温州师范学院外语系98英专3班 陈洁
Abstract: William Shakespeare belongs to those rare geniuses of mankind who have become landmarks in the history of the world culture. Choose this topic in order to let the people know him more clearly.
Key words: Shakespeare, limitation, praise, some, critics
There are many reasons as to why William Shakespeare is so famous. He is general
considered to be both the great dramatist the world has ever known as well as
the finest poet who has written in the English language. Many reasons can be
given for Shakespeare's enormous appeal. His fame basically is from his great
understanding of human nature. He was able to find universal human qualities
and put them in a dramatic situation creating characters that are timeless.
Yet he had the ability to create characters that are highly individual human
beings. Their struggles in life are universal. Sometimes they are successful
and sometimes their lives are full of pain, suffering, and failure.
Shakespeare has been given the highest praise by various scholars and critics
all over the world, sometimes as the greatest English or European dramatist
and poet, sometimes even as the greatest playwright in the whole globe, past
and present. So much so, that some critics began to ask more clear-headed estimates
of the poet and his works, not to idolize him but to evaluate him properly,
"this side idolatry". Some other critics still tended to praise him
beyond his desert. An attempt at a more appropriate re-evaluation of the great
dramatist and poet is therefore much needed.
