Shakespeare and Star Trek
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Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' franchise, begun in 1966, has frequently included stories inspired by and alluding to the works of
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
. The
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
franchise includes television series, films, comic books, novels and games, and has material both ''Star Trek'' canon and non-canon. Many of the actors involved have been part of Shakespearean productions, including
Patrick Stewart Sir Patrick Stewart (born 13 July 1940) is an English actor who has a career spanning seven decades in various stage productions, television, film and video games. He has been nominated for Olivier, Tony, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Screen Actor ...
and
Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage, and television. He received multiple accolades, inc ...
.


Background

Shakespeare's work has a strong presence in the ''Star Trek'' universe. There are several opinions on why this is, and a 1995 issue of ''
Extrapolation In mathematics, extrapolation is a type of estimation, beyond the original observation range, of the value of a variable on the basis of its relationship with another variable. It is similar to interpolation, which produces estimates between know ...
'' was dedicated to the subject. Suggestions and speculation include the creators' appreciation of, and pleasure in, these works; their inclusion may also signal that something is "high culture", "elitist", or "repressive". Critics have suggested that the purpose is to give the franchise a veneer of sophistication or cultural legitimation. The character
Jean-Luc Picard Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most often seen as the captain of the Federation starship . Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''T ...
(Shakespearean actor Patrick Stewart) argues that Shakespeare provides moving insights into the
human condition The human condition is all of the characteristics and key events of human life, including birth, learning, emotion, aspiration, morality, conflict, and death. This is a very broad topic that has been and continues to be pondered and analyzed fr ...
. According to Shakespearean scholar Craig Dionne, ''Star Trek'' use of Shakespeare "mirrors a long and largely unexamined aspect of Shakespeare's 'common place' in American culture". Shakespearean scholar Brandon Christopher argued that Shakespeare' for ''Star Trek'' should be understood not simply as a collection of culturally valued texts but as emblematic of a nineteenth-century ethos of Anglo-American world dominance repackaged for a 1980s audience".


''The Original Series''

