Dlaczego Shakespeare jest wielki? - Why is Shakespeare great?

The great British playwright and poet William Shakespeare is regarded as one of the most prominent writer of all times. Everybody knows such plays as Romeo and Juliet or A Midsummer's Night's Dream and the famous monologue from Hamlet: 'To be or not to be - that is the question.'

What is the secret of immortality of his masterpieces?

William Shakespeare, also known as Edward de Vere, considered and unveiled universal human problems. His plays are still played on the stages all over the world and regarded as the theatre classics. Some of them have been made into films, for example The Taming of The Shrew or Macbeth. All of the Shakespeare's plays are immortal and depict such themes as evil, homicide, revenge, fight for power, fright - that is to say - notions which are present in every stage of the development of the civilization. The motives of his characters are great passions as love, hatred, jealousy or greed. The most popular Shakespeare's work is undoubtedly Romeo and Juliet. It is a tragedy presenting beautiful but tragic love. In Macbeth we find an analysis of evil, homicide and fight for power, while Hamlet touches up on a lot of problems of human nature. The Taming of The Shrew presents spouses' fight, invades family's spheres - an actual and enjoyable theme.

Many lines from Shakespeare have become quoted very often, as the famous: 'To be or not to be'. It is clear that his popularity is not a passing vogue - his works have been read for four centuries. I am sure that they will be read and appreciated in the future, too.

William Shakespeare was a very prolific writer, and his work is still a source of inspiration for many artists all over the world. Shakespeare's literary achievement seems to confirm the thought: 'The art creates our soul life, expresses our deepest feelings and gives them a value of the existence'.

[Arkadiusz Szymczak]