It was Miss Margaret Mills who introduced me to Shakespeare. Some hated it. Once I was able to work through the "modern" language of Shakespeare's day and find understanding, his genius became evident. Some of his phrasing still lives on in our conversations today.
Observant, dramatic, sarcastic, and creativity come together in his works, and that is just the beginning of the many ways his work could be described. "Romeo and Juliet" has been the template for many modern love stories, although I prefer a less tragic end. "Taming the Shrew" is another popular Shakespeare story to retell in a modern setting.
This list of Shakespearean phrases reminds me of how art influences language. We often find ourselves using phrases from movies and music. Shakespeare's influence has remained for centuries.
I grew up hearing "Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in the morning, sailor take warning." The concept is in the Bible. Both Matthew and Luke record Jesus commenting on the skies forecasting the weather. Language helps us frame, record, and share the world as we see it.
"He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." -Matthew 16:2-3
Language is truly fascinating. Shakespeare left his mark.
Today, I am grateful for Shakespeare's language legacy.
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