Shakespeare 400

It seems weird for people all over the world to celebrate the day someone died.  But that is just the case today.  William Shakespeare died 400 years ago today.  And yet somehow the scholars not entirely certain when he was born - they assume it was the same day.  So I guess we should be celebrating his birthday today too.  I'm of the theory, we should be celebrating Shakespeare every day, not just April 23, but that's just me. (I may be a bit of a fan girl...)

There's a lot of discussion on whether or not Shakespeare was even one person.  And if you read the articles, there's a great deal of evidence why that might be true - reasons that actually make a lot of sense.  However, the biggest reason the scholars have is that not one person could be this influential - multiple people had to have written the sonnets and plays in his name.  I personally hate that excuse.  Why can't one amazing person be as talented as William was? Some people are just gifted and to think that some writer from Stratford couldn't have been born with that gift is just a cop out.

I'd like to think that today's international celebrations prove that theory wrong.  Like I said, there are millions of people in England and all over the world celebrating his life and his work today.  They're reading his plays, and watching productions and performing in his honor.  My favorite tribute is, of course, out of England: The 37 walk.  London's holding a walk where productions of all 37 of his plays are playing at intervals.  What a fantastic idea! Then there is the HUGE celebration taking place at the RSC that's being shown at theatres all over the UK. (We of course have to wait until next month to see it - boo!)  And those are just a few of the ones I know about.  I'm sure there are tons of other celebrations happening over the globe.  

And that's not even mentioning just how beloved his works are.  Many people say that Hamlet is one of the most beautiful pieces of literature ever written.  (While I think Hamlet is equally brilliant, I'd like to make a case for Richard II and A Midsummer Night's Dream as well...) And in my opinion it's made even more beautiful in performance. I'm fascinated by the idea that Shakespeare was able to write those gorgeous words, while picturing just how much better they'd be with the right actor saying them. His works have influenced actors and writers alike, and I think that's why so many performers are still drawing inspiration from him today.

And I think he deserves to be given the credit he's due.