''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' began in 1966 and used Shakespeare's works as one of many "preexisting motifs", including gangsters, the
Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
, and
Greco-Roman mythology Classical mythology, Greco-Roman mythology, or Greek and Roman mythology is both the body of and the study of myths from the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans as they are used or transformed by reception theory, cultural reception. Along with Anc ...
. According to Shakespeare actor Andy Kirtland, "Smart writers won't try to reinvent the wheel, and so plots and characters are borrowed in such a way as to nod to the past, but be relevant to the present". He says that '' The Tempest'' is probably the Shakespeare play that best fits in a science fiction context, "reconciling the past with the future and in general, dealing with a world in transition".
William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
, who played
Captain Kirk James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the '' Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in '' Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as captain. Kirk lea ...
, had previously acted in several Shakespearean plays, including ''
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
'' as
Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autoc ...
. When Shakespearean actor Christopher Plummer in the mid-1950s played the title role in ''
Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...
'' in
Stratford, Ontario Stratford is a city on the Avon River within Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, with a 2016 population of 31,465 in a land area of . Stratford is the seat of Perth County, which was settled by English, Irish, Scottish and German im ...
, Shatner was his understudy, and successfully filled in for him one night when he was ill. According to Shatner, that was the night he knew he was an actor. Plummer later commented: "He didn't do what I did at all. Where I stood up to make a speech, he sat down. He did the opposite of everything I did. And I knew that son of a bitch was going to be a star." Shatner's 1968 album ''
The Transformed Man ''The Transformed Man'' is the debut album by actor William Shatner. It was originally released in 1968 by Decca Records (Cat. #DL 75043), while Shatner was still starring in the original ''Star Trek'' series, and began his musical career. The ...
'' included readings from Shakespearean plays. Kirk says that Shakespeare is his favorite author. The episodes "
The Conscience of the King "The Conscience of the King" is the 13th episode of the first season of the American science-fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Barry Trivers and directed by Gerd Oswald, it was first aired on December 8, 1966. The episode tak ...
" and " Catspaw" included scenes from Shakespearean plays. In "
Requiem for Methuselah "Requiem for Methuselah" is the nineteenth episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek''. Written by Jerome Bixby and directed by Murray Golden, it was first broadcast on February 14, 1969. In th ...
" the immortal Flint possesses a
First Folio ''Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies'' is a collection of plays by William Shakespeare, commonly referred to by modern scholars as the First Folio, published in 1623, about seven years after Shakespeare's death. It is cons ...
, and together with "
Is There in Truth No Beauty? "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" is the fifth episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek''. Written by Jean Lisette Aroeste and directed by Ralph Senensky, it was first broadcast on October 18, 1968. ...
", the episode borrows from ''The Tempest''. In "
Bread and Circuses "Bread and circuses" (or bread and games; from Latin: ''panem et circenses'') is a metonymic phrase referring to superficial appeasement. It is attributed to Juvenal, a Roman poet active in the late first and early second century CE, and is used c ...
" the character Claudius Marcus wears Shakespeare's
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
on his robe. The titles of the episodes " All Our Yesterdays," " By Any Other Name," "The Conscience of the King," and "
Dagger of the Mind "Dagger of the Mind" is the ninth episode of the Star Trek: The Original Series (season 1), first season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek''. Written by Shimon Wincelberg (under the pen ...
" are all lines from Shakespeare. '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' shares themes with ''
King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...
'', and the play can be seen on the antagonist
Khan Noonien Singh Khan Noonien Singh is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' science fiction franchise, who first appeared as the main antagonist in the ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' episode "Space Seed" (1967), and was portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán ...
's bookshelf. In '' Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'',
Leonard McCoy Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, known as "Bones", is a character in the American science-fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. McCoy was played by actor DeForest Kelley in the original ''Star Trek'' series from 1966 to 1969, and he also appears in the anim ...
, doubting
Spock Spock is a Character (arts), fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterprise ...
's restored faculties, at one point mutters "Angels and ministers of grace, defend us", which Spock immediately identifies as "Hamlet, act I, scene IV". The subtitle of '' Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' (1991) is also a Shakespeare line, from ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
''. In this film, the
Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids c ...
s appreciate Shakespeare greatly, and General Chang (Christopher Plummer), the film's antagonist, quotes him extensively. Director
Nicholas Meyer Nicholas Meyer (born December 24, 1945) is an American writer and director, known for his best-selling novel ''The Seven-Per-Cent Solution'', and for directing the films ''Time After Time (1979 film), Time After Time'', two of the ''Star Trek'' ...
, a Shakespeare enthusiast, found inspiration for the character by listening to a CD with Plummer performing from ''Henry V''. Shakespeare scholar Kay H. Smith says "Everybody in our ever-widening English-speaking world is expected to recognize a little Shakespeare, and ''Star Trek VI'' makes it easy by assigning almost all the quotations to one character, so we can all play the game," and that combining high and low culture can be fruitful as well as problematic. Like several of Shakespeare's tragic heroes, Chang is a "military aristocrat", and Plummer reprised the role in the computer game '' Star Trek: Klingon Academy'' (2000), where Chang gives the player's missions Shakespearean names. In the film, while attacking the ''Enterprise'', Chang's Shakespeare quotations become so abundant that Leonard McCoy exclaims "I'd give real money if he'd shut up!" According to Smith, McCoy echoes the feelings of those in the audience who have experienced bad performances, bad teachers, and a "cultural establishment that insists on defending the cause of Shakespearean hegemony while simultaneously commodifying it". She says that Plummer's Chang has potential to be a great villain like
Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...
, but falls short and becomes flat. ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' and ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' have both ranked the character among the 10 greatest ''Star Trek'' villains. Plummer said that while he greatly enjoyed the part of Chang, he regretted that
David Warner David or Dave Warner may refer to: Sports * Dave Warner (strongman) (born 1969), Northern Ireland strongman competitor * David Bruce Warner (born 1970), South African alpine skier * David Warner (cricketer) (born 1986), Australian cricketer Oth ...
(Chancellor Gorkon) got what Plummer considered to be the best line in the film, "You've not experienced Shakespeare until you've read him in the original Klingon". Academics have suggested several interpretations of this line, some seeing it as a joke, others as something more serious. The film inspired the creation of '' The Klingon Hamlet'' (1996), a translation of ''Hamlet'' into the constructed
Klingon language The Klingon language ( tlh, tlhIngan Hol, links=no, '' '': , ) is the constructed language spoken by a fictional alien race called the Klingons, in the ''Star Trek'' universe. Described in the 1985 book ''The Klingon Dictionary'' by Marc Okra ...
. Parts of it have been performed by the
Washington Shakespeare Company Avant Bard Theatre (commonly known as Avant Bard, and formerly known as WSC Avant Bard, Washington Shakespeare Company or simply WSC) is a small, primarily non-Equity theater based in Arlington, VA. The company was founded in 1990 under the name ...
. ''
Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...
'' (2001) has also been translated. The translations are put in a framing story where Shakespeare (Wil'yam Shex'pir) actually was a Klingon, and characters like
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
(Khamlet), Benedick and Beatrice (B'enerdik and B'eterirsh) are discussed in the context of Klingon culture. In this setting, the English versions are the actual translations, and have acquired the status of originals through a campaign of deception. Karolina Kazimierczak, sociologist, compares the Klingon translations to ''
The Maori Merchant of Venice ''The Maori Merchant of Venice'' ( mi, Te Tangata Whai Rawa o Weniti) is a 2002 New Zealand drama film in the Māori language (with English subtitles), directed by Don Selwyn. Production The play ''The Merchant of Venice'' was translated into ...
'' (2002). In the 1999 comedy ''
Free Enterprise In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any ...
'', Shatner, playing himself, is approached by two
trekkie A Trekkie or Trekker is a fan of the '' Star Trek'' franchise, or of specific television series or films within that franchise. History Many early Trekkies were also fans of ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' (1964–1968), another show with scienc ...
s and hopes with their help to produce a musical version of ''Julius Caesar''.


