Thanks to recent modern-day revampings of his plays, William Shakespeare has taken on a new popularity and generation of fans.

Loring Silet, professor in the English department, called the new interpretations of Shakespeare’s work “very healthy.”

“They suggest how adaptable and universal Shakespeare’s plays are; you can play them strict or take liberties,” he said.

Silet, who teaches a film course at ISU, approves of some of the recent updates of the Bard’s plays, including 1996’s “William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet.”

“The latest version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ does more for students than all the readings done in junior high or high school,” he said.

Faye Whitaker, assistant provost of the English department, also specializes in teaching Shakespeare.

For the most part, Whitaker said the updates are appropriate.

“Shakespeare was up-to-date in his time, and there’s reason for us to look at his text and cast them in modern ways now,” she said.

Whitaker also said the remakes probably will keep high school and college students interested in Shakespeare.

“Some of [the remakes] are pretty good, and some of them are not so good, but you can say that about anything at the multiplex,” she said. “In general, they’re pretty exciting.”

Silet agreed that the updates of Shakespeare are a positive learning tool for students.

“The contemporary versions of Shakespeare films are not doing Shakespeare any harm and are very probably going to open up his plays to a wider audience, and a portion of that audience will begin to read his plays,” he said. “Shakespeare will survive all.”

Gloria Betcher, professor in the English department, said there is unnecessary pretension surrounding Shakespeare’s plays.

“There are too many traditionalists that think Shakespeare should only be done in a high-art way,” she said.

Betcher said she thinks it’s important for students to realize how Shakespeare still influences today’s society.

“The more students are aware of the texts, the more they will be aware of how much Shakespeare influences popular culture,” she said.

Betcher said she emphasizes plays and not authorship when she teaches Shakespeare.

“We really don’t have a definitive version of Shakespeare; editors change the plays to their liking,” she said.

“It seems to me that we can’t really realize his intent of writing or what Shakespeare really wrote. His life and plays adapted by modern culture really gets people interested,” she said.