Bard of Avon - William Shakespeare - Romeo + Juliet (et al)

Bard of Avon - William Shakespeare -Romeo + Juliet (et al)

 

    

William Shakespeare (1564-1616), the national poet of England, was born, brought up and buried in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England.   Bard means Poet.  Avon being his birth place he was popularly known as “Bard of Avon”.  He was an English renaissance poet, playwright and actor. 

Shakespeare has been regarded as the greatest writer in English literature.  No student of English literature can neglect William Shakespeare.  His contribution to English literature is mammoth. He has written comedies, tragedies and histories. He is considered to be the greatest dramatist of all time.  The shadow that William Shakespeare has cast over the world has influenced artists, poets, philosophers and thinkers alike.

Shakespeare wrote plays that capture the complete range of human emotion and conflict.  His plays, poems and sonnets are great indeed. Shakespeare has written 38 plays, 154 Sonnets and 2 narrative poems.

A sonnet is a poem of an expressive thought or an idea made up of 14 lines, each being 10 syllables long.  The sonnet reigns as the most popular and adaptable of poetic forms.

 The famous works of William Shakespeare –

Most prominent works of Shakespeare are Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo & Juliet.  Many novels were written in the world literature based on Shakespeare’s works.  Most plays of Shakespeare were staged in English theatre across the world.   Shakespeare remains a unique figure of global importance. 

Shakespeare’s writing has become a standard and acceptable evaluation of the Bard’s immortal talent.

The famous writer Harold Bloom says that unlike other writers or artists, William Shakespeare was able to eclipse all writers who preceded him and to dominate all writers who have followed him. In fact, Shakespeare’s reputation was not widespread until the nineteenth century when the Romantic touted his brilliance and the Victorians embraced him as an example of British exceptionalism.

There is controversy about Shakespeare’s exact date of birth.  At Eighteen Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway who was then twenty six years old.  Anne was eight years senior to him.  At the time of marriage Anne Hathaway was three months pregnant.   They had four children out of the wedlock.

                            

                    

                                      

The complete works of William Shakespeare calls for a research and study and for any writer it is a huge challenge to do the English language literature analysis of his works.  The literature analytical study can lead to volumes of work and to get a Doctorate degree, it is essential to read Shakespearean literature for the students and researchers.

Romeo + Juliet

                                               

                                       

                                

 

The 1996 film Romeo & Juliet is a romantically tragic movie directed by Baz Luhrmann based on William Shakespeare’s classic play of the same title.  Baz Luhrmann is the famous director of Moulin Rouge.  This brilliant and contemporary retelling of the world’s most tragic love affair makes this wildly inventive “Romeo & Juliet” unforgettable.    Baz Luhrmann ‘s  dazzling and unconventional adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic love story is spellbinding.  The film stars Leonardo Dicaprio as Romeo and Claire Danes as Juliet, the youthful star crossed lovers of the past.  But the setting has been moved from its Elizabethan origin to the futuristic urban backdrop of Verona Beach.

SYNOPSIS

“The story revolves around three families from Verona.  The Ruling House, House of Capulet from where Juliet hails and that of Montague, the Romeo’s family.  The story commences with a street brawl fired by the feud between the Montague and Capulet families.  When the Prince of Verona announces that any further feud would result in punishment, the count Paris of the ruling house expresses his desire to marry Juliet, from the House of Capulet, who is only thirteen.   

Meanwhile, after the brawl, Benvolio learns about Romeo’s lost-love Rosaline, one of Lord Capulet’s nieces.  The estranged meeting between Romeo and Juliet takes place at the ball arranged for Count Paris to meet Juliet.  Romeo meets and falls in head-over-heels in love with Juliet.   Romeo discloses his identity to her on being ‘encouraged in love’. They seek the support of Friar Laurence, who longs for a reconciliation between the two families and are secretly married. Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin challenges Romeo to a duel on discovering that he had sneaked into the ball.  However, because of Juliet, Romeo refuses to fight him and calls on the ire of Mercutio, who accepts the duel instead of Romeo. 

When Mercutio is wounded in the duel, Romeo slays Tybalt and is exiled for the latter’s death.  Juliet’s grief is worsened when Lord Capulet makes plans for her wedding with Count Paris.  She seeks help from Friar Laurence.  The plan they come up with is that Juliet would consume a drug that would take her into a coma for nearly two days.  Romeo was to be informed about the plan via a messenger, who doesn’t reach him in time.  On the eve of her marriage to Count Paris, Juliet takes the drug and is declared dead.

Romeo hears about Juliet’s ‘death’ and buy poison before visiting the family crypt.  Fate has other plans  as Paris encounters Romeo and is killed by the latter.  Believing that his lady love is dead, Romeo drinks the poison.  When Juliet awakes to discover Romeo’s corpse, she stabs herself.  The families meet at the tomb and hear the story of the lovers from the Friar.  They reconcile and the violent feud is declared over.”

Shakespeare gets a Hollywood make over in Baz Luhrmann’s high-octane remake of Romeo and Juliet.  The backdrop of Verona beach is stunning and the sound track is excellent.  Romeo and Juliet roles are amazingly portrayed by Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes.

Romeo & Juliet et al

Shakespeare’s most famous tale told in a way you have not seen before, rejuvenated and reinterpreted to hit home the reality of London’s misrepresentation of its youth culture by  Ovalhouse Drama  Company which is a well-known theatre group who stages Shakespearian plays.

HAMLET

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare.  Set in the kingdom of Denmark , the play dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet is instructed to enact on his uncle Claudius.  Claudius has murdered his own brother, Hamlet’s father King Hamlet and subsequently seized the throne, marrying his deceased brother’s widow, Hamlet’s mother Gertrude.

MACBETH

Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, and is considered one of his darkest and most powerful works.  Set in Scotland, the play dramatizes the corrosive psychological and political effects produced when evil is chosen as a way to fulfil the ambition of power.  Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, and tells the story of a brave Scottish general named Macbeth who receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become the King of Scotland.  Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and make the throne for himself.  He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia and he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler and as he is forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion.  The bloodbath and consequent Civil War swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of arrogance, madness and death.

The Shakespearean comedies are –

• ·        The Tempest
• ·         Much Ado About Nothing
• ·         Twelfth Night
• ·         Two Gentlemen of Verona
• ·         Merchant of Venice
• ·         All’s Well That Ends Well

Shakespearean literature is a precious treasure for literature enthusiasts worldwide.  The complete works of Shakespeare runs into many huge volumes of literature. 

Shakespeare’s contribution to delight the readers across the world is priceless.