How does Shakespeare help us today?/Why does Shakespeare matter?

Shakespeare's work can be a useful tool to help us better understand some of the issues we face today in modern culture. This is because many of Shakespeare's characters remain remarkably relevant today. For example, the psychology and narcissistic qualities of Shakespeare's tyrants, such as Macbeth, Richard III, Julius Caesar, Hamlet and Coriolanus. Studying Shakespeare's characters helps us articulate and trace the inner workings of our most urgent contemporary dilemma's, such as the rise of Trumpism and questions surrounding tyranny and power, for example:How does a disastrous leader, a sociopath, a narcissist, truly come to power?How and why does a tyrant hold onto power?What really goes on in the psyche of the tyrants soul?

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Answered by Thomas G. English Literature tutor

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