Why does Shakespeare Still Matter?

Abstract

Numerous young adults fail to see the relevance of reading centuries old texts, and cannot see how these texts apply to the world today. However, the brilliance of Shakespeare is it’s ongoing relevance, and today more than ever the words of Shakespeare can be applied to our society and to the lives of young adults. Antoni Cimolino, the general director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, has given a number of talks and interviews in which he discusses the ongoing relevance of Shakespeare today – two of which are discussed below. Full video links to each of the talks are also provided, and are wonderful examples of Shakespeare’s continuing relevance today.