''The Next Generation''

When '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''TNG'') began in 1987, Patrick Stewart was referred to as an "unknown British Shakespearean actor" by the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
''. ''TNG'' actor
Brent Spiner Brent Jay Spiner (; born February 2, 1949) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the android Data on the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', as well as four subsequent films. In 2019, he reprised the role for ...
put this "title" on a sign and hung it on Stewart's trailer door. Stewart's Shakespearean background was one aspect that made
Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter, producer, and creator of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', its sequel spin-off series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series,'' and ''Sta ...
, ''Star Trek'' creator, consider him for the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Stewart, a member of the
Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
(RSC) 1966–1982, has said: "All the time I spent sitting around on the thrones of England as various Shakespearean kings was nothing but a preparation for sitting in the captain's chair on the ''Enterprise''". Picard keeps a collection of Shakespeare's work titled ''The Globe Illustrated Shakespeare'', and this book is seen frequently throughout the series. It reappeared when Stewart returned to the role in '' Star Trek: Picard'' in 2020. The android
Data In the pursuit of knowledge, data (; ) is a collection of discrete values that convey information, describing quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted ...
has his own book of Shakespeare's work. Picard often quotes Shakespeare, for example when dealing with the powerful entity Q (played by
John de Lancie John Sherwood de Lancie, Jr. (born March 20, 1948) is an American actor, television director, director, film producer, producer, writer, and comedian, best known for his role as Q (Star Trek), Q in various ''Star Trek'' series (1987–present); ...
, himself a member of the American Shakespeare Festival). The episodes " The Defector" and "
Emergence In philosophy, systems theory, science, and art, emergence occurs when an entity is observed to have properties its parts do not have on their own, properties or behaviors that emerge only when the parts interact in a wider whole. Emergence ...
" included scenes from Shakespearean plays. In "The Defector", Stewart plays Michael Williams from ''Henry V'' as well as Picard. Spiner's character Data plays
Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...
and
Prospero Prospero ( ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of William Shakespeare's play '' The Tempest''. Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan, whose usurping brother, Antonio, had put him (with his three-year-old daughter, Miranda) to sea ...
(in "Emergence"). Picard tells him, "Data, you're here to learn about the human condition and there is no better way of doing that than by embracing Shakespeare". Later in the episode, Picard asks Data about the crew's morale, since Picard, unlike Henry V, cannot easily walk disguised among the crew and gauge it himself. Data and Picard discuss the Prospero character in "Emergence". In "
Time's Arrow Time's Arrow may refer to: * "Time's Arrow" (short story), a 1950 short story by Arthur C. Clarke * ''Time's Arrow'' (novel), a 1991 novel by Martin Amis * "Time's Arrow" (''Star Trek: The Next Generation''), a 1992 two-part episode of ''Star Trek: ...
", part 2, Picard and an away team have travelled back in time to the 19th century. Picard attempts to persuade a landlady that they are, in fact, a group of actors performing ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
''. In " Ménage à Troi", he has to woo
Lwaxana Troi This is a list of characters from the science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''. Characters are ordered alphabetically by family name, and only characters who played a significant recurring role in the series are list ...
with romantic Shakespearean speech. David Warner, who had appeared in '' Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'' and ''VI'', played a character who tortures Picard in "
Chain of Command A command hierarchy is a group of people who carry out orders based on others' authority within the group. It can be viewed as part of a power structure, in which it is usually seen as the most vulnerable and also the most powerful part. Milit ...
". Stewart and Warner had met and become friends when Stewart joined the RSC in the 1960s, and one of Stewart's reasons for joining was having seen a ''Hamlet'' production with Warner in the title role.
Armin Shimerman Armin Shimerman (born November 5, 1949) is an American actor and author. Early life Shimerman was born into a Jewish family in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, Lakewood, New Jersey, on November 5, 1949, the son of accountant Susan and house painte ...
, who was one of the first on-screen
Ferengi The Ferengi () are a fictional extraterrestrial species in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They were devised in 1987 for the series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', played a prominent role in the following series '' St ...
in " The Last Outpost" and later
Quark A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nuclei. All commonly o ...
in '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (''DS9''), thought of the race as the Richard IIIs of space. ''
Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...
'' is one of many Shakespeare plays Shimerman has appeared in. In
Diane Duane Diane Duane (born May 18, 1952) is an American science fiction and fantasy author, long based in Ireland. Her works include the ''Young Wizards'' young adult fantasy series and the '' Rihannsu'' Star Trek novels. Biography Born in New York ...
's novel '' Dark Mirror'' (1994), Picard encounters literature from the brutal
Mirror Universe The Mirror Universe is the setting of several narratives in the '' Star Trek'' science fiction franchise, a parallel universe existing alongside, but separate from, the fictional universe that is the main setting of ''Star Trek''. It resembles ...
. He finds Shakespeare "horribly changed in all but the parts that were already horrible". In ''
The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...
'', Portia successfully argues for
Shylock Shylock is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Merchant of Venice'' (c. 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal antagonist. His defeat and conversion to Christianity form the climax of the ...
's right to a pound of flesh. ''
Titus Andronicus ''Titus Andronicus'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593, probably in collaboration with George Peele. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy and is often seen ...
'', ''
Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' and ''King Lear'', however, are mostly unchanged.


