languages.

8. Popularity in Education and Academia

Shakespeare's works are a part of educational curriculum all over the world. His work is introduced to students at a very young age. His plays and sonnets are not only read for their literary value but also for understanding human psychology. In higher education, Shakespearean criticism is an active area in many fields, such as linguistics, gender studies, and psychology. Since his works are very rich and deep, so they offer many interpretations, which is the reason why his legacy still goes on.

Conclusion

All of Shakespeare's popularity and fame is due to the power of great art, because great art survives for a long time, and so is the case with Shakespeare. As a genius writer, his themes apply to everybody, and his language is rich and moving. As long as there are people who want to understand the human condition, the works written by the Bard will keep resonating and inspiring. This is a real proof of the lasting charm of the Bard.