Any work of literature or art that remains relevant over the centuries speaks, with great effect, to enduring, unchanging elements of human nature and the human condition.
After the Bible, his works were the most influential on my life. I'm 74 and can honestly say that those writings helped me through everything I encountered in life, good and bad, good and evil.
He was most useful when I learnt English. Even the bloodier ones, like 'Titus Andronicus'. The 'sweet prince' at the end of 'Hamlet', the 'Friends, Romans' discourse where praise is given indirectly, the subdued 'quality of mercy' in 'The Merchant Of Venice' ... plus countless pieces of advice interspersed. I don't remember the play, one is still useful today, something like 'never a lender be'. I finish now, so many remembrances.
Anyone with a desire can learn to understand Shakespeare writings. Shakespeare touched the emotions, experiences, frustrations, of life's rich tapestry that we ALL experience. It doesn't come easy at first, but eventually reading the lines over and over slowly but surely, the language begins to reveal itself and the understanding of his middle English becomes clearer being to life literature at the highest level.
To me Shakespeare has a deeply philosophical thread which runs though all his works.
As I discovered Shakespeare late in life at 23 years old, it was as though I had been in a dark room all that time and someone switched the light on and I discovered what was in the room.
If you'd like any help in coming to appreciate the truth of this post, and to appreciate the works of Shakespeare, please have a look at "Appreciating Shakespeare" (One Mind Good Press, 2022). Part 1 is background and Part 2 is short essays on twenty-two of the plays and a selection of sonnets. The Culturist's post sells the relevance of Shakespeare very well. "Appreciating Shakespeare" is likely to seal the deal.
This is beautifully argued — and a reminder I needed.
What Shakespeare offers isn’t just language, but x-ray vision into the human psyche. Every play is like a case study in emotional pattern recognition: the self-justifications of Macbeth, the paralysis of Hamlet, the misplaced loyalty of Brutus — they echo in modern boardrooms, bedrooms, and battlefields.
For me, Shakespeare functions like a psychological mirror and a moral compass. His characters don’t just entertain — they warn, seduce, provoke. They invite us into complex inner worlds and force us to ask: “Who am I in this story?”
I also appreciate what you said about experiencing consequence without living it. Literature at its best is rehearsal for life — a way to run the simulations before you ruin your kingdom.
Curious to hear your take on The Tempest — especially Prospero’s arc from vengeance to mercy. In an era of cancel culture and retribution, his final renunciation feels revolutionary.
Thanks for keeping Shakespeare alive in a world obsessed with the next thing.
He’s also simply the greatest writer to ever pen the English language. The beauty and rhythm of his words are second to none. That in and of itself is valuable to engage with.
He is educated, cultured and exceptionally talented, he lived in his community at his time and wrote for them and for all times. He's my favourites and i read not that much - in English language- but still fascinating me with that hardest old English word's and those expressions still fully attracted to what he creates.☆♡
Thank you for the excellent assessment. I think that it's one the Bard himself would greatly appreciate.
In High School I was too immature to appreciate the Bard's plays we had to study, including 'Julius Caesar', 'Henry IV', and 'Anthony and Cleopatra'. My conscious lack of appreciation, however, did not prevent me subconsciously retaining much of the wisdom embedded in these works. For example, in my late 70s I can still easily recall many of the lines or speeches that so beautifully capture the points you made in your assessment.
Any work of literature or art that remains relevant over the centuries speaks, with great effect, to enduring, unchanging elements of human nature and the human condition.
You forgot to mention the beauty of the language!
Absolutely. He turns a Germanic language, with its hard sounds and sharp stops, into music.
After the Bible, his works were the most influential on my life. I'm 74 and can honestly say that those writings helped me through everything I encountered in life, good and bad, good and evil.
He was most useful when I learnt English. Even the bloodier ones, like 'Titus Andronicus'. The 'sweet prince' at the end of 'Hamlet', the 'Friends, Romans' discourse where praise is given indirectly, the subdued 'quality of mercy' in 'The Merchant Of Venice' ... plus countless pieces of advice interspersed. I don't remember the play, one is still useful today, something like 'never a lender be'. I finish now, so many remembrances.
Amazing! It is fascinating how much he has had an impact on art.
Thank you for stimulating me to read Shakespeare
Mandatory reading on Billy the Bard
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20942.Shakespeare
Anyone with a desire can learn to understand Shakespeare writings. Shakespeare touched the emotions, experiences, frustrations, of life's rich tapestry that we ALL experience. It doesn't come easy at first, but eventually reading the lines over and over slowly but surely, the language begins to reveal itself and the understanding of his middle English becomes clearer being to life literature at the highest level.
To me Shakespeare has a deeply philosophical thread which runs though all his works.
As I discovered Shakespeare late in life at 23 years old, it was as though I had been in a dark room all that time and someone switched the light on and I discovered what was in the room.
Michael Stewart author Millennium Shakespeare
I dare do all that may become a man.
Macbeth
If you'd like any help in coming to appreciate the truth of this post, and to appreciate the works of Shakespeare, please have a look at "Appreciating Shakespeare" (One Mind Good Press, 2022). Part 1 is background and Part 2 is short essays on twenty-two of the plays and a selection of sonnets. The Culturist's post sells the relevance of Shakespeare very well. "Appreciating Shakespeare" is likely to seal the deal.
This is beautifully argued — and a reminder I needed.
What Shakespeare offers isn’t just language, but x-ray vision into the human psyche. Every play is like a case study in emotional pattern recognition: the self-justifications of Macbeth, the paralysis of Hamlet, the misplaced loyalty of Brutus — they echo in modern boardrooms, bedrooms, and battlefields.
For me, Shakespeare functions like a psychological mirror and a moral compass. His characters don’t just entertain — they warn, seduce, provoke. They invite us into complex inner worlds and force us to ask: “Who am I in this story?”
I also appreciate what you said about experiencing consequence without living it. Literature at its best is rehearsal for life — a way to run the simulations before you ruin your kingdom.
Curious to hear your take on The Tempest — especially Prospero’s arc from vengeance to mercy. In an era of cancel culture and retribution, his final renunciation feels revolutionary.
Thanks for keeping Shakespeare alive in a world obsessed with the next thing.
He’s also simply the greatest writer to ever pen the English language. The beauty and rhythm of his words are second to none. That in and of itself is valuable to engage with.
He is educated, cultured and exceptionally talented, he lived in his community at his time and wrote for them and for all times. He's my favourites and i read not that much - in English language- but still fascinating me with that hardest old English word's and those expressions still fully attracted to what he creates.☆♡
Shakespeare endures because he captured the timeless truths of human nature—reading him is like holding a mirror to the soul of every age
Excellent piece of work.
You may be interested in a short essay I wrote on how Hamlet and Macbeth reveal Shakespeare’s uniquely Western and Christian morality:
https://open.substack.com/pub/fathomfive/p/on-shakespeare-morality-metaphysics?r=1o3bsl&utm_medium=ios
Thank you for the excellent assessment. I think that it's one the Bard himself would greatly appreciate.
In High School I was too immature to appreciate the Bard's plays we had to study, including 'Julius Caesar', 'Henry IV', and 'Anthony and Cleopatra'. My conscious lack of appreciation, however, did not prevent me subconsciously retaining much of the wisdom embedded in these works. For example, in my late 70s I can still easily recall many of the lines or speeches that so beautifully capture the points you made in your assessment.