“To be, or not to be – that is the question…”
(Hamlet Scene III Act 1)
Whether you remember the rest of the speech or not, these words from Hamlet are familiar to most everyone who sat through a high school English class. While many cringe at the thought of studying Shakespeare, I am among the valiant group who take pride in studying his work.
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to participate in Shakespeare fandom not too far from home. William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. In order to recognize this event, the Folger Shakespeare Library sponsored a United States’ tour of what is known as the First Folio. The First Folio tour will make its way to one location in each state, along with the District of Colombia and Puerto Rico. My parents happened to be in town, so they joined me on the short road trip from Lincoln to the Durham Museum in Omaha for the opening day of the tour’s Nebraska stop.
Why is this book so important? For one, the First Folio was the first compilation of Shakespeare’s works. Fewer than 750 copies were printed, and only 234 known copies are still in existence. But probably more important, the Folio included 18 plays that had not previously been publicly printed. Without the First Folio, woks such as Macbeth and Julius Caesar would likely have been lost.
Entering the exhibit space at the Durham Museum, the room was dark compared to the bright spaces throughout the other exhibits. (Too much direct light could damage the Folio’s delicate pages.) Large panels surrounded the room, each displaying information about Shakespeare and the other pieces. My mom and I made our way around the outside of the room first, reading each panel and viewing the other documents and artifacts associated with the exhibit. After the few other guests in the room cleared the way, we went to the center of the room where a large glass display cabinet held the First Folio copy. The book was opened to the page with the familiar “To be, or not to be” monologue from Hamlet. The pages’ gilded edges and the binding of this copy were in remarkable shape considering the book’s age.
As I looked at the book, I thought about what it must have been like to see these plays performed at the original Globe theatre. Seeing the First Folio was about more than just the plays, however. For me, Shakespeare represented the epitome of creativity. From character development to vivid descriptions to inventive language, Shakespeare was a master storyteller.
- Satire – During Shakespeare’s day, saying anything against the monarch and the ruling class was frowned upon. In many plays, Shakespeare incorporated jabs at societal norms of the day.
- Fantasy – In addition to plays about kings and battles, Shakespeare also included fantastical elements into many plays, including Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and Winter’s Tale. The magical settings and characters demonstrates Shakespeare’s ability to create his own worlds, in addition to writing about historical events.
- Language – One of the most remarkable feats of Shakespeare’s career was his creativity in his use of language. More specifically, his invention of words and phrases that are now part of everyday use. Among the words and phrases Shakespeare is credited with inventing are: “It’s all Greek to me” (Julius Caesar) and “All that glitters isn’t gold” (Merchant of Venice).
- Insults – In today’s world of social media, people use sub-Tweets on Twitter to attempt to insult someone. For Shakespeare’s characters, insulting someone was an art form. Rather than simply calling someone stupid or lazy, Shakespeare created insults such as “mountain of mad flesh,” “poisonous bunch-backed toad,” and one of my personal favorites, “Thou art a boil.” Words are powerful, and Shakespeare utilized his linguistic creativity to allow his characters to insult their on-stage villains with some of the best lines in theatrical dialogue.
While the exhibit itself is smaller than I expected, the chance to see a copy of the First Folio will go down as one of the highlights of the year. From a theatrical and literary standpoint, Shakespeare is king. For me, however, I look at The Bard of Avon not just as a playwright, but as a creative genius. Using his creative ability, William Shakespeare left behind works that pushed boundaries of the theater and social norms of his day. But his legacy provided modern readers and viewers with not only great works of literature, but also a study in the creative mind.
*What are your favorite Shakespeare plays? Any favorite speeches or scenes?
Reignite your creativity!
Subscribe to get new content, monthly newsletter, and important updates. You'll also receive a free download - "30 Days of Creative Inspiration."
