The Melancholy Beauty of Shakespeare's Worlds: The Mind of the Greatest Writer in English Literature

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,' - that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

-John Keats

Why is there more beauty in a single aching, reverberating chord than in a hundred happy notes? Why do songs of praise and worship, from the cries of "hosanna" in the sixteenth century to the modern thrum of bass, guitar, and voice rely so heavily on minor chords and suspensions to bring strength and passion to their lyrics? Why is the love shown by these songs of adoration so deeply rooted in pain?

Tango, a dance synonymous with love and passion, would lose its novelty and power if the side of jealousy and betrayal were removed from the equation - a dance of pure and simple love is not, in the eye of the observer, something of worth or interest. There must be some complication - not simply a passing matter, easily resolved, but something that bites deeply, and cuts the dancers to the quick. It must, in fact, be a complication that is never forgotten, remaining in their minds for as long as the dance may go on.

The greatest comedic writers, especially William Shakespeare, are fully aware of the importance of drama within even the most light-hearted of plays. But within the use of "dramatic relief," there is a quandary: as Shakespeare delves into the darker side of his mind, using fools and lovers to speak words of nihilism and despair, does he venture to the dark end of the spectrum for the sake of his readers, or for his own sake?

The greatest writers the world has ever known spent their lives writing under the influence of deep melancholy. Poe turned to drink to conjure up his muse; others did the same. Some basked in the darkness of their former lives, in childhood abuse or lost love. Some turned to the lonely notes of a piano, or to the realization of the chaotic world around them. This most unique muse inspired a hundred great men and women to write of the most beautiful sensation known to man: love.

William Shakespeare: a man full of sorrow, and well-acquainted with grief.

Credit: Chandos

Copyright: Public Domain