''Deep Space Nine''

Avery Brooks Avery Franklin Brooks (born October 2, 1948) is an American actor, director, singer, narrator and educator. He is best known for his television roles as Captain Benjamin Sisko on ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', as Hawk on '' Spenser: For Hire'' ...
was an experienced Shakespearean actor before playing Commander/Captain
Benjamin Sisko Benjamin Lafayette Sisko is a fictional character in the '' Star Trek'' franchise portrayed by Avery Brooks. He first appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (''DS9'') and became prominent on the TV show in the United ...
in ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (''DS9'', 1993). Armin Shimerman is a Shakespearean actor and teacher of Shakespeare. In 2005, Brooks played the title role of ''
Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
''. Eight years earlier Stewart had played that role at the same stage in Washington, D.C., in a production that reversed the racial roles of
Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
and
Iago Iago () is a fictional character in Shakespeare's ''Othello'' (c. 1601–1604). Iago is the play's main antagonist, and Othello's standard-bearer. He is the husband of Emilia, who is in turn the attendant of Othello's wife Desdemona. Iago hates ...
.
René Auberjonois René Murat Auberjonois (; June 1, 1940 – December 8, 2019) was an American actor and director. He was best known for portraying Odo on '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999). He first achieved fame as a stage actor, winning the Tony Aw ...
(who plays
Odo Odo or ODO may refer to: People * Odo, a given name; includes a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Franklin Odo (born 1939), Japanese-American historian * Seikichi Odo (1927–2002), Japanese karateka * Yuya Odo (born 1990), J ...
in ''DS9'') said that "Actors with a background in the larger-than-life works of Shakespeare — or even musical comedy — adapt easily to non-real characters and bring a sense of truth to them".
Alexander Siddig Siddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abdurrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Karim El Mahdi (born 21 November 1965) is a Sudanese-born English actor and director known professionally as Siddig El Fadil and subsequently as Alexander Siddig. Siddig i ...
(
Julian Bashir Julian Subatoi Bashir, MD is a fictional character from the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', portrayed by Alexander Siddig. Bashir is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of space station Deep Space Nine and the USS ''Defiant''. ...
) stated that everyone in the ''DS9'' cast had done more Shakespeare than he had had hot dinners.
Robert O'Reilly Robert O'Reilly (born March 25, 1950) is an American film, stage, and television actor who has appeared in a variety of roles. He appeared in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for over ten years, primarily in his recurring role on '' Star Trek: The Nex ...
(the Klingon
Gowron Gowron, son of M'Rel, is a fictional character who appeared in the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. Portrayed by Robert O'Reilly, he is the leader of the Klingon ...
in ''TNG'' and ''DS9'') said that doing a lot of Shakespeare was helpful for playing a Klingon.
Richard Herd Richard Thomas Herd Jr. (September 26, 1932 – May 26, 2020) was an American actor, appearing in numerous supporting, recurring, and guest roles in television series and occasional film roles, from the 1970s to the 2010s. He was well known in th ...
, who played another Klingon, agreed that he found his character very Shakespearean. In the episode "
Improbable Cause "Improbable Cause" is the 66th episode of the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', the 20th episode of the third season. It is the first half of a two-part episode, concluded in the following episode, " The Die is Cast". Set in th ...
", the characters Garak and Julian Bashir discuss the merits of Shakespeare and ''Julius Caesar'', Garak being very skeptical. However, he quotes the play in the following episode, " The Die Is Cast", showing new understanding. Brooks directed "
Fascination Fascination may refer to: Music *"Fascination", a stride piano composition by James P. Johnson recorded in 1917 (as a piano roll) and 1939 (acoustic) *''Fascination!'', a 1983 album by The Human League **"(Keep Feeling) Fascination", a 1983 song ...
", in which several characters mysteriously become strongly attracted to each other. It was inspired by ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', specifically the 1935 film version.


