Last week we enjoyed learning about the first part of the story and we explored the theme of magic through potion and spell writing. We also designed bottles and boxes for our very own spells for Prospero!
When we looked at Shakespeare himself during history, we thought about how Shakespeare would feel if he time-travelled to 2020 and found out that his plays are still famous today. You all had some fantastic ideas and I enjoyed reading your letters as you imagined you were Shakespeare!
It got me thinking…
Why do you think Shakespeare’s plays are still so famous and popular today when they were written so long ago?
Write your thoughts below.
I look forward to reading your ideas and hopefully we can get a good class discussion going to try and answer this question.
From Miss Lee
40 comments on “William Shakespeare – The Tempest”
I think Shakespeare is so famous is because he used different words of language in his plays and probably because he is one of the first ever play writers in the world.
Shakespeare’s plays were written a very long time ago but I think there are some people that were alive even before Shakespeare who wrote plays too! There is evidence that people enjoyed theatre as far back as the Ancient Greeks!
I think some of Shakespeares plays are very relatable because they were written in a way that we can still understand them and they can be modernised in today’s world. Most of his story’s are about love and death and this is a big part in everybody’s lives daily. A lot of actors still train and act out Shakespeare to this day as they can really challenge themselves to acting out the parts .
hello miss lee
I think they are still people are doing plays of Shakespeare because they want to bring back memories of William Shakespeare. Most of everyone loved stories about him that is why they are doing plays of Shakespeare.
Shakespeare is still acted out today because as Albert said there is most of the times love or death. I am not sure that he had NO grammar mistakes but he was one of the best spellers. In these days it was very rare to go to school but William probably went to school as he had a lot of money.Holly, I ‘ve just researched on him and you RIGHT.
I think that William Shakespeare’s acts are still on today because a lot of people approciated the stories for some believe that there is always a lesson in his story. I think the lesson for the Tempest/is to not be greedy.
Hello Stella!
It is great that you have read other people’s thoughts and replied to them in your own post!
You are right, sadly not many people did go to school in those days, only the very wealthy people could afford to send their children to school.
I also agree, there are often important lessons to learn from his stories, I wonder if you’re right about what we can learn from The Tempest? Only time will tell…
Interestingly, Shakespeare’s plays were written in the early modern English language which was less than 100 years old in 1590. No dictionaries had yet been written. Shakespeare contributed 1,700 words to the English language because he was the first author to write them down!
Below is a short paragraph from The Tempest as Miranda watches the storm:
If by your art, my dearest father, you have
Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.
The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch,
But that the sea, mounting to th’ welkin’s cheek,
Dashes the fire out. Oh, I have suffered
With those that I saw suffer. A brave vessel
Who had, no doubt, some noble creature in her.
This is what it means:
Dear father, if you caused this terrible storm with your magic powers, please put an end to it. The sky’s so dark it looks like it would rain down boiling hot tar if the sea weren’t swelling up to the sky to put its fire out. Oh, I suffered along with all the men I watched suffer! A fine ship, with some good people in it, I’m sure.
Lots of Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into the modern English language that we use today so that more people can read and understand them!
Could you understand any of the original text before reading what it meant?
I think Shakespeare is so famous because he wrote 37 plays in his LIFE! How amazing! Also, most of his plays are really famous/known by many people, but all of his plays are different for example Hamlet is a tragedy or Romeo and Juliet a love story.
Good morning Miss Lee and everyone I hope you had a lovely weekend ?!
I think Shakespeare’s plays and stories are still popular up to this day because he is the best writer of all time with his drama, language, and relatable stories.
Hello Clare! Thank you, I hope you had a lovely weekend too!
I agree, some of Shakespeare’s plays are relatable and they all definitely have lots of drama!
Hello Miss Lee, we think that shakespears plays are still famous because he uses different languges and words in his play and was probably the first play writer ever
Hello Miss Lee, we think that shakespears plays are still famous because he uses different laungages words and writing he also uses drama love and lots of emotions.
I think Shakespeare’s plays are still popular today because they are about events and feelings that still happen today, like love, revenge, aggression and family fights. The words were different but the events are the same.
People like Shakespeare’s work still today because they have heartbreaking and action bits in it. People loved it and that is why they are still so famous.
I think ? Shakespeare’s plays are still popular nowadays because he was extremely famous back in the day when he was writing ✍️, and so our ancestors would have passed on his stories and plays ?. Another reason he is still famous is possibly because his plays were so unique and one ☝️ of a kind, and they are not like any other story ? we read now, but the thing some people love ? the most about his plays (although it is sometimes the thing that people hate ? about them) is the language he uses. He uses words like “thy” and “thou” and all sorts of other words, this is often called “Shakespearian language”, but it still is English ??.
