Shakespeare...a theif, let's expound a bit.

[brighteyez]

Yes, it is true that Shakespeare had taken ideas a created his plays. But most of those ideas were loosly based. Shakespeare was an amazing writer because he could take those stories and make them realate to everyone...royalty, middle class, and the lower class. There is no other person that could bring all of these levels of class into one area the way that Shakespeare did. He had timeless themes that reached everyone. Love, comedy, tragedy, magic, etc. And for Lisa that brought this topic up so long ago... might I tell you that Shakespeare wrote A Midsummer Nights Dream right after Romeo and Juliet. The characters of Pyramus and THisby are a mockery of the play that HE wrote (which was a huge success). He was laughing at his own tragedy. SO yes, Shakespeare probably took a few liberty's with some of his plays...but who hasn't? How many movies and plays come out every year? There are No REAL original ideas anymore... So take Shakespeare and all other writers with stride and just enjoy!!

[Donald B]

I quite agree with brighteyez. Good story tellers have been doing this since the begining of time. Being able to juggle bits of stories and facts around, even if it contains elements of someone elses ideas, and put them down in a such a way that the reader or audience enjoys them is what its all about. Shakespeare had that ability, as just about every good writter. Just be thankful they have that gift and enjoy it.

[shawty01]

Yes, it is true that Shakespeare had taken ideas a created his plays. But most of those ideas were loosly based. Shakespeare was an amazing writer because he could take those stories and make them realate to everyone...royalty, middle class, and the lower class. There is no other person that could bring all of these levels of class into one area the way that Shakespeare did. He had timeless themes that reached everyone. Love, comedy, tragedy, magic, etc. And for Lisa that brought this topic up so long ago... might I tell you that Shakespeare wrote A Midsummer Nights Dream right after Romeo and Juliet. The characters of Pyramus and THisby are a mockery of the play that HE wrote (which was a huge success). He was laughing at his own tragedy. SO yes, Shakespeare probably took a few liberty's with some of his plays...but who hasn't? How many movies and plays come out every year? There are No REAL original ideas anymore... So take Shakespeare and all other writers with stride and just enjoy!!

Shawty01 ok he's a great writer but shakespeare is a theif romeo and juliet is not his original work.

[RobinHood3000]

Of course it's not. The same concept has been done before--with the original Pyramus and Thisbe, as well as with the story of Tristan and Isolde. But when people watch "West Side Story," you don't hear them comparing it to Tristan and Isolde, now do you?

[applepie]

Wow, I seem to have come across this argument somewhere else. Shakespeare didn't write the most original of stories. To tell the truth, he wrote what many other writers did back in the same time. The only difference is somehow most of his works survived and he wrote them better. Theif or no theif isn't it just easier to read them for enjoyment and not get into who had the idea first. People have been writing for many centuries. In that time a theme or story line is bound to come up time and again. The "star crossed lovers" theme of Romeo and Juliet seems to be popular for some reason. Not one of my favorites, but people like the story of young lovers separated by their families. It is all a nice tragedy, I suppose. I'm just not a fan.