Interview with Dimitris Eleas about William Shakespeare

What follows is what was said between Dimitris Sakislidis* and me for the bibliophilic website Bookia, on the occasion of my book When Shakespeare Was Lost, 1585–1592, published in Athens by the historic publishing house Govostis Editions. I believe that readers of Pressenza will find, in the answers, many insights into Shakespeare as a creator, into the meaning of the human being in today’s world, as well as the current state of America, just as much as that of modern Greece. Shakespeare, who can ‘advise’ you that, “unless you marry well, you’ll be working forever.” Shakespeare, who might just ‘advise’ that without a good mood and a sense of humor, you won’t get very far in life.

What inspired you to write about Shakespeare’s disappearance during this particular period of his life?

Thank you, Dimitris [Sakislidis]. Thank you, Bookia. Should I answer these questions, or shouldn’t I? I’m joking, of course. What inspired me was the mystery surrounding those so-called “lost years” of William Shakespeare, from 1585 to 1592. It’s a period full of unanswered questions – questions that, I like to believe, I’ve somehow managed to respond to. I was fascinated by the idea of reflecting on the unknown aspects that so critically shaped the Man behind the Myth. No one knows where he was or what he was doing. That absence offered fertile ground, something that is captured in “our book” (as I prefer to call it). Shakespeare was no accident…

How did history and fiction come together in your book? Was that a challenge?

The blending of history and fiction was both a challenge and an opportunity. I carefully researched the historical facts of the period, and those very facts give us the freedom to imagine. So, fiction stepped in where history falls silent – without ever betraying it. The greatest challenge was to render that society convincingly, so that the reader might feel that Shakespeare, though a fictional character here, remains a man of his time – and at the same time, timeless.

Which messages or themes that emerge from your book do you consider most relevant today?

The book sheds light on themes such as identity, “family,” friendship, fate, “social marginalization,” and the power of language as a tool for personal advancement. Through the “disappearance of Shakespeare,” what comes to the surface is the search for meaning during a time of uncertainty, something incredibly relevant in today’s world. It also touches on the idea of what it means “to stand out” – not through loud or flashy means, but through acts of creating meaning through verse. In an age of crisis, the need for truth feels more alive than ever. In my view, politics –and the act of giving power to the wrong people– is worse than the mafia. And that is evident today, on both sides of the Atlantic.

How do you think Shakespeare’s figure and personality relate to today’s political and social quests?

Shakespeare’s figure embodies the complexity of human nature and the need to understand the “other.” (Today, the “other” –say, the immigrant– often becomes the enemy.) As an observer of his society, he spoke of power, wealth, death, jealousy, and love with a timeless perspective. Today, as political and social questions resurface with intensity –who we are, where we belong, “who gets excluded,” how we move forward– Shakespeare’s voice remains profoundly relevant. He calls on us to question everything we hear and to practice empathy, in a world where you hardly know what to cling to. Nowadays, Shakespeare should head to post-Soviet Russia and rewrite his tragedies – this time, with ink and vodka. And at the White House, “a Shakespearean hero” without a sore throat roams free… forgetting to take his pills, unafraid of even death.

As a political activist, how much does your political stance influence your writing?

Hmm. My political stance runs through my writing as an inseparable part of the creative process. In my mind, unfortunately, everything connects. The conviction for social justice and the need for voices that resist injustice push me to dig deeper into issues of power and freedom. Through fiction, I aim to provoke thought. Perhaps there’s a political thread –a thread that gives meaning and fire to my texts–always with respect for the uniqueness that every person holds.

Are there moments in the book that reflect your own views on politics or society?

In the book, certain moments do reflect my own views on politics and society. I aim to highlight the curse of power –the “poison of the ruler”– which often silences the voices of the weak. The antidote to all this is collective action, out there in the streets and on the stage. Through Shakespeare’s life, I try to show how Art –a sting, a spur– can serve as a tool for change. My unwavering belief in humanity’s ability to transcend its limits and improve any conditions, I think, is present on every page. At the same time, tensions arise among people because vanity tends to flourish.

How do you see the relationship between literature and activism in our time?

(As a side note: First, literature is a big word, and I “gift” it to the Greek authors who have written 50 or 100 books without ever really saying anything meaningful, dragging along both publishers and readers. And their books don’t last more than six months. Should I mention –or not– that while Shakespeare was alive, he never published a book, just like C.P. Cavafy! Second, the collapse in Greece happening everywhere is also reflected in the book world, not just in the so-called number of sheep counted by fake shepherds [Here, I’m referring to the major scandal in Greece that was brought to light by the European Union – namely, that many livestock farmers were falsely declaring more animals than they actually owned in order to receive heftier subsidies. And so, the money turned into trips to Paris, swimming pools, and Porsche Cayennes]. Around 40,000 books are published every year in France, 10,000 in Greece. What does this mean? It means, paraphrasing Castoriadis a bit, that culture in Greece ended in 404 BC.) Literature and activism are intertwined, especially today, when individual voices often get lost in the noise of social media. Literature offers a space for reflection and expression, where social inequalities can be illuminated and analyzed to some extent. Through storytelling, change is “encouraged.” Activism needs literature to become more impactful, while literature draws inspiration and purpose from activism, perhaps. Here, it should be mentioned that Gaza is “the dark horse of our time,” embraced by no one! (I clearly support Israel, but that’s another matter.) Nietzsche, in Turin, upon seeing a horse being whipped, let out a cry of compassion, stepped forward, and wrapped his arms around the horse’s neck as if trying to embrace all the suffering of the world.

What would you like readers to take away from When Shakespeare Was Lost?

I would like readers to hold on to a sense of curiosity about the “lost years,” but also to the idea that history is never just a sequence of events. History is also what has been forgotten or silenced. It is a living web of human conflicts and dreams. I hope they feel, through the storytelling, the urgent need for Art to help us better understand the world and ourselves. I want them to remember that human nature –which was so masterfully portrayed years later in Hamlet (1623), the play that deeply influenced Freud– is governed more by emotion than by reason… and that is the greatest hubris.

What are your next plans, both in literature and in political activism?

I don’t really have plans… Or maybe some plans include continuing to explore the human experience and creativity through stories that blend the turbulent present, politics, humor, and everyday life. I want to take the voice away from “time-wasters who govern and only think about their wallets” and give voice to the unlucky, the outcasts, the “failures,” the sick, the poor – people who have a spark in their eyes and integrity. The struggle for justice is more urgent today than ever. In political activism, I may deepen my involvement with groups that promote human rights and social solidarity. For me, writing and activism are two complementary paths, and I will keep moving along both… writing two pages a day, and tearing up five! “To beer or not to beer?”

*Mr. Dimitris Sakislidis lives in Greece and is a schoolteacher and author of many books.