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Coronavirus has somehow given us Shakespeare plague memes

Billy Shake was a real try-hard.

Tim Marcin

on March 16, 2020

Coronavirus has somehow given us Shakespeare plague memes

William Shakespeare... what a try-hard.

With the coronavirus spreading globally, The Atlantic and others have pointed out that the Bard likely churned out King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra while he was quarantined during a plague outbreak. Just a few classic plays that changed theater forever. No big deal.

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Lots and lots of people are tucking themselves away in their homes — some aren't and they need to. What to do with all that time inside?

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Inspired by Shakespeare's legendary quarantine output, folks on the internet have done what folks on the internet do — make memes. The general consensus? We're all going to be... a bit less... productive than perhaps the most famous writer in history.

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We can't all be Shakespeare. Scratch that: None of us can be Shakespeare. That jabroni did not have Netflix.

Still, while you're stuck at home, take time for yourself and try to actively quell any anxieties that come up. If you get bored, here are some movies you can watch to kill the time. If possible, try to limit your time surfing all the bad news online. Wash your hands. And outside of the actual work you do from home, if you find some time to be productive, that's awesome! Just don't compare yourself to Shakespeare.

And again, try to stay away from people. Please. It's the best weapon against this virus that we've got.

Topics Health Memes COVID-19

Tim Marcin

Associate Editor, Culture

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).