“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, so long lives this and this give life” was Shakespeare’s strong assertion in one of his sonnets that would grant immortality to his fame. Yet little did the Bard of Avon realize his own statement would in turn immortalize him all the more.
William Shakespeare, born in 1564 and wrote wide varieties of composition for nearly decade, and died 400 years ago in 1616.
His compositions were mainly streamlined towards specific viewers or readers – 37 plays meant for Elizabethan, 154 were sonnets for the ‘dark lady’. But the genius that he was, Shakespeare and his works soon became universal – immune to place and time.
Plays at the globe theatre for Elizabethan audience soon turned global and eternal; this was because most of Shakespeare’s plays encompassed human emotions – lust, jealousy, ambition, greed, betrayal and revenge.
Jealousy and ego could easily bring tragedy in a doubtful husband like Othello, ushering tragedy in his own life by murdering his Desdemona. Again Macbeth “Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in the ……….” Life’s but a walking shadow full of sound and fury signifies nothing – is a definitely a soul’s soothe man for times immoral. His character gets enlivened through times.
Even a tech-savvy 400 years after his physical death might fumble in a decision –remembering the Hamlet “to be or not to be” a betraying friend would always be apostrophized as “Ettu Brute”.
Again the passionate love of Juliet for Romeo enthrals men of all generation, of all countries and of all times. The mock funeral and the cocktail recipe book are some of the definite ways which will bring celebrate the anniversary of the bard- Shakespeare.
In addition, A mock-funeral of jazz in New Orleans, Publication of Shakespeare, Not Stirred, ‘Tug of War’ drama condensing six history plays and a World tour of globe theatre taking Hamlet to every country are organized by literary and theatre organizations.Thus Shakespeare through his works remain immortal – ‘Nor can death brag thou wanders’ in its shade’.
image source – biography.com
