This post contains affiliate links. Using the links to purchase recommended products does not cost you anything extra but does help support ROONIE through affiliate commission.
There is no denying that the generally recognized 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and two narrative poems accredited to Shakespeare are timeless works that still influence and will continue to influence books, movies, songs, and other art for years to come. Shakespeare’s popularity can be greatly attributed to his ability to capture the essence of human nature in his characters and the caliber of wordplay he used to keep audiences engaged and captivated by his work.
There are a plethora of resources on the internet to find solid facts and in-depth investigations about Shakespeare, his life, and his works, but I do not intend to regurgitate it all in this blog post. Instead, I wanted to put together some intriguing tidbits about the significance of April 23rd in regards to the poet and point out some specific instances of how Shakespeare remains relevant even today, as this information is more fun to me.
Why is Shakespeare celebrated on April 23rd?
It is generally believed that April 23rd is both Shakespeare’s birth and death date, though this is impossible to confirm due to a lack of official records from the late 1500s and early 1600s. The records that historians do have regarding the beginning and end of Shakespeare’s life are from the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s hometown. The church records indicate that Shakespeare was baptized on April 26th, 1564 and interred on April 25th, 1616.
While not considered an official church record, the monument erected above Shakespeare’s grave at the Holy Trinity Church does list his death date as April 23rd, 1616. There is no documentation of exactly when the monument was erected, but it is referenced in the First Folio published by Shakespeare’s peers in 1623.
The exact cause of Shakespeare’s death remains unknown today. Interestingly, he had finalized his will less than a month before his death and referred to himself as 'in perfect health & memorie, god be praysed' within it. Some historians remain skeptical of the phrase and believe he may have been suffering from a long term illness.
Shakespeare in the Modern Era.
In the simplest of explanations, Shakespeare’s works are traditionally categorized as comedies, tragedies, and histories. This does not mean that there was a solid line in the sand always clearly separating the categories. Many of the plays explored themes like love, power, revenge, and fate regardless of the overarching message.
While many Shakespearean plays have been directly adapted for movies over the years, modern souls may be more familiar with recent loose adaptations like Anyone but You starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell or a classic one like The Lion King.
The 2023 film Anyone but You is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, as noted in the numerous overlapping plot lines and even multiple direct quotes from the original play within the movie. Starting with something as simple as the character names, the leading duo in ABY is Ben and Bea who are attending a destination wedding for their friends Claudia and Halle. The leading roles in MAAN include those of Beatrice and Benedick who ultimately end up at the wedding of their friends Claudio and Hero…
Additionally, you have the similar plot lines in both works of the male and female leads being romantically involved, having an unfortunate falling out, and then reconnecting unexpectedly. Also in both, they are influenced by the poking and prodding of friends and family urging them to give their relationship a second chance. Spoiler alert: both the movie and play end with them admitting their true feelings for each other.
The Anyone but You production team went as far as including multiple quotes directly from the original play in the motion picture, like:
“Some cupids kill with arrows and some with traps”
“I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest”
“Here’s much to do with hate, but more to do with love”
Picture this: a king’s brother gets hungry for power and plots the king’s death. Upon the king’s demise, the prince is cast away from society by his uncle who is hopeful of never having his new power tested. The prince eventually returns from exile to challenge and defeat his uncle. Throw in some buddies for comedic relief and a love interest. What comes to mind? The Lion King? Hamlet? Both?
Obviously, being a Disney movie, The Lion King had a much happier ending and more sugar coated bits than the classic tragedy of Hamlet. Even so, the similarities between the two are glaring and impossible to ignore. While there are no direct homages like character names or exact quotes as in my previous example, there are the parallels between Hamlet and Simba, Claudius and Scar, and that between King Hamlet and Mufasa.
Gifts for the Shakespeare enthusiast in your life.
This section is the main reason why I published this blog post a few days early - to make sure you have time to get a little something for any bardolater (a person who idolizes Shakespeare, per Merriam-Webster) in your life.
If they’re a Shakespeare enthusiast, it is probably safe to say that they already have a collection of his works, whether it be complete or just the greats. Keeping that in mind, I curated this list of gifts with individuality at the forefront of my mind. Any of these are sure to put a smile on their face and they’re all under $25!
These socks that are perfect for subtly rocking the bard himself at all kinds of events
An insult mug that provides ample ammunition for any dumb questions asked before they have their coffee in the morning
This succulent planter that would look great on any desk or bookshelf
A metal bookend that brings Romeo and Juliet to their personal library
This magnetic poetry kit that will allow them to channel their own inner poet
Whether or not Shakespeare should be regarded as ‘the greatest playwright of all time’ is a subjective topic that can be argued a number of ways in favor and against. But regardless of opinions, it is hard to ignore the impact that Shakespearean comedies, tragedies, and histories have had on contemporary works both in print and on the big screen.
Need to know more about Shakespeare? Check out this in depth article by BIOGRAPHY.
Want to share your thoughts? Feel free to comment below or find us on Instagram and give us a shout there.
Samantha H.
Comentários