Shakespeare is one of the most famous authors who have defined writing for generations, even in the modern culture. Characters in his works such as Romeo and Juliet are widely known across the world as if they were common knowledge. Writing in the modern society and during Shakespearean time varies significantly due to factors such as technology and even in the type of language used by the authors. Shakespeare’s English is very different form the current version of the English language in use today. John Green is one of my favorite modern authors who, just like Shakespeare, has made a remarkable impact in the literary world and the society in general through his works.
One similarity between Shakespeare and John Green is the extent of the readership that their works have received, the use of quotes from famous people in their works and the nature of stories they tell in their works. Shakespeare was particularly famous for coming up with characters who were a near reflection of characters in real life. Romeo is the perfect romancer, hamlet is an over thinker while Lady Macbeth is a go-getter who will stop at nothing to realize her dreams. These characters by Shakespeare have become cultural types which are recognized on their mentioning . John Green, on the other hand, is a modern author whose most works are on young adult lives. Just like Shakespeare, his books attract a great readership which is especially relevant to teenagers. Both their works are emotionally intense and are characterized by bitter-sweet endings. Both their works are written to address the elusive and well revered aspect of love. Just like Shakespeare, Green’s writings go beyond the surface and touch on matters of the soul. Both authors constantly use quotes from famous people in their writings such as Aristotle .
Shakespeare as an author had an ability to find a way with the audience through his writing. His varied works, which were mostly plays, had a fascinating effect of corresponding with the times when they were written. Shakespeare’s stories are a near-perfect reflection of the society; they are a reflection of the identities, beliefs and behaviors of the audience and the society at large. His characters are natural and reflect on various issues is our society such as women and men, leadership, youth and age and governance. Many practices recognize Shakespeare as the founder of most standard practices which guide the literary world. These fields include philosophy, business, law, sociology, political science and medicine among many others. Leadership and business institutes use case studies from his works as learning materials in class. The term ‘Shakespearean’ is widely used today to refer to that which is tragic and is relevant to people, events and emotions. The expression the fall from Shakespearean proportions is widely used to refer to leaders and terrorists who go beyond certain extremes to get what they want.
Despite the fact that both authors are relevant today primarily because of the issues they explore in their works, they are also different in the nature of issues in the society that they focus on. This can be attributable to the notion that Shakespeare was mainly informed by the 16th and 17th Century society while John Green’s works are informed by the 20th and 21st Century society. Although Shakespeare’s works are meant to touch on all cultures and people across the world, John Green’s works are more concerned with the needs in our current society. Being a nerd himself, Green goes into a lot of effort to protect other nerds like himself through his writings. His books revolve around the geek and pop culture and involves a romantic who desperately seeks affection from a girl who is way out of his league.
The works of the two authors revolve around similar themes. Green’s writes of issues affecting the youth in the society, just like Shakespeare’s works were a reflection of world or society around him. Green writes of teenagers in boarding schools and how their sexual desires will lead into tragedy. Tragedy is a common technique used by both authors. Life and love are common themes by both authors. Green’s books are relevant to all teenagers across the world, while Shakespeare’s works appeal to a wide range of audience across all ages.
While Green writes novels and movies, Shakespeare majored on plays that revolved around subjects such as comedy, poetry, history, and tragedy. Some of Shakespeare’s works that use poetry are The Sonnets and The Rape of Lucrece. On tragedy, Shakespeare has some famous works such as Othello and Romeo and Juliet. On History, Shakespeare has written works such as King John and the Henry series. On comedy, Shakespeare has multiple works, some of which are The Tempest and Measure for Measure . Some of the most famous works by John Green are Looking For Alaska and The fault in our Stars. These books are novels that bring out contemporary issues in the modern society (“John Green’s Biography”).
Clearly, from the comparison above, it is evident that Shakespeare has more works published than Green. However, both the writers are very relevant today by the simple virtue of the kind of themes that are extensively explored in their varied works. While Shakespeare majored on plays, Green majors on novels. The two authors have immense influence on modern culture as they are both gifted writers whose work has been widely read across the globe. Both authors have made immense contributions to the literary world through their varied works.
Works Cited
Garber, Marjorie. Shakespeare and Modern Culture. 10 December 200. Web. 7 June 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/books/chapters/chapter-shakespeare.html?_r=1>.
John Green’s Biography. 2016. Web. 7 June 2016. <http://johngreenbooks.com/bio-contact/>.
MIT. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. n.d. Web. 7 June 2016. <http://shakespeare.mit.edu/>.
Wetta, Molly. Beyond "Green" Lit: Books for Fans of John Green. May 2014. Web. 7 June 201. <https://www.ebscohost.com/novelist/novelist-special/201404-beyond-green-lit>.
