Absolutely. Take a look at English literature and fiction since the time of Shakespeare. Much of it is inspired by his plots, including the current season of "The Sopranos" where it's predicted that we'll see a Soprano family meltdown much like the familial meltdown that befell King Lear. Now we should all go out and accuse the "Sopranos" writers of stealing "King Lear" from Shakespeare.
Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola openly admitted that "Godfather Part 3" was based on "King Lear."