Shakespeare was a creative genius and an inspiration for writers and creative minds alike. He has been praised as one of the greatest writers in the English language, regardless of genre or subject matter. His works have been read and imitated by countless generations since they were first written over 400 years ago. He is considered to be the person who invented dramatic blank verse, and his work "Hamlet" is regarded as the finest example of that form.
His works are not only celebrated today but have been since their inception in Elizabethan England. It was reported in The Tempest, published two years before Shakespeare's death, that he was already considered to be better than Chaucer's successor Spenser.
Because of this Shakespeare's work has had more staying
power than Chaucer's. He is also considered to be the greatest English
playwright and one of the most revered writers in the western canon. His
influence is so vast that he can even be seen throughout popular culture today,
with phrases like "something wicked this way comes" being used by
people who have never read either Macbeth or The Tempest.
Even with all the praise that he receives,
Shakespeare is not merely a writer who has written many poems and plays that
have survived throughout centuries. He was also an accomplished poet in his own
right. While he famously wrote 154 sonnets, his other works are often forgotten
about or neglected completely when discussing his work.
The most
famous of all his works are undoubtedly his plays. There is no way that any
objective person could deny the importance and influence of his plays. They
often tell timeless stories and contain rhetoric that can be considered as
Shakespeare's own personal philosophy regarding how to live life as well as the
nature of death. While they have been adapted to screen numerous times, it is
also not a big secret that many modern playwrights draw inspiration from his
work.
He is most famous for his tragedies. These plays
often focus on a hero who falls from grace due to their vices and personal
flaws rather than an outside force or destiny pulling them down. In these
works, it is seen that the characters have a sense of free will. This aspect
has made these works stand out from both Greek tragedy and medieval tragedy,
where the characters were seen to be victims of fate. To compare him to
Chaucer, who hardly wrote tragedies and had a protagonist driven by destiny
rather than free will, would not be fair.
Shakespeare also wrote more lighthearted
works that were comedies. In these plays, the main character is more likely to
get what they want than in tragedy. He even wrote a few works known as problem
plays, where the protagonist has to face some form of dilemma or question that
will affect their future.
The sonnets are often seen as the
poetry equivalent of Shakespeare's tragedies. While he is considered to be one
of the finest playwrights who ever lived, the sonnets are seen as his finest
work regarding poetry. One of these reasons is that they do not rely on any
sort of dramatic structure like his plays. Another reason they are considered
better than the tragedies and comedies is that he was not dependent on
audiences to write them unlike most of his other works.
While
Shakespeare's plays are well known and have been adapted numerous times, his
poetic works are not as celebrated. This is likely because he never tried to
publish any of them during his lifetime and it is only because of later poets
that they were remembered at all. For example, Wordsworth and Coleridge used
the title "The Ancient Mariner" for a poem that they wrote. In
addition, The Prelude started as a projected work by Wordsworth that was never
completed. If Shakespeare had not been so famous and influential, then his
works would have been forgotten long ago just like Chaucer's.
Whether
the plays or the sonnets are better has been a source of debate for many years.
However, the debate always boils down to preference. Shakespeare's tragedies
are all masterpieces that will live forever within the literature. However, if
someone prefers a lighter tone then his comedies might be better suited for
them, or vice versa.
When
discussing Shakespeare as a poet, it is important to remember that he was not
trying to publish anything during his lifetime. He was content as long as he
could continue writing and staging his plays. If he were alive today, the
chances are that he would not even consider publishing any of his works until
they had been approved by a theater company. Thus, it is inappropriate to
compare him to poets such as Keats and Shelley who published their poetry
during their lifetimes. Shakespeare was a dramatist first and a poet second.
In
conclusion, the answer to the question of whether Shakespeare is better as a
playwright or a poet seems to be a matter of personal preference rather than
any sort of objective fact. If you prefer plays, then he is a better
playwright. If you prefer poetry, then he is the better poet. However, it
should be remembered that if not for his plays previously being published,
Shakespeare would have been forgotten long ago even though he is still widely
taught in grade schools around the world.
Shakespeare is well known to be one of the great English playwrights, but his poetry is a source of debate in terms of whether it stands out. While some people believe that his plays are better than his poetry, others prefer the latter over the former. The answer to this question depends on many factors, such as personal preference and inclinations.
The
article is produced by Madiha Naaz, one of the contributors to the School
of Literature.
