Yes, they really can and do go together. One of the few literary influences that spans every generation of
Star Trek is Shakespeare. His works are
quoted in episodes, used as titles, and appear as thematic elements in the
movies. This just goes to show that
Shakespeare truly is applicable for every time and place, even the
twenty-fourth century and beyond.
The original series only lasted for three seasons (eighty
episodes), but six of the episodes drew their titles directly from Shakespeare's
plays, and a seventh had one of the characters quoting Sonnet 18.
Episode 11 "The Dagger of the Mind" (from "Or art thou
but/A dagger of the mind, a false creation,/Proceeding from the heat-oppressed
brain?" (Macbeth II.i.38-39))
Episode 13 "The Conscience of the King" (from "The
play's the thing/Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king" (Hamlet
II.ii.605-606).)
Episode 50 "By Any Other Name" (from "What's in a name?
that which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet" (Romeo
and Juliet II.ii.40-44).)
Episode 68 "Wink of an Eye" (from "Every wink of an
eye some new grace will be born: our absence makes us unthrifty to our
knowledge" (Winter's Tale V.ii.112-133).)
Episode 71 "Whom Gods Destroy"--While this title is not drawn from Shakespeare, one of the principal characters (a patient in a mental hospital) claims to have written Sonnet 18, which starts, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?/Thou art more lovely and more temperate."
Episode 78. "All Our Yesterdays" (from "And all our
yesterdays have lighted fools/The way to dusty death" (Macbeth V.v.22-23).)
Several episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation also
make references to Shakespeare. While only
one title is drawn from his work, there are several quotes within the episodes
from Hamlet, Macbeth, As You Like It, 2 Henry VI, The
Merchant of Venice, 1 Henry IV, Othello, and several of the
Sonnets. There are also three instances
of the characters actually acting out scenes from the plays, including Henry
V, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Tempest.
Of the ten movies made, two have references to Shakespeare.
Star Trek: The Voyage Home features Dr. McCoy saying, "Angels and
ministers of grace, defend us!" (Hamlet I.iv.39)
Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country draws its title
from Hamlet's "To be" soliloquy. The
Klingons make several Shakespeare references, in particular General Chang.
(The following is quoted directly from http://scifi.about.com/library/weekly/aa022800c.htm)
Chang's
other Shakespearean references are used just for fancy talk and little "I
know more than you do about your own culture" jibes as Chang and Kirk
macho-macho off each other.
"Parting
is such sweet sorrow" (Romeo and Juliet II.ii.184), is spoken
ironically by Chang as he leaves the Enterprise after the extremely awkward dinner,
and "Have we not heard the chimes at midnight?"
(2 Henry IV III.ii.212, paraphrase) is a reference to his and Kirk's
maturity.
Chang
can't resist hamming it up while Kirk and McCoy are on trial with lines from
Richard II: "Let us sit upon the ground/And tell sad stories of the death
of kings" (III.ii.155-56).
While
Kirk and company are bombarded with torpedoes by the invisible Klingon ship and
then improvise their own missile of death, Chang also enjoys himself (and bugs
the beejeesus out of McCoy) with warrior quotes:
"Once
more into the breach, dear friends" (Henry V III.i.1).
"There's
a divinity that shapes our ends/Rough-hew them how we will?" (Hamlet
V.ii.10-11).
"This
above all: to thine ownself be true" (Hamlet I.iii.78).
"If
you have tears, prepare to shed them now" (Julius Caesar III.ii.168).
"How
long will a man lie in space ere he rot?" (Hamlet V.i.163,
paraphrase)
"Our
revels now are ended" (The Tempest III.i.148).
"Whether
'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous
fortune,/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles..." (Hamlet III.i.58-60)
"Hath
not a Klingon hands, organs...affections, passions? Tickle
us, do we not laugh? Prick us, do we not bleed? Wrong us, shall we not revenge?"
(Merchant of Venice II.i.56-63, paraphrase)
"I am constant as the northern star" (Julius
Caesar III.i.60).
"The
game's afoot" (Henry V III.i.32).
"Cry 'havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war" (Julius
Caesar III.i.274).
(End
quote)