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“BE NOT AFRAID OF GREATNESS”: The Benefits Of Reading Shakespeare

Do you remember going through the struggle to read Hamlet, Shakespeare’s centuries-old work? Have you ever found it difficult to decipher the meaning of some words used by the Bard of Avon? According to a survey conducted by Times Educational Supplement, 280 out of 500 teachers declare that students have trouble relating to Shakespeare’s plays[1]. Reading Shakespeare is often perceived as a challenging task which demands expertise in language, literature, and history. Yet, despite the challenges one might have faced when encountering his works, here are a few reasons why it is crucial and beneficial to plunge into Bard’s complex world of drama and poetry.

SHAKESPEARE AS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM

At least once in their lifetime, students of English and/or theatre are expected to read one of Shakespeare’s works. His plays and poems are often part of both BA and MA programs. Furthermore, the adaptations of Bard’s works are studied during cultural studies courses, thus showing how some of Shakespeare’s characters, motifs, and theatrical techniques may be remediated on screen. This year, Hamlet has been chosen as obligatory reading for those who want to pass “l’agrégation”, a competitive examination given at any French university, and targetting a great variety of students who want to perform civil service in the French public education system. The presence of Shakespeare at school and university thus testifies to the timeless and universal value of his artistic production as well as underlines his role in shaping the minds of many students.

AN INSIGHT INTO RENAISSANCE

Undeniably, studying Shakespeare is one of the ways of accessing Renaissance culture, literature, and drama. His works constitute a starting point for the discussion of the theatrical culture of his day as much as they shed a light on some radical cultural shifts taking place in Elizabethan England. Writing both within and without the already existing conventions, Shakespeare opens our eyes to the complexity of tragic emotions, to the representation of the divided hero as well as to the political problems of the period, such as the (il)legitimacy of the bad rule, the inefficiency of the court and the corrupting nature of power. His poems and plays thus hold up the mirror to some of the crucial aspects of Renaissance cultural life as much as they are a flexible material for the different university courses, e.g., print culture and paleography, which explore the writings of the past.

BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND INCREASED BRAIN ACTIVITIES

Despite his acute observation of the individual and society, Shakespeare is also known for his mastery of language. His complex syntax, the use of different literary devices, and stylistic figures prove to be a challenging exercise for some readers. Yet, reading Shakespeare is, as some scholars argue, both stimulating and rewarding. It is worth noticing that according to the research made at the University of Liverpool (UK), reading Shakespeare has a positive impact on human brain activity[2]. The English dramatist is renowned for his use of many linguistic techniques, such as the functional shift.[3] This can be illustrated in the opening line of Sonnet 94 in which Shakespeare abstracts a noun from a verb: “They that have power to hurt and will do none”. Reading Bard’s poems and plays is, therefore, an excellent way of improving our capacities for close reading as much as it enhances our ability to respond imaginatively to literary texts. We may think of Oscar Wilde, “one of the most quotable writers of all time”[4], who drew his inspiration from The Sonnets.

THE BARD AND OUR EVERYDAY LIFE

Strange as it may seem, we quote Shakespeare without knowing, what makes him the most quoted English author of all time. According to Shakespeare.org.uk, England’s greatest writer is said to have invented 1,700 words and therefore contributed significantly to the English language. A number of expressions, such as “all of a sudden”, “a heart of gold”, “to break the ice” and “to come full circle”, come from Shakespeare’s works[5]. In addition to this, his plays remain extremely important in popular culture. The famous Lion King is supposedly based on Hamlet, whereas Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet proves to be the most famous love story, retold and reworked over centuries. This shows that the presence of Shakespeare is not only restricted to classrooms and theatres.[6]

HIS WORKS ARE TIMELESS

 We read Shakespeare in order to learn how to observe the world and make sense of our lives[7]. In fact, his works contain themes which are still relevant today. The Bard wonderfully depicts human nature and condition, uses irony and wit, and breathes to life memorable characters. That is why, even four hundred years after his death, his artistic production remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration[8].

To read or not to read? Professor Jean-Louis Claret, Shakespeare specialist at Aix-Marseilles University, declares that “we must read Shakespeare because he teaches us how to live and how to be better, more sensitive human beings.” If delving into his works is likely to make us smarter, more creative, and empathetic, then there is no other way but to give the Bard of Avon a chance.

 

 

[1] Bloom, Adi. “Pupils Struggle to Relate to Shakespeare, Survey Finds.” Tes, August 3, 2020. Accessed on October 30, 2021. https://www.tes.com/news/pupils-struggle-relate-shakespeare-survey-finds. 

[2] “Reading Shakespeare Has Dramatic Effect on Human Brain.” ScienceDaily, December 19, 2006. Accessed on November 2, 2021. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061218122613.htm. 

[3] Ibid.

[4] Quinn, Gary. “Oscar Wilde Named Most Quotable Figure in the English Language.” The Irish Times,  February 13, 2014. Accessed on November 2, 2021. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/oscar-wilde-named-most-quotable-figure-in-the-english-language-1.1563213. 

[5] “All of a sudden” appears in The Taming of the Shrew. “A heart of gold” have first been used in Shakespeare’s Henry V. The expression “to break the ice” comes from the same play as “all of a sudden”. Finally, “to come full circle” is derived from King Lear.

[6] See de Grazia, Margreta and Stanley Wells. The New Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press, 2010, p. 269.

[7] See an interesting and very enthusiastic article on how reading Shakespeare is a better remedy than self-help books. Reporter, Daily Mail. “Reading Shakespeare and Wordsworth Offer Better Therapy than Self-Help Books.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, January 14, 2013. Accessed November 10, 2021. URL: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2261636/Reading-Shakespeare-Wordsworth-offer-better-therapy-self-help-books.html.

[8] Samuel Johnson exclaimed in his poem “To the Memory of My Beloved…” that Shakespeare was “not of an age, but for all time”.

[9]  Photo credits: Calamity Meg (Creative Commons). 


OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Klaudia Kopiasz (28 mars 2022). “BE NOT AFRAID OF GREATNESS”: The Benefits Of Reading Shakespeare. EN-globe. Consulté le 10 novembre 2025 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/oe7f


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