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William Shakespeare's plays are often considered universal pieces of literature whose themes and morals transcend the 17th century and can be related to all generations. Many of the morals and feelings Shakespeare wrote about still carry weight today and can easily be adapted to modern situations as seen in many recent adaptations such as West Side Story and 10 Things I Hate About You. However there are some aspects of Shakespeare's work which do not transcend the 17th century. Within in the majority of his plays are presented political and societal values which would appear terrible by today's largely liberal democratic society. This is of course Shakespeare's tendency to show his contempt for the poor and working class within his plays. There are many people who might argue against this view, choosing instead to read Shakespeare's contempt for the poor and aristocratic attitude ironically. Yet this is nothing but a failed attempt to place their own modern values onto the plays,......

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