William Shakespeare's influence extends from theatre and literature to present-day movies and the English language itself. Widely regarded as the greatest writer of the English language, and the world's pre-eminent dramatist, Shakespeare transformed European theatre by expanding expectations about what could be accomplished through characterization, plot, language and genre. Shakespeare's writings have also influenced a large number of notable novelists and poets over the years, including Herman Melville and Charles Dickens, and continue to influence new authors even today. Shakespeare is the most quoted writer in the history of the English-speaking world after the various writers of the Bible, and many of his quotations and neologisms have passed into everyday usage in English and other languages.
Read more about William Shakespeare's Influence: Changes in English At The Time, Influence On Theatre, Influence On European and American Literature, Influence On The English Language, See Also
Famous quotes containing the words william shakespeare, william, shakespeare and/or influence:
“Report of fashions in proud Italy,
Whose manners still our tardy-apish nation
Limps after in base imitation.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“A taste for drink, combined with gout,
Had doubled him up forever.”
—Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (1836–1911)
“They that stand high have many blasts to shake them,
And if they fall, they dash themselves to pieces.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The Family is the Country of the heart. There is an angel in the Family who, by the mysterious influence of grace, of sweetness, and of love, renders the fulfilment of duties less wearisome, sorrows less bitter. The only pure joys unmixed with sadness which it is given to man to taste upon earth are, thanks to this angel, the joys of the Family.”
—Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–1872)