Shakespeare Is Everyone's Spokesperson
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
22 April 2025
Shakespearean week is being commemorated in England.
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England is remembering and commemorating the birth and death anniversaries of William Shakespeare in the ongoing week. But the Bard of Avon is to be remembered every day and every moment because of his all-encompassing genius that transcends time.
Reading Shakespearean oeuvre is reading life because nothing could escape the genius' gimlet eyes and power of discernment. One wonders how he could perceive life so deeply and comprehensively. Whatever he said long ago, still holds true even after four centuries. Can you ever deny, "Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once." Cowards experience multiple deaths before their actual demise due to their constant fear and anxiety. Their lives are overshadowed by the constant dread of the unknown, causing them to miss out on fully living.
On the other hand, the valiant, who possess courage and bravery, face death head-on and only experience it once. They embrace life with gusto, seizing every opportunity and confronting their fears.
Shakespeare reminds us of the importance of living fully, encouraging us to embrace our inner bravery and overcome our fears so that we may truly taste the sweetness that life has to offer. Or, just ponder this one, "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." Our doubts act as traitors, leading us to lose the potential rewards that we could have otherwise achieved, simply because we fear to take a chance. By succumbing to our doubts and anxieties, we remain stagnant and unable to seize the opportunities that lie before us. Shakespeare suggests that our doubts prevent us from accomplishing what we are truly capable of, as we become afraid to attempt new endeavours. This powerful observation challenges individuals to overcome their doubts and take risks in order to attain the good and prosperous outcomes that they often desire but are too fearful to pursue. It's said that everyone has his/her favourite Shakespearean quote. Mine is: What's past is prologue. It's so brief, yet so brilliant. After all, brevity is the soul of wit (Again Shakespeare from Hamlet!).
Coming back to What's past is prologue, this evocative quote from The Tempest encapsulates the notion that our past experiences, both personal and collective, shape and influence our future. Rather than dismissing the past as irrelevant or inconsequential, Shakespeare suggests that it serves as a prelude or introduction to what lies ahead. Our past actions, choices, and circumstances provide a foundation for future events and decisions. This quote encourages us to reflect on our past, drawing wisdom from it and recognizing the role it plays in shaping our present and future. It emphasizes the importance of learning from past mistakes, understanding historical contexts, and acknowledging the interconnectedness of time, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life.
Ultimately, Shakespeare's words challenge us to recognize the prologue that the past sets for the narratives of our lives. In a nutshell, Shakespeare is everyone's spokesperson. His relevance will never wane.
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/shakespeare-spokesperson/d/135255
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