--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think about Shakespeare. Because there…" description: "\"I think about Shakespeare. Because there have been hundreds of variations of Shakespeare's plays since they've been written, and I believe it's because..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/malachi-kirby-17803_believe_i-think-about-shakespeare-because-there_3141535.jpg" --- # I think about Shakespeare. Because there have been… ![“I think about Shakespeare. Because there have been hundreds of variations of Shakespeare's plays since they've been written, and I believe it's because they're important. They're still relevant today. 'Roots' is still relevant today. The idea that we shouldn't tell this story again is very strange…” quote by Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/malachi-kirby-17803_believe_i-think-about-shakespeare-because-there_3141535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/malachi-kirby-17803_believe_i-think-about-shakespeare-because-there_3141535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/malachi-kirby-17803_believe_i-think-about-shakespeare-because-there_3141535.jpg) > “I think about Shakespeare. Because there have been hundreds of variations of Shakespeare's plays since they've been written, and I believe it's because they're important. They're still relevant today. 'Roots' is still relevant today. The idea that we shouldn't tell this story again is very strange to me.” [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker believes Shakespeare's works endure because they are vital and continually relevant, despite many adaptations, and finds it odd to dismiss retelling them. **In simple terms:** Shakespeare stays important because his stories matter, even with many versions. Key Takeaway Recognize the lasting value of classic works. Themes literature relevance adaptation timelessness Mood appreciative thoughtful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - theatre - education - media criticism - creative writing Key Concepts cultural legacy interpretation artistic renewal Questions to Reflect On - Why do we keep revisiting classic stories? - What makes a story timeless? A Different Perspective The statement assumes all adaptations add value, ignoring possible dilution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Shakespeare Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare-plays/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [I think that Shakespeare is a s\*\*\*. Absolute s\*\*\*! He may have been a genius for his time, but I just can't relate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/i-think-that-shakespeare-is-a-s-absolute-s-he-may-have-been-a-genius/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [All the great Shakespeare plays are about killing. 'Alas, poor Yorick,' that's about death. And in 'Romeo and Juliet' everyone up ends up dying.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/all-the-great-shakespeare-plays-are-about-killing-alas-poor-yorick/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [Doing Shakespeare once is not fair to the play. I have been in Shakespeare plays when it's not until the last two or three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/doing-shakespeare-once-is-not-fair-to-the-play-i-have-been-in/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I think Shakespeare really got it. He was the first one to introduce psychology to villains and give them a real point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-isaac/i-think-shakespeare-really-got-it-he-was-the-first-one-to-introduce/) [Oscar Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-isaac/) > [But Shakespeare knows what the sphinx thinks, if anybody does. His genius is penetrative as cold midwinter entering every room, and making warmth shiver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-alfred-quayle/but-shakespeare-knows-what-the-sphinx-thinks-if-anybody-does-his/) [William Alfred Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-alfred-quayle/) > [“Shakespeare's plays do not present easy solutions. The audience has to decide for itself. King Lear is perhaps the most disturbing in this respect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-carter/shakespeare-s-plays-do-not-present-easy-solutions-the-audience-has-to/) [Ronald Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-carter/) > [“If the distinction is not held too rigidly nor pressed too far, it is interesting to think of Shakespeare's chief works as either love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-clarke-goddard/if-the-distinction-is-not-held-too-rigidly-nor-pressed-too-far-it-is/) [Harold Clarke Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-clarke-goddard/) > [People go to see Shakespeare plays over and over, not because the story is new, but because they want to see how a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/people-go-to-see-shakespeare-plays-over-and-over-not-because-the/) [Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/) > [Whether it is the cavemen in the caves thousands of years ago, Shakespeare plays, television, movies and books, stories and characters take us on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/whether-it-is-the-cavemen-in-the-caves-thousands-of-years-ago/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [To put it one way, a collection of Shakespeare's plays is richer than a phone book that uses the same number of letters; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-von-baeyer/to-put-it-one-way-a-collection-of-shakespeare-s-plays-is-richer-than/) [Hans Christian von Baeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-von-baeyer/) > [I think that Shakespeare himself raided fairy tales and chronicle writers, and he always looked to people who worked in the mythic genres, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/i-think-that-shakespeare-himself-raided-fairy-tales-and-chronicle/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [I think Shakespeare is everybody's treasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/i-think-shakespeare-is-everybody-s-treasure/) [Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/) > [I had been in 760 performances of 10 different Shakespeare plays by the time I was 17.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-wanamaker/i-had-been-in-760-performances-of-10-different-shakespeare-plays-by/) [Sam Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-wanamaker/) > [I love rereading Shakespeare plays and Im constantly finding bits that Ive overlooked or not understood before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/i-love-rereading-shakespeare-plays-and-im-constantly-finding-bits/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [Shakespeare's plays often turn on the idea of fate, as much drama does. What makes them so tragic is the gap between what his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/shakespeare-s-plays-often-turn-on-the-idea-of-fate-as-much-drama-does/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) ## More by Malachi Kirby > [Kunta Kinte's strength derives from the knowledge of where he comes from, but it struck me that I don't know where I come from.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/kunta-kinte-s-strength-derives-from-the-knowledge-of-where-he-comes/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [One of the biggest things that I took from playing Kunta Kinte was where his strength came from in knowing where he was from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/one-of-the-biggest-things-that-i-took-from-playing-kunta-kinte-was/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [When I heard that 'Roots' was being remade, my first response was, 'Seriously?' I was a bit skeptical. Then I had an audition in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/when-i-heard-that-roots-was-being-remade-my-first-response-was/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [I believe it's important to have equal opportunities as a black actor. My way of fighting for it is through my art, by not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/i-believe-it-s-important-to-have-equal-opportunities-as-a-black-actor/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [I found that there were things that God could reveal to me that I could never get myself physically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/i-found-that-there-were-things-that-god-could-reveal-to-me-that-i/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [Charlie Brooker is crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/charlie-brooker-is-crazy/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [I was 22 when my mother gave me the original box set of 'Roots' and she said, 'I want you to watch this.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/i-was-22-when-my-mother-gave-me-the-original-box-set-of-roots-and-she/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [Playing Kunta Kinte is an emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/playing-kunta-kinte-is-an-emotional-physical-spiritual-and-mental/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [I was taught about slavery, but it was the ancient Egyptians. 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I found out when I was about 21 that my dad always said acting would be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/my-dad-passed-when-i-was-6-i-found-out-when-i-was-about-21-that-my/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [Kunta Kinte is the closest thing I've ever seen... to a superhero. He's amazing. He's inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/kunta-kinte-is-the-closest-thing-i-ve-ever-seen-to-a-superhero-he-s/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [It's really cheesy, but basically, 'Roots' got me to find out my own roots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/it-s-really-cheesy-but-basically-roots-got-me-to-find-out-my-own-roots/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) > [Kids under, I'd say, 14 are still maturing; they are still growing. They are still understanding themselves. To hit them with something like 'Roots,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-kirby/kids-under-i-d-say-14-are-still-maturing-they-are-still-growing-they/) [Malachi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) [Explore all 36 Malachi Kirby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-kirby/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think about Shakespeare. Because there have been hundreds of variations of Shakespeare's plays since they've been written, and I believe it's because they're important. They're still relevant today. 'Roots' is still relevant today. 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