As most of us have experienced here at ETHS, Shakespeare is a core part of most English curricula, but does that mean that his plays still hold value? Every year, hundreds of freshmen at ETHS pore over “Romeo and Juliet,” analysing every painstaking detail of a play that’s hundreds of years old, learning to navigate severely outdated language. It’s not just ETHS students either. According to Whittier College, 93% of students will learn about Shakespeare in some way during 9th grade. Again, in the sophomore year, many will return to Shakespeare in “Macbeth,” a play even more violent than the former. Later, in AP Literature, many seniors are tasked with reading Hamlet, the longest Shakespearean play yet.
As we move through our high school years, it seems like Shakespeare follows us, popping up at every turn. We’re always sure that he’ll be there to present us with an overly complicated story and language that comes naturally to no one.
Yet, there must be an explanation as to why he’s still with us–409 years after his death–and just maybe, there is a reason that our English teachers force us not just to read, but also listen to, act out, and watch his work.
Reading Shakespeare can be laborious, with his language often being inaccessible to modern readers. Even with teachers helping students along, Shakespeare’s writings can be hard to decode. As stated by Adobe, “77% of 11-18-year-olds who struggle to understand Shakespeare’s plays say it is because of the challenging language.” However, to completely write off Shakespeare because of this inaccessibility is to write off any piece of writing or media we deem too difficult, whether it’s hundreds of years old or brand new. We’re always going to encounter work that we don’t understand–whether it’s a poem, a film, or a historical document. Many English teachers’ goal when leading students through Shakespeare is to build skills that can be applied in numerous situations, allowing students to grow as readers and writers.
“When we make [Shakespeare] accessible, and we learn strategies of how to approach it, I can see students develop their reading strategies. So the next time that they approach something really challenging, whether it’s Shakespeare, an apartment lease or the FAFSA form, they have strategies to decode and figure out challenging works,” explained Ms. Neill, an English teacher at ETHS.
Whether or not you think Shakespeare holds value, it’s impossible to ignore the impact that he has today. He’s often considered to be one of the most important writers for the English language, popularising certain words or phrases and standardising grammar. His use of plot development, characterisation and witty jokes revolutionised poetry and playwriting, making a lasting impact.
“A lot of his stories are kind of silly, but people still really like them. Every year, a Shakespeare movie comes out. Every year, someone in politics quotes Shakespeare. If you don’t know anything about Shakespeare, if you haven’t been exposed to it at all, you just missed out on some cultural happenings,” comments Ms. Neill.
It’s true, Shakespeare is still relevant today, and his work continues to inspire modern productions. In 1996, Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet” was a box office hit, grossing over 147 million dollars with its showstopping performances and maximalistic presentation. The film utilised the original script, Shakespearean language and all, showing how a modern audience could understand an older style when it was presented with vibrancy and a star-studded cast. Other directors have taken a different approach, using Shakespeare’s plays as inspiration for modern stories. For example, “10 Things I Hate About You,” a ’90s romantic teen classic, was inspired by “The Taming of the Shrew,” the story of a headstrong woman and her romantic journey. The movie grossed over 53 million dollars and pioneered the careers of Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, showcasing how a Shakespearean story with a modern twist was still a captivating story for many audiences. Shakespeare has influenced us since his first plays at the Globe Theatre, and will continue to make an impact far into the future.
“We are influenced, whether we know it or not, by him. The other stuff that we watch, it connects back to him,” states Ms. Handelman, an English teacher at ETHS.
To write off Shakespeare as a figment of the past would be to ignore his massive cultural impact and the importance of navigating difficult situations, whether literary or not. Of course, it’s important to acknowledge other important historical perspectives outside of an Englishman but as Ms. Handelman puts it,
“Of what we have from his time period, his [work] is the best of what we’ve got.”
Shakespeare is a key part of our culture, language and history, and it would be detrimental to students if we remove him from our curriculum. Reading Shakespeare allows us to better understand the world around us, and his work does have value, no matter how difficult or outdated it’s considered to be.
