How has Shakespeare influenced history?

Question

I have to write an essay to prove that Shakespeare has influenced history and it would be great if anyone could help me! Thanks!

Answer 1

Shakespeare's influence may be seen in several areas:

1) additions to the English LANGUAGE:
a) vocabulary
"Shakespeare is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with the introduction of nearly 3,000 words into the language."
http://www.bardweb.net/language.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_invented_by_Shakespeare

b) In addition, he introduced or popularized numerous idioms and phrases
a list of 1200:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/phrases-sayings-shakespeare.html


2) POETRY: enriching/exploiting the use of blank verse (non-rhyming iambic pentameter)
(Shakespeare's use of this later influenced German writers, beginning with Lessing in the 18th century, to use iambic pentameter for drama, in place of the French hexameter]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blank_verse
http://www.britannica.com/shakespeare/article-9015598

3) other LITERATURE - his plays, and many adaptations of his plots and themes, have been used repeatedly, even as inspiration for many operas (some 200)
http://www.britannica.com/shakespeare/article-9396032

4) his effective use of STAGECRAFT served as a model studied and used to this day
example: http://screenplayreview.home.mindspring.com/book_reviews/styan.html

5) understanding English history - Shakespeare's history plays -- though no doubt intended very much as drama, and not to be strict history-- tend to be friendly to the viewpoint of the TUDOR dynasty under which he grew up and began his work (esp. the Tudor view Richard III as a villain). This has all affected later popular views of the kings covered by these works.
http://library.thinkquest.org/26314/tudor.htm
http://www.r3.org/onstage/release.html

the course of Shakespeare's influence over the centuries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare#Reputation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespeare%27s_reputation


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One important caveat -- Shakespeare did NOT accomplish 'advances' in the English language single-handedly. He wrote in a time when English had already rapidly gained in importance in writing -- both literary and academic -- and in religious use.

This stemmed from a growing sense of English nationalism, the desire to spread renaissance learning, and the Reformation, whichelevated English (as it did German) over Latin in prayerbooks and biblical translations.
http://www.bartleby.com/213/2003.html

In fact, if we are identifying the major shapers of early modern English, alongside Shakespeare we must set William Tyndale with his groundbreaking Bible translation (the foundation of all the later 16th-17th century translations, including the popular Geneva Bible and the King James Version). Tyndale, frequently referred to as the “Architect of the English Language” (even more so than William Shakespeare), coined a great number of words and expressions himself (occasionally under the influence of Luther's slightly earlier German translation of the Bible). In fact, some have said “without Tyndale, no Shakespeare” (see Danielle, The Bible in English, Yale. University Press, 2003).
http://www.bibleliteracy.org/Secure/Documents/SampleChapters.pdf
http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/william-tyndale.html

Answer 2

well, first of all, art, like publicity, like the media, do shape behaviour and hence influence history. That is valid for all art.
Second, Shakespeare has a specific role in this in the way that, as (arguably) the most important writer in the English language, he is also credited as having shaped a lot of the way we speak, think and also experience the world around us. At the same time, the values put forwards in Shakespeare plays have been used by many in order to justify political decisions and also our everyday actions. I could be more specific but I'm goind to run out of space. I hope this helps. Otherwise, contact me.

Answer 3

I don't have a website but I know that Elizabeth I influenced Shakespeare's career because Elizabeth loved the theater and without her the men in charge of the big cities such as London may have completely gotten rid of the theater because they thought that the plague spread in the theaters and also they didn't like them because it drew people away from work in the middle of the afternoon. Therefore, without Elizabeth I Shakespeare may never have be able to perform his plays, making them so famous that they are still reproduced and taught about.

Answer 4

He influenced theater and literature.
Theater:
1. He modernized theater with use of items of props and fake blood on stage.
Literature:
1. His invention of words from his plays, which are influential to the English language and still used today. He created about 1700 or so
2. I believe he is credited to have shaped the literature in that he is the first to ever have both a main plot and sub plots.
---check out the enotes site--it has good stuff :)

Answer 5

You should try to find a copy of Harold Bloom's book, "Shakespeare: the Invention of the Human," as he writes at length about the very question you're asking.

Answer 6

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