Shakespeare

Definition

Shakespeare refers to William Shakespeare, the renowned English playwright and poet who lived from 1564 to 1616. His works, characterized by their complex characters, intricate plots, and profound themes, have had a lasting influence on literature and the arts, including the visual arts during the Nineteenth Century. His plays often explored human emotions and moral dilemmas, themes that resonated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's desire to capture deep emotional truths and reject conventional artistic norms.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Shakespeare's works include 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and several poems, many of which are still performed today.
2. His plays can be categorized into three main genres: tragedies, comedies, and histories, each exploring different aspects of the human condition.
3. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood drew inspiration from Shakespeare's exploration of love, beauty, and moral complexity in their own art.
4. Shakespeare's use of vivid imagery and innovative language influenced not only literature but also visual art in the Nineteenth Century.
5. His works were often staged in a way that emphasized emotional depth, aligning with the Pre-Raphaelite focus on realism and emotional expression.

Review Questions

• How did Shakespeare’s exploration of human emotions influence the artistic direction of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood?
  • Shakespeare's deep exploration of human emotions provided a rich source of inspiration for the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. They admired his ability to portray complex characters facing moral dilemmas and emotional struggles. This aligned with their goal to create art that reflected genuine feelings and experiences rather than mere aesthetic beauty. The Brotherhood aimed to evoke similar emotional depth in their paintings, thereby creating a strong connection to Shakespeare’s literary legacy.
• What similarities exist between Shakespeare's thematic concerns and those of the Pre-Raphaelite artists?
  • Both Shakespeare's plays and the works of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood grapple with themes of love, beauty, morality, and nature. For instance, Shakespeare's tragedies often highlight personal conflict and societal issues, paralleling the Brotherhood's focus on social critique through their art. Additionally, both used vivid imagery—Shakespeare in his poetic language and the Pre-Raphaelites in their detailed depictions—to convey profound emotional truths. This shared commitment to exploring complex human experiences helped bridge literature and visual arts during this period.
• Evaluate how Shakespeare's innovations in language contributed to the narrative style adopted by Nineteenth Century artists like those in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
  • Shakespeare's innovations in language revolutionized storytelling by incorporating poetic devices and a unique use of metaphor that conveyed deep meaning. This narrative style influenced Nineteenth Century artists who sought to communicate complex ideas visually. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood adopted similar strategies by employing intricate symbolism and rich detail in their artwork to narrate stories with emotional depth. Their artworks aimed to engage viewers intellectually and emotionally, mirroring how Shakespeare’s language invited audiences to reflect on broader themes through his characters' dialogues.

Related terms

Elizabethan Drama: A style of theatrical performance popular during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, marked by its use of verse and focus on complex characters.

Romanticism:

An artistic movement that emphasized emotion, nature, and individualism, which influenced many artists in the Nineteenth Century, including members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Symbolism:

A late 19th-century artistic movement that sought to express ideas through symbolic images and indirect suggestion, often linking back to Shakespeare's use of metaphor and allegory.