Some good ideas about people passing on his stories from person to person! Yes you’re right, the original plays were written in a slightly different way that we are used to writing in but it is still English! I have added a comment further up which has a short paragraph from The Tempest.
I agree his plays are very unique but sometimes I have noticed that some modern stories and plays are based on Shakespeare’s ideas!
Hello Miss Lee,
Why I think the Shakespeare plays are still so famous and popular today is because he was really good at writing which makes his plays interesting to watch and read about. He is a great author.
Thanks Tijne
I think that William Shakespeare’plays are popular because his writing is amazing and his acting is incredibly, he is also is good at being dramatic.
But if I was watching William Shakespeare I would give him ?
Hello everybody, how are you all feeling today?
Here is what I thought;
Shakespeare’s plays are as popular as they are because he was perhaps the greatest writer who has ever lived. It’s partly because he was writing plays which go on being performed and therefore they can be brought freshly to life for each generation by actors of the present.
Hello Miss Lee,
I think Shakespeare is still famous cause they want to bring back the memories that William Shakespeare because he was extremely famous back in days when he was writing ✍️ them. People loved❤️them and it was very dramatic and everything so that is why they are still famous now in these day.
It is incredible that he put wonderful ideas and he has unusual ideas like using a skull and making a boat get crushed in to pieces. He transports you to the world his plays are in.
I think his plays are still popular because they are about man and magic, they are full of twists and action and in the end they show the true human nature.
I think William Shakespeare’s plays are famous today because he was one of the best writers✍in history! Many of his works are about
life, love, grief, revenge, death, jealousy, murder , magic and mystery.
Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and also wrote poems ?. Shakespeare’s plays are still very enjoyable. In Shakespeare’s time women couldn’t act so men/boys had to play female parts.
hello miss lee
I think Shakespeare’s plays are so popular because he is a script writer and his scripts are good grammar.
hi everyone!
You’re right, Shakespeare did write scripts!
I think Shakespeare is so famous is because he used different words of language in his plays and probably because he is one of the first ever play writers in the world.
Shakespeare’s plays were written a very long time ago but I think there are some people that were alive even before Shakespeare who wrote plays too! There is evidence that people enjoyed theatre as far back as the Ancient Greeks!
I think some of Shakespeares plays are very relatable because they were written in a way that we can still understand them and they can be modernised in today’s world. Most of his story’s are about love and death and this is a big part in everybody’s lives daily. A lot of actors still train and act out Shakespeare to this day as they can really challenge themselves to acting out the parts .
Some great ideas and I think you’re right! Even modern stories, plays and films are sometimes based on Shakespeare’s ideas!
hello miss lee
I think they are still people are doing plays of Shakespeare because they want to bring back memories of William Shakespeare. Most of everyone loved stories about him that is why they are doing plays of Shakespeare.
Hello Karter!
That is a lovely thought! I like the idea that we are keeping the memory of Shakespeare alive by learning about him and his plays!
Hello everybody!
Shakespeare is still acted out today because as Albert said there is most of the times love or death. I am not sure that he had NO grammar mistakes but he was one of the best spellers. In these days it was very rare to go to school but William probably went to school as he had a lot of money.Holly, I ‘ve just researched on him and you RIGHT.
I think that William Shakespeare’s acts are still on today because a lot of people approciated the stories for some believe that there is always a lesson in his story. I think the lesson for the Tempest/is to not be greedy.
Hello Stella!
It is great that you have read other people’s thoughts and replied to them in your own post!
You are right, sadly not many people did go to school in those days, only the very wealthy people could afford to send their children to school.
I also agree, there are often important lessons to learn from his stories, I wonder if you’re right about what we can learn from The Tempest? Only time will tell…
and also they can understand the grammar
Interestingly, Shakespeare’s plays were written in the early modern English language which was less than 100 years old in 1590. No dictionaries had yet been written. Shakespeare contributed 1,700 words to the English language because he was the first author to write them down!
Below is a short paragraph from The Tempest as Miranda watches the storm:
If by your art, my dearest father, you have
Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.
The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch,
But that the sea, mounting to th’ welkin’s cheek,
Dashes the fire out. Oh, I have suffered
With those that I saw suffer. A brave vessel
Who had, no doubt, some noble creature in her.
This is what it means:
Dear father, if you caused this terrible storm with your magic powers, please put an end to it. The sky’s so dark it looks like it would rain down boiling hot tar if the sea weren’t swelling up to the sky to put its fire out. Oh, I suffered along with all the men I watched suffer! A fine ship, with some good people in it, I’m sure.
