What are the chief
characteristics or features of Shakespearean plays? Write a note on it.
Ans. Shakespeare, the
greatest dramatist, is the master of art. No other dramatist has been
successful in attaining the heights he has achieved. The extent, variety and
the richness of his plays are quite bewildering as one approaches them. Some of
the characteristics of his plays are given below:
i)Universality:
Shakespeare is not of an age but of all ages, not of the country but of all
countries. Not only did his works amuse and thrill the audience in all ages and
countries, they were composed by the world's immortal poet. Though they were
written more than four hundred years ago and reflect the tastes, customs and
traditions of Shakespeare's own age, they are as popular today as before. They
have been translated into almost all the important languages of the world and
most of them have been filmed. Shakespeare's plays are immortal because they
deal with the universals—the central passions which are common to all humanity.
ii)Versatile genius:
Shakespeare had a wonderful imagination and power of understanding fundamental
things. His success was all round. He is equally master of tragedy, comedy and
tragi-comedy. His versatile genius creates wonderful characters and very
interesting situations without any repetition. Just as he unsurpassed in
tragedy, he is unbeaten in comedy.
iii)Art of
characterization: In delineation of character Shakespeare
stands unrivalled in English literature. Shakespeare's humanity is varied as
the human race, his men and women are drawn from every walk, age and station of
life—King, Lords and nobles, general and great warriors, common people,
drunkards, cut throats, thieves and robbers cowards, clowns, dreamers, saints
and sinners, men, women and children all walk across the stage of Shakespeare.
No other dramatist of the world has given us such infinite variety.
Shakespeare's characters are entirely true to
life. In the treatment of character Shakespeare displays a profound
understanding of human psychology. All his varied characters have been
extremely individualized Besides his
characters are so vividly and convincingly presented that we know them better
than we know most of our neighbors and friends, but we can never forget
Rosalind, Orlando, Touchstone, Jaques, Hamlet, King Lear, Portia, Shylock,
Othello, Edmund etc. Shakespeare has created a large number of characters and
all are equally convincing. His minor characters are also highly impressive.
iv)Humanity of
Shakespeare: Shakespeare is admirable for his
humanity. His greatness lies in his sympathy for human beings. He is not a
rapid satirist like his contemporary Ben Jonson. He has defined human beings
and when we study his plays we get a glorious picture of ourselves. For who
could applaud humanity and human beings better than Shakespeare in his Hamlet
and The Tempest. We are simply amused and delighted to read the following
glorious lines on man in Hamlet and love the man who could glorify 'man' in
these words.
"What a piece of
work is man!"
v)Pathos in
Shakespeare: Shakespeare touches the human heart and
moves us to pity and sympathy. The quality of pathos in his dramas makes us
tender, soft, and kind towards the sufferers in human life. That is why we like
and love Shakespeare.
vi)Shakespeare's
Treatment of Love: We admire Shakespeare for his
admirable treatment of the subject of love. The element of romance makes his
plays highly interesting. We have the devotion and fidelity in Jove in his
plays as in the case of Desdimona for Othello, Miranda for Ferdinand, Rosalind
for Orlando etc. All these cases are of extreme devotion to do credit to the
lovers.
vii) Shakespeare’s
philosophy of life: His profundity of thought :
Shakespeare had a deep
insight into the human life. He may not have a philosophy of life, his
observations about life and its different facets are so meaningful that we do not find
such a rich treasure house of wisdom regarding human life in any of (he plays
of his contemporaries and dramatists of the later times. Shakespeare's
observations are true to life and moves us to think about the mysteries Of life.
In Macbeth he utters the truth—
"Life is but a
walking shadow is a tale .
Told by an idiot, full
of sound and fury
Signifying
nothing."
The observation of Shakespeare is rich and
profound and it gives us a rich key to the essential reality about human life.
He makes us to think about life and that is his greatness as a dramatist.
v) Shakespeare's
variety: Shakespeare's work is distinguished
from that of his contemporaries by its variety. He handled most diverse
subjects with an ardour almost equaled by his achievement. Of all the world's
greatest dramatists, he alone displays an equal aptitude for tragedy and
comedy.
In conclusion we can
say that Shakespeare's plays have an enduring quality. Shakespeare's vision of
life, his wonderful art of characterization, his broad humanity, his sense of humor
and tolerance, his catholicity of outlook and his dramatic art have all found
an eloquent expression in his plays. He has easily transcended the limits of
time and space. He has become a rich heritage of mankind. Ben Jonson has
rightly said that "He was not of an age but for all times". He was
not for only England, but for all mankind
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