Shakespeare Getting Bored With Life

Shakespeare Getting Bored with Life

Shakespeare (1564-1616), the Bard of Avon, the greatest English poet, was getting bored with life in his last plays Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale and The Tempest, as well as the collaboration, Pericles, Prince of Tyre. In Shakespeares swansong The Tempest, Prosperos speech "Our revels now are ended is a clear testimony to this fact:

In the above speech by Prospero, Shakespeare reveals a subtle sense of renunciation as he feels that there is nothing substantial in life. Life is a dream, and far from truth.

Moreover, in this last play the character of magical spirit Aerial does not seem to be true to life.

The last plays of Shakespeare are more serious in tone than his comedies. We remember that the whole play Macbeth is steeped in darkness; the sun never shines in this tragedy. On the other hand, in Shakespeares last plays we notice the serene spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness. This proves that Shakespeare was losing interest in life in the closing period of his writing.

It might be added that Matthew Arnold aptly says that the critics try their best to unravel the mystery of his plays, but Shakespeare doesn't answer our queries:

Others abide our question. Thou art free. We ask and ask--Thou smilest and art still, Out-topping knowledge. For the loftiest hill, Who to the stars uncrowns his majesty,

Planting his steadfast footsteps in the sea, Making the heaven of heavens his dwelling-place, Spares but the cloudy border of his base To the foil'd searching of mortality;

And thou, who didst the stars and sunbeams know, Self-school'd, self-scann'd, self-honour'd, self-secure, Didst tread on earth unguess'd at.--Better so!

All pains the immortal spirit must endure, All weakness which impairs, all griefs which bow, Find their sole speech in that victorious brow.

The above criticism by Arnold makes it clear that it is not possible to tackle the Shakespearean mystery in his last plays. The surest way to know his message is to peruse the plays again and again.

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