Shakespeare...

Shakespeare was a great man. Each of his play is replete with statements that hold true even now, centuries after he wrote them. These things are going to stay this way till either the world comes to an end or the cybernetics or bio-genetics guys make people that are not capable of human emotions as we know them today. The greatness of Shakespeare is evident by the fact that his name is not unfamiliar to many across cultural, social , economic and even language divides. This blog talks about some such statements that are hard for me to forget.

“Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them”. Truly said and the statement holds for almost every good or bad thing in life. As with good things we can say about the bad things too : “ Some people are born bad, some achieve badness and some have badness thrust upon them”.

“If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it so that my appetite for it may sicken and so die”. I can’t explain the relevance of this statement per se but what I can say is that (and all those out there in love will vouchsafe for it) music and love are deeply connected. A song or even just a line of a song becomes a representation of your entire love and all it stands for and you just can not have enough of it. One musical note can define what a thousand words cant.

“What’s in a name? A rose will smell just as sweet by any other name." Again that’s very well said and I guess it’s a major set back to the numerologists who make the celebrities change their names because it doesn’t augur well for them. Someone should tell them that a change of name won’t make them play a game better or improve their acting skills or whatever it is that they do. Lets take the example of rose: across cultures and communities it is a representation of love though it might have different names in different countries and languages. Their might be some exceptions but exceptions don’t prove the rule. They never do. An exception is just that – an exception.

“Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned”. This one needs no explanation, I am sure. We all agree on that.

“Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest, lend less than thou owest”. This has been written in various forms and styles and found among all time famous quotes and will be found on the walls of most people that like to post such notes on their walls. But how many of us are able to do that.

There are so many other quotes that are attributed to him, which not only make for a great read but can help us understand the way we, humans, behave, The greatness of Shakespearean stories are not in his plots but in the way he weaves the characters into his play.

Another incident that comes to mind here is from Julius Caesar. Cassius is trying to convince Brutus that even the great Julius Caesar can fall a prey to the art of flattery. Brutus tells him that Caesar hates flattery. And Cassius retorts and says:” Tell him that and he will be most flattered”. Cassius was right. That happens to the best of us. However hard we try we are not immune to some praise.