Lots of Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into the modern English language that we use today so that more people can read and understand them!
Could you understand any of the original text before reading what it meant?
I think Shakespeare is so famous because he wrote 37 plays in his LIFE! How amazing! Also, most of his plays are really famous/known by many people, but all of his plays are different for example Hamlet is a tragedy or Romeo and Juliet a love story.
Yes you’re right, not only did he write so many plays but he made sure each one was different with a huge variety of interesting characters!
Good morning Miss Lee and everyone I hope you had a lovely weekend ?!
I think Shakespeare’s plays and stories are still popular up to this day because he is the best writer of all time with his drama, language, and relatable stories.
Hello Clare! Thank you, I hope you had a lovely weekend too!
I agree, some of Shakespeare’s plays are relatable and they all definitely have lots of drama!
Hello Miss Lee, we think that shakespears plays are still famous because he uses different languges and words in his play and was probably the first play writer ever
Hello Miss Lee, we think that shakespears plays are still famous because he uses different laungages words and writing he also uses drama love and lots of emotions.
Hello girls, thank you for your comments!
I agree, his plays portray lots of emotions!
Which emotions have we seen so far in The Tempest?
I think Shakespeare’s plays are still popular today because they are about events and feelings that still happen today, like love, revenge, aggression and family fights. The words were different but the events are the same.
You’re right, some parts of Shakespeare’s plays are still relatable today! Which feeling do you think have we seen so far in The Tempest?
People like Shakespeare’s work still today because they have heartbreaking and action bits in it. People loved it and that is why they are still so famous.
You’re right, his plays are packed with drama and action!
I think ? Shakespeare’s plays are still popular nowadays because he was extremely famous back in the day when he was writing ✍️, and so our ancestors would have passed on his stories and plays ?. Another reason he is still famous is possibly because his plays were so unique and one ☝️ of a kind, and they are not like any other story ? we read now, but the thing some people love ? the most about his plays (although it is sometimes the thing that people hate ? about them) is the language he uses. He uses words like “thy” and “thou” and all sorts of other words, this is often called “Shakespearian language”, but it still is English ??.
Some good ideas about people passing on his stories from person to person! Yes you’re right, the original plays were written in a slightly different way that we are used to writing in but it is still English! I have added a comment further up which has a short paragraph from The Tempest.
I agree his plays are very unique but sometimes I have noticed that some modern stories and plays are based on Shakespeare’s ideas!
Hello Miss Lee,
Why I think the Shakespeare plays are still so famous and popular today is because he was really good at writing which makes his plays interesting to watch and read about. He is a great author.
Thanks Tijne
Hello Tijne!
Yes I agree, his plays are very engaging to the audience or reader!
I think that William Shakespeare’plays are popular because his writing is amazing and his acting is incredibly, he is also is good at being dramatic.
But if I was watching William Shakespeare I would give him ?
Yes, his plays definitely contain lots of drama!
I bet Shakespeare would be thrilled if you gave him 100 after watching his play!
Hello everybody, how are you all feeling today?
Here is what I thought;
Shakespeare’s plays are as popular as they are because he was perhaps the greatest writer who has ever lived. It’s partly because he was writing plays which go on being performed and therefore they can be brought freshly to life for each generation by actors of the present.
Hello Sophie!
I am feeling good, I went for a jog around my local park this morning! How are you?
Yes I agree, it is great that so many generations have performed and watched his plays, bringing them to life over and over again!
I think shakespeare’s plays are still popular because everyone likes them and he was a really good poet and writer
I agree, he was a very good writer!
I think that his plays are still famous because he is a great poet and people kept doing his plays lots after he died
Yes, we must not forget he wrote lots of poems too, not just plays!
Hello Miss Lee,
I think Shakespeare is still famous cause they want to bring back the memories that William Shakespeare because he was extremely famous back in days when he was writing ✍️ them. People loved❤️them and it was very dramatic and everything so that is why they are still famous now in these day.
It is incredible that he put wonderful ideas and he has unusual ideas like using a skull and making a boat get crushed in to pieces. He transports you to the world his plays are in.
I think his plays are still popular because they are about man and magic, they are full of twists and action and in the end they show the true human nature.
Hello Miss Lee,?
I think William Shakespeare’s plays are famous today because he was one of the best writers✍in history! Many of his works are about
life, love, grief, revenge, death, jealousy, murder , magic and mystery.
Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and also wrote poems ?. Shakespeare’s plays are still very enjoyable. In Shakespeare’s time women couldn’t act so men/boys had to play female parts.
It is because there are lots of topics in the stories.