William Shakespeare
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William Shakespeare (April 23, 1564 - April 23, 1616) was a male human who lived in England on Earth during the 16th and 17th centuries. He was one of the most prolific English writers of the Elizabethan era, having written numerous poems, 38 plays, and 154 sonnets, and is generally regarded as one of the greatest writers in human history.
Shortly after the end of World War III, a new collection of his works, The New Britannia Complete Shakespeare, was published. In later years, this volume would be seen as a symbol of the resiliency of humanity and its culture even in the face of destruction. (TNG novel: Losing the Peace)
As humans joined the interstellar community, Shakespeare's works spread among other races and translated into alien languages. Of particular note, Anton Karidian and his acting troupe brought live Shakespearean performances to several outlying worlds in the mid 23rd century. (The Conscience of the King episode: ) In 2293, Gorkon told the senior staff of the USS Enterprise-A that a person did not experience Shakespeare until it was heard "in the original Klingon." (TOS movie: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country).
Jean-Luc Picard particularly admired Shakespeare, and kept a rare copy of The Globe Illustrated Shakespeare in his ready room aboard the USS Enterprise-D and USS Enterprise-E. When Will Riker asked Picard's advice in writing his wedding vows, Picard answered, "you can never go wrong with Shakespeare." (TNG short story: "'Til Death")
Data performed the role of Prospero from The Tempest in 2370. (TNG episode: "Emergence")
Prior to her death in 2377, Dr. Jennifer Almieri underscored lines from Twelfth Night in her volume of Shakespeare, and marked the page with photographs of herself and her children, Jonathan and Elizabeth Lense. (CoE eBook: Ghost)
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[edit] Mirror universe
In the Mirror Universe, Phlox noted, upon reviewing data from the databanks of the USS Defiant that both universes' Shakespeare wrote "grim" plays. (ENT episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"")
[edit] Notable Quotes
T'Lera of Vulcan, in trying to get 21st century Human Melody Sawyer to view her as a person, paraphrased Shylock's question from The Merchant of Venice: "If you prick us, do we not bleed?" (TOS novel: Strangers from the Sky)
In 2269, Elba II inmate Marta recited a poem she claim to have written. When informed that the poem had been written by Shakespeare, she insisted that she had also written it herself independently. (TOS episode: Whom Gods Destroy).
When Spock was recovering from his return from the dead in 2285, McCoy quoted Shakespeare, saying "Angels and ministers of grace, defend us.". Spock not only correctly identified it as coming from Hamlet but even specified that the quote was from Act 1, Scene 4 of the play. (TOS movie: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
General Chang quoted liberally from Shakespeare during his confrontations with Kirk and the USS Enterprise-A. (TOS movie: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
During the Battle of the Omarion Nebula in 2371, Elim Garak quoted from Julius Caesar to his father, Enabran Tain. (DS9 episode: "The Die is Cast")
Following the Borg Invasion of 2381, Beverly Crusher gave a message of encouragement to Picard by bookmarking a new Shakespeare collection at the title page for the play All's Well That Ends Well. Later, when reflecting on the losses suffered in the attacks, Picard quoted from King Henry VI, Part III. (TNG novel: Losing the Peace)
[edit] Ships
The Miranda-class is presumably named for the character in Shakespeare's final play, The Tempest.
The Constellation-class USS Hathaway was presumably named in honour of Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway (TNG episode: "Peak Performance").
[edit] Titles
Many Star Trek episodes and stories take their names from Shakespeare's works.
[edit] Episodes
- "Dagger of the Mind" - from Macbeth
- "The Conscience of the King" - from Hamlet
- "By Any Other Name" - from Romeo and Juliet
- "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth - from King Lear
- The Undiscovered Country - from Hamlet
[edit] Novels
- The Chimes at Midnight - from Henry IV
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[edit] See also
- Hamlet
- Henry V
- Julius Caesar
- Romeo and Juliet
- The Taming of the Shrew
- Richard II
- King Lear
- All's Well That Ends Well
[edit] External links
- William Shakespeare article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- William Shakespeare article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
