Shakespeare and Cervantes, is it true that they died the same day?

Each April 23the world joins to celebrate the International Book Daya tribute to the literature of all time – and of all its genres – and also to writers who have left a legacy for life through words. On this special day, it is impossible to ignore two names that have left an indelible mark on the history of world literature: William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes. Two greats that will remain in force and present in our booksellers, regardless of the passage of time.

It is no accident that this commemoration occurs every April 23, because this day, but 1616, it is wrongly thought that Cervantes and Shakespeare died. However, Cervantes died 22 and He was buried on April 23, 1616while Shakespeare's death occurred on May 3 Well at that time England was governed by the Julian calendar.

However, there is an enter both authors and the date because William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564, and at that time the baptism was celebrated three days after birth so it is estimated that he was born on April 23, the same day that Cervantes died but in the year 1616. Despite the discussions about the exact dates, the fiction and the magic of literature have always reminded us that everything has always reminded us that everything has always remembered us How much we imagine can be possible and, without a doubt, every April 23, humanity will continue to celebrate the letters.

Entrañable characters and literary brushstrokes in common

Shakespearethe English poet and playwright, and Cervantesthe Spanish prose genius, They lived and wrote at the same timebut in radically different cultural and linguistic contexts. Despite these differences, their works share notable similarities that transcend the barriers of time and space.

First of all, Both Shakespeare and Cervantes masterfully explore the complexity of the human condition. Shakespeare's works, from tragedies as Hamlet and Romeo and Julieta Even comedies as The dream of a summer nightThey offer a penetrating vision of internal and external conflicts that the characters face. Similarly, Cervantes, through his immortal Don Quijote of La Manchahe gave us a vivid portrait of the struggle between reality and fantasy, between idealism and pragmatics.

In addition, both Shakespeare and Cervantes were teachers in the creation of unforgettable characters and a captivating complexity. In Shakespeare's works, characters like Hamlet, Lady Macbeth and Falstaff They have become literary archetypes that continue to resonate in popular culture to this day. For his part, Cervantes gave the world equally iconic characters, from the delusional Don Quixote Until his faithful squire Sancho Panzawhose humanity and sense of humor are eternally captivating.