"To be or not to be that is the question."
A friend of ours is in Shakespeare's Hamlet and we got tickets for it. I am not a big fan of plays, in part because I don't always catch the lines, and partly because I don't know the background story. So, Jim read me the Cliff Notes today to share the story with me. I did not grow up with theater as an opportunity to expand my mind, there was enough drama in my household. So, I never acquired a taste for it. Jim on the other hand can pick up a book in our collection and find a quote in no time.
But listening to the story line I had to wonder how Shakespeare is still relevant today. I did a little bit of digging and one group summarizes is like this: "Shakespeare's plays offer timeless insights into human nature, society, and the complexities of relationships.
Through his masterful storytelling, we learn about the enduring themes of love, power, jealousy, betrayal, and the human condition. His characters, from the tragic hero to the comic fool, provide a mirror to our own lives, teaching us about empathy, understanding different perspectives, and the consequences of our actions.
Shakespeare also enriches our understanding of language and its power, showing how words can convey deep emotions, create vivid imagery, and express complex ideas." (Oxford Scholastica).
He lived over 400 years ago and yet his voice still influences us. His language would now be considered archaic and yet people will learn it for the plays. His characters were twisted and yet we still quote him. His personality quirky at times and yet we loved his plays and see them as reflections of life.
While I don't understand it all, he has influenced our world and still is celebrated.
What kind of legacy are we leaving behind? When people open up the archives of our city, read our Facebook entries, look at official minutes what will they find? Will they find anything that is worth remembering? Anything that is worth repeating? In this broken world let us not think of only what matters today but also think about what people will think of us 400 years from now. Or to quote Shakespeare: "The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool."
PS, support your local theater! Go and see the play.