Why Is Shakespeare Still Relevant Today

In the twenty-first century, the plays of William Shakespeare may at first appear dated and irrelevant: they use archaic language, are set in the age of Kings and Queens, and the Kingdom of England. However, it would be plainly mistaken to construe that Shakespeare’s works do not still remain integral to a twenty-first century society. Shakespeare’s plays gave the words and expressions one uses every day, revolutionized the art of theater as it was known, and forewarned about issues that would unknowingly still apply centuries later. Therefore, Shakespeare has had a profound effect on our lives by enriching our language and culture, as well as providing ideas that would still apply five centuries later, and it would thus behoove us to learn from his works and life.

In fact, many of the expressions and vocabulary one uses every day can be traced directly back to Shakespeare’s works themselves. According to Source A, the article “Shakespeare influences the way we speak now” by Hephbizah Anderson, Shakespeare “gave us uniquely vivid way in which to express hope and despair, sorrow and rage, love and lust” (Anderson 1). Anderson cites many examples: “bedazzled,” “gloomy,” “grovel,” “sanctimonious,” the expressions “wild goose chase” and “in a pickle” (Anderson 1-2). It is clear that the effects Shakespeare’s contributions to the world of literature and language are so profound that they still see common use today in day-to-day conversation. Additionally, according to Source B, “Most of what we know about modern storytelling and language can be traced back to Shakespeare” (Octane 1). Therefore, the effects of Shakespeare on language and literature are still as recognizable today as they were in his