Shakespeare in Lost

Sunday night, Lost aired its final episode. It may go down as one of the best television shows ever made. It was a different kind of show. It employed almost every single genre known (western, drama, mystery, noir, science fiction, romance, fantasy, action, horror, etc.). I thought it was well written, acted, directed, etc. It was wonderful, modern storytelling. It had a true beginning, middle, and end. It went out with its head held high and on top. And, I watched every minute of every episode of each of the six seasons, thanks to my DVR.
People who did not like the show fell into two categories; couldn’t keep up or did not have time. Those who could not keep up could not handle the fact that the story overlapped episodes and seasons. They want their television in 30 or 60 minute bits with a conclusion. Their attention spans can not handle it, otherwise. Or, they just watched one episode and found it too confusing with multiple story lines and characters. If you can keep up with a soap opera, Lost should be no big deal. The other camp probably does not have time for television or just does not watch much because there is nothing on. If you fall into any of these categories, you have no real basis for criticism. If you watched at least three in a row, I will listen to your issues about it.
The writers and directors of Lost had obviously read the classics. It has elements of the Greek classics and the Norse sagas. There were more Shakespearian characters than a renaissance fair. You had Sawyer as Hamlet playing both sides against the middle. Gin and Sun were Romeo and Juliet. The smoke monster Locke was the evil and flawed Richard III. Eloise played Lady Macbeth with her plotting and scheming. The list goes on. Other literature included Charles Widmore as Satan from Paradise Lost trying to regain his power. Sawyer was reading Watership Down through most of the series. There were also elements of Robinson Crusoe and Lord of the Flies. Hurley was regularly quoting Star Wars. (Yes, Star Wars is a modern classic. It meets all the definitions.)
They had biblical references as well. The messiah story was evident in the “candidates”. Cain and Abel represented with Jacob and his brother. Jack Shepherd was the leader of the flock. The smoke monster tempted Claire as the serpent tempted Eve. Jacob was guarding the “light”. Ben Linus was the prodigal son. Hurley was playing the young King David. He was unsure of the power and responsibility that had been granted to him. The battle between the darkness and the light was the whole theme of the show.
I also liked the way they incorporated two great philosophers in one man; John Locke and Jeremy Bentham. They also pleased both sides of the political spectrum. The survivors lived together in a social commune of sorts. They were dependent on each other for their existence. Yet, there were incidences of right and wrong with no gray area.
Lost was also a story. You had to watch it as one. You had to see it unfold week after week. Questions were not answered quickly, but they were answered. The last episode did a great job of tying up the loose ends. I strongly suggest you go out and rent or even buy the series. If you watch it from a classical literature point of view, it is even better. Otherwise, just watch it for a good story or saga you will not be disappointed.
In my next article, I will discuss why Lost made good television as well.
I just hope my former English and Literature teachers forgive me for my blasphemy.