illustrated portrait of English playwright and poet William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

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The influence of William Shakespeare on the world and modern society

Summary:

William Shakespeare's influence on the world and modern society is profound. His works have enriched the English language, contributing countless words and phrases still in use today. His plays and sonnets explore timeless themes of human nature, love, and power, impacting literature, theater, and popular culture. Shakespeare's storytelling techniques and character development continue to shape modern narratives across various media.

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How did William Shakespeare impact today's society?

I think the previous post does a nice job with the topic.  I would like to submit that any potential storyline that examines the complexity of human emotion owes a debt to Shakespeare.  In his plays and dramas, Shakespeare explored the issues of ambition, loyalty, honor, and the inevitable conflict that individuals face when trying to balance personal and public interests.  From an intellectual standpoint, I would also suggest that Shakespeare is critical in providing a type of bridge between the ancients and the moderns.  Consider that the definition of Ancient Tragedy, as defined by A.C. Bradley, revolves around the exploration and presence of equally desire able, but ultimately incompatible course of action.  At the same time, the modern definition of tragedy became understood that every step of creation inevitably leads to destruction.  Shakespeare was one of the few thinkers to compose Literature that encompassed both themes within both works and characters, making him a vital link to the examination of intellectual ideas both the past and present.

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How did William Shakespeare impact today's society?

The major impact that Shakespeare has had on our society is in the fact that so many people are required to study his work in high school and college.  Because we have all read or watched at least some Shakespeare, his works give us some amount of a common cultural background -- references that we all understand, etc.

Just think about all the Shakespeare references that are quite familar to us all.  Everyone knows who Romeo and Juliet are -- if you call someone a Romeo everyone knows what that means.  I just read a thing referring to a "star-crossed" quarterback -- another Romeo and Juliet reference.  We all know about "to be or not to be," "shall I compare thee to a summer's day," and many other such quotes.

Shakespeare gives us something of a common set of cultural references and has, in that way, affected our society.

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How did William Shakespeare impact today's society?

Many students have asked this question over the years, and there is no doubt that Shakespeare can be challenging reading for high school students. Whether someone finds Shakespeare relevant is, of course, up to the individual, so it might be best to discuss the reasons why Shakespeare is still taught. Shakespeare's continuing relevance probably lies in the fact that his most popular plays deal with enduring themes that are as much a part of our lives today as they were during his time. Love, betrayal, vengeance, evil, honor, loyalty, and free will and fate are just a few of these themes. This is a major reason why we find his works so compelling. But his enduring significance is also related to his ability to express complex ideas in pithy phrases that remain in the English language. There is a very good chance that you hear or read an expression derived from Shakespeare almost every day. "Be all, end all," "break the ice," "full circle," "good riddance," and "mind's eye" are just a few of these phrases. His effect on the English language has been profound. So for these reasons and many others Shakespeare's works (some, of course, more than others) remain relevant and continue to be studied by literature students. 

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How has Shakespeare influenced the world?

Shakespeare is certainly the most significant writer in the history of the English language and one of a handful of the most significant who ever lived. His plays have been translated into nearly every modern language and not only are his plays still performed, but his work has influenced and inspired countless other writers across the literary spectrum. It’s difficult to imagine what a Shakespeare-free world would look like; his work has not only given English hundreds of new words and expressions, but his influence is so keenly felt in theater, literature, television, movies, philosophy, science, and art that attempting to separate Shakespeare from human development in the modern age is likely impossible. There’d be no Lion King without Shakespeare; there’d also be no Freudian analysis. No one would ever have said “To be or not to be," nothing would ever come “full circle," and we wouldn’t be able to picture anything in our “mind’s eye." Shakespeare is part of life now.

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