Speech: Shakespeare's Work Is Not Outdated or Irrelevant

I bet a lot of you are thinking-Shakespeare is so pointless and ridiculous, but “When you judge someone, it doesn’t define who they are. It defines who you are.” As Winston Churchill once said, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

Good morning/afternoon. Shakespeare’s work is definitely not outdated and irrelevant.

“When I close my eyes I see you for who truly you are…which is ugly.” Yes, it’s She’s The Man. This film is the contemporary version of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The main characters and the underlying plot are all extremely similar. There is a never ending list of creations that were adapted from Shakespeare’s plays. 10 Things I Hate About You is based on The Taming of the Shrew. The Lion King on Hamlet. And Pocahontas on The Tempest. If Shakespeare is that unbearable and that old, why are so many directors and novelists twisting his work to shape their own? Shakespeare’s work is definitely not outdated and irrelevant.

Love. Hate. Jealousy. All common emotions in Shakespeare’s era and his plays. But what are the common themes today? Hmmmmm….let me think. Got it-love, hate and jealousy. Even though the world gets more technologically advanced and changes rapidly, we all still fall in love, hate people for the hell of it and envy others for reasons only known to the individual. And this pattern will continue forever; there will always be soul mates, friendship and vengeance in the world. If Shakespeare is really that insignificant then why are his plays so relevant in the world today? Shakespeare’s work is definitely not outdated and irrelevant.

“Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
Unknown author.

Shakespeare’s work is definitely not outdated and