Shakespeare - a rememberance on his 450th Birthday
Today is the Bard's 450th Birthday anniversary.
William Shakespeare - without any argument is perhaps the greatest Dramatist, poet and Historical critic ,- the English language has ever produced. No writer of any acclaim whatsoever, can ever disown the influence of his style, language and metaphor in this modern age. He is to English what Aristotle was to science - its fountainhead. His plays still resonate, reverberate with the same intensity and passion that he bought to it four centuries ago. Even today, connoisseurs and laymen alike; flock to watch a "Romeo and Juliet", " the Twelfth night", "Hamlet", "King Lear" or an "Othello" among others, with the eager enthusiasm of a modern day block bluster, as they would have when these tales were first performed at the Globe theater in London; which was the home of almost all his magnificent dramas. And there can be only one reason for this undiminished popularity : the timeless social issues that he so wonderfully captured in his characters; and his unique gift of clothing grave and deep ideas in a mysterious,esoteric yet beautiful language that touched and healed the soul with unswerving regularity.. His colloquial prose transformed itself into poetry in the sheer luminosity of its expression and similes that he drew. How could anyone forget the audacity of a Brutus's speech; the menacing coldness of an Othello' soliloquy; the trembling anguish of Romeo; or the melancholic philosophizing of an Hamlet.. They read like scriptures, which have the capacity to renew our interest and understanding with each reading.
Time has not dented the power of Shakespearean majesty. Even today , his books are Best sellers. They have to adorn the book shelf of anybody who call themselves Literate in English. Many years ago, I remember reading Samuel Johnson's commentary to Shakespeare's plays; and in the preface he writes :
''..The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting to myrtles and to roses; filling the eye with awful pomp, and gratifying the mind with endless diversity...' Any lover of Literature will attest to this ..
Many Happy returns of the day Shakespeare. Your words live with us every day....
God bless..
William Shakespeare - without any argument is perhaps the greatest Dramatist, poet and Historical critic ,- the English language has ever produced. No writer of any acclaim whatsoever, can ever disown the influence of his style, language and metaphor in this modern age. He is to English what Aristotle was to science - its fountainhead. His plays still resonate, reverberate with the same intensity and passion that he bought to it four centuries ago. Even today, connoisseurs and laymen alike; flock to watch a "Romeo and Juliet", " the Twelfth night", "Hamlet", "King Lear" or an "Othello" among others, with the eager enthusiasm of a modern day block bluster, as they would have when these tales were first performed at the Globe theater in London; which was the home of almost all his magnificent dramas. And there can be only one reason for this undiminished popularity : the timeless social issues that he so wonderfully captured in his characters; and his unique gift of clothing grave and deep ideas in a mysterious,esoteric yet beautiful language that touched and healed the soul with unswerving regularity.. His colloquial prose transformed itself into poetry in the sheer luminosity of its expression and similes that he drew. How could anyone forget the audacity of a Brutus's speech; the menacing coldness of an Othello' soliloquy; the trembling anguish of Romeo; or the melancholic philosophizing of an Hamlet.. They read like scriptures, which have the capacity to renew our interest and understanding with each reading.
Time has not dented the power of Shakespearean majesty. Even today , his books are Best sellers. They have to adorn the book shelf of anybody who call themselves Literate in English. Many years ago, I remember reading Samuel Johnson's commentary to Shakespeare's plays; and in the preface he writes :
''..The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting to myrtles and to roses; filling the eye with awful pomp, and gratifying the mind with endless diversity...' Any lover of Literature will attest to this ..
Many Happy returns of the day Shakespeare. Your words live with us every day....
God bless..
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