Shalespeare back in the day and into tomorrow

Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Othello, and of course Romeo and Juliet contain some of the most recognizable quotes in literature. On several occasions my peers may know the quotes and yet they have never actually studied Shakespeare's plays. How then is it possible for them to know the plays and be able to reference to the play? It isn't a coincidence that they recognize the quotes and the plays, Shakespeare's original works are inter graded into our modern day films, stories and literature. The tales aren't written in the same iambic pentameter but the are Shakespeare's plots and characters all the same.

So, Pop quiz:

1. Name the modern day Hamlet. The story of Hamlet is a tale of a prince taking revenge on his father's brother, The king's own brother murdered him and took the thrown. Hamlet then decides to avenge his father's death after the king's ghost tells him of the murder and his desire for Hamlet to right the wrong doing and punish his uncle.

Answer: Disney's very own,"The Lion King." Although Disney may have left out some of Shakespeare's tragic details, the male heir to the crown still tries to avenge his father. But "Simba" only returns to challenge his uncle after his father advises him to as a cloudy, ghost like figure.

2. Next Question: A father of two daughters declares his younger daughter Bianca cannot be wed until his older daughter, the vicious, ill-tempered Katherine is married in The Taiming of the Shrew......"How do I loath thee, shall I count the ways?"

Today's version: The musical "Kiss Me Kate" and 10 different ways of despising someone are counted out in one of my favorites: 10 Things I hate About You in which Bianca and Katherine are two sisters under dad's control. And Bianca still can not date until her defiant older sister, Katherine, dates before her.


Note: I am astounding how often Shakespeare is renewed in today's society. I how only listed a few examples but there are dozen of references to Shakespeare. She's the Man (Twelfth Night), O (Othello) and countless Romeo and Juliet tales...When I think of an epic love story i think of Romeo and Juliet or The Notebook. The notebook also contains a young girl and boy who are driven apart by family issues,this time it is not a war between the families but a difference in money. Also, both couples lives end in order for them to stay together by the end of their stories. From Disney to love stories, Shakespeare is influencing them.