Should Shakespeare Be Taught in Highschool?

Shakespeare, born in the Elizabethan era, is the world’s most well known

author, outsold only by the Bible. Shakespeare’s plays are famous are the world

hundreds of years after they were written. All of Shakespeare’s plays are relatable,

entreating and beautiful in the descriptive language he uses to write them. Not only

is Shakespeare famous for his plays. His sonnets are musical to the ears, filling the

brain with thoughts and questions. Shakespeare’s works should be taught in school

because of the historical context and the themes presented.

Shakespeare’s works give insight into the time period in which he lived and

the settings in his works. In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, readers learn about

Shakespeare’s time period and about the different social classes. Many of the first

scenes of every act begin with sexual references in order to quiet the rowdy peasant

class. High-school students can benefit from learning about the time period of

Shakespeare’s to help them understand the work better. In Romeo and Juliet ,

understanding that twelve year old girls were married off to have kids is key to

understanding how the story is a tragedy to a romance. On a grander scale, high-

school students are able to learn from the faults of Shakespeare’s time, such as the

imbalance of social classes and of genders as to be able to appreciate the era we live

in today.

The themes presented in Shakespeare’s works questions readers and

provides and overall meaning to his works. Shakespeare’s works are so vast that

many teachers or acting companies tend to focus on a certain theme. In Georgia

Shakespeare’s most recent production of Hamlet, the group focused on the

increasing insanity of all the characters written in the play. Also, in Mrs. Swafford’s

English class, the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is being taught with the

theme of love as a creative and destructive force. High-school students can benefit

from works such as Shakespeare’s, that are timeless in continues meaning that

challenges students to dig deeper into their soul and make sense of themselves and

the meaning behind Shakespeare’s captivating plays.

Because high-school students are mature enough to understand the content

and Shakespeare’s plays, the plays make great works for literature analysis done by

high school students. Students learn more than just the story. By reading and

studying Shakespeare, students understand the different meanings and hidden

messages that are beautifully buried between the lines and understand the true

genius that is Shakespeare.