Throughout time, however, Shakespeare's reputation of a writer did, indeed, change. While he was known as a businessman and patron of the arts during his life, it is suspected that he was not celebrated for his masterful writing until after his death ("Shakespeare Biography"). Today, however, Shakespeare is recognized as the premiere master of creativity and language who wrote in English. Indeed, Pressley and the Shakespeare Resource Center argue that "William Shakespeare's legacy is a body of work that will never again be equaled in Western civilization," suggesting that his works "still reach across the centuries as powerfully as ever." Indeed, Shakespeare is not only remembered for the plays and poetry that have changed the scope of English literature, but he is today remembered as a powerfully intelligent man who made many contributions to the English language. Many of today's common English idioms and words can be traced back to Shakespeare. To name just a few, "full circle," "method in the madness," and "strange bedfellows," are Shakespeare's contributions (Vernon). Although the exact origins of many of the words and phrases attributed to Shakespeare are not known infallibly, and some of the words and phrases have changed considerably since that period, without the Bard's works, the scope of English language would be much different than it is today (Vernon). Thus, while he was by no means unpopular during his own time, Shakespeare's reputation has increased significantly in modern times. Thus, Shakespeare is probably the most frequently mentioned literary...

Although a considerable amount of verified information exists that confirms the poet's existence, very few information links Shakespeare to his works. Indeed, this fact has even caused some to wonder whether Shakespeare really existed.
But despite the interesting facts upon which Shakespeare's biographies area based, what can be best learned from the writer is the art of life. Shakespeare's poems are not difficult to read or intangible like many students suggest, but instead they are about the passions of life. Shakespeare writes about love, physical beauty, and emotion, in addition to the art of writing and the struggle of feeling insignificant. Shakespeare's poems are immortal because they discuss the immortal issues that regular people have, issues that people wish they could express. For those who cannot express those issues, Shakespeare does it for them.

Works Cited

Pressley, J.M. And the Shakespeare Resource Center. "Shakespeare's Biography."

Shakespeare Resource Center. 18 February 2009.

"Shakespeare Biography." Absolute Shakespeare. 2005. 26 April 2009.

Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 46." Eserver. n.d. 26 April 2009.

Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 100." Eserver. n.d. 26 April 2009.

Vernon, Jennifer. "Shakespeare's Coined Words Now Common Currency." National

Geographic. 22 April 2004. 26 April 2009.