Other series

Shakespeare is mostly absent in '' Star Trek: Voyager'' (1995) and ''
Star Trek: Enterprise ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from September 26, 2001, to May 13, 2005 on Uni ...
'' (2001). The ''Voyager'' episode "
Mortal Coil "Mortal coil" is a poetic term for the troubles of daily life and the strife and suffering of the world. It is used in the sense of a burden to be carried or abandoned. To "shuffle off this mortal coil" is to die, exemplified in the "To be, or not ...
" is named after a line in ''Hamlet''. In the ''Enterprise'' episode "
Cogenitor "Cogenitor" is the 48th episode of the television series ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', the 22nd episode of the second season. Set in the 2100s of the ''Star Trek'' science fiction universe, the NX-01 Enterprise lead by Captain Archer (played by Scott ...
", an alien captain receives a gift of Earth literature, including Shakespeare. In the '' Star Trek: Discovery'' (2017) episode " Perpetual Infinity", Spock quotes ''Hamlet'' (Act 1, Scene 5), to which
Michael Burnham Michael Burnham is the fictional protagonist on '' Star Trek: Discovery'' portrayed by American actress Sonequa Martin-Green. She originally appears as the First Officer of USS ''Shenzhou'' under Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) until she com ...
replies "''Hamlet'', hell yeah". The titles of the '' Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'' (2023) episodes "
A Quality of Mercy "A Quality of Mercy" is episode 80 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone'', which originally aired on December 29, 1961. The title is taken from a notable speech in William Shakespeare's ''The Merchant of Venice'', quot ...
" (''The Merchant of Venice'') and "
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" is the beginning of the second sentence of one of the most famous soliloquies in William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Macbeth''. It takes place in the beginning of the fifth scene of Act 5, during the time when th ...
" (''Macbeth'', Act 5, Scene 5) are Shakespeare references.


Notes


References


External links


William Shakespeare
at
Memory Alpha Memory Alpha is a wiki encyclopedia for topics related to the ''Star Trek'' fictional universe. Conceived by Harry Doddema and Dan Carlson in September 2003 and officially launched on December 5 of that year, it uses the wiki model and is hosted ...
, a ''Star Trek''
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Shakespearean works
at Memory Alpha
Shakespeare & Trek from TOS to Discovery
at startrek.com

at Ex Astris Scientia, a ''Star Trek'' fansite
Interview with Patrick Stewart on how his Shakespeare work led to Star Trek
LMU School of Film and Television, 2017 {{Star Trek William Shakespeare Star Trek