This is a personal opinion that I would like to share..
I think Shakespeare is important to teach in high school. When you compare this type of literature to an ordinary novel or even a children's book it may seem difficult to understand and frustrating to pronounce.. But Shakespeare is full of symbolism, irony, and vibrant productions of visionary scenes. This type of literature helps the reader to think differently about characters, and struggle to think about what the author is really trying to say, what he means behind his words, and why he is writing or presenting the conflicts, relationships, and tragedies. It can help pull you away from everyday books and bring you into a deeper understanding of history, you learn more about the era, the unique language, and the the way the people reacted to their surroundings. It can help you learn more about yourself, your life, and your choices.
Shakespeare can only be a positive influence if you actually give it a chance; you need to read, (not just go through the action of reading) you need to look for hidden meaning, you need to stop and see what's going on, in the setting, in the atmosphere, in the character.. everything is important in a Shakespeare novel and if you don't stop to think about everything as a whole, (not just as some dumb, pointless book) then you can actually come away from the literature with a sense of meaning.
Yes.. the words are hard to understand and yes, you are not used to the grammar or the pronunciation, but it does have meaning and it IS important to the high school English curriculum. In a sense, it's problem solving. You're only using words instead of numbers. It all lays in the way you perceive the article of work, But then again, this is my opinion, and I am personally greatful that the cirriculum had shown me the world of shakespeare.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This post is precisely why we have a class blog. Thank you for your insight, and your candor, Breanna. Anything that the educational system does to motivate students to share their thoughts is a good thing, in my opinion. What do the rest of you think? Differing opinions make excellent conversations, but remember to respect others as you respect yourself.
ReplyDeleteRM
The first Paragraph is almost exactly my thoughts on this subject
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing that so i don't have to
Yes, Shakespeare is different than any novel (but, it's not a novel it's a play, I don't remember hearing a lot of the characters thoughts).
ReplyDeleteI used to think of Shakespeare stories like some sort of puzzle, trying to figure out different or deeper meanings to what he/it's trying to say. I think if you do that and you do give it a chance you will change the way you see/perceive the world and give you an understanding (I find this happens in Geography and Biology).
I found that after digging into it, it gave me something fresh and it is a challenge to read in it's self but that's just part of it (that's what gives you so many meanings). That's why it needs to be taught in school (and maybe not to everyone).
They are formed into novels when you see them. You never see *play studies* in Grade 11 Literature. You see *novel studies*. I understand your point, semba, but I also see breanna's point on how it is a novel.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I completely agree with breanna's input on Shakespeare. It is useful for everyone and, whether you like it or not, you will remember the plays you learn. And I know the people who are saying teaching Shakespeare is not useful are thinking *What would we use it for later in life?*. I can answer that simply with logic. When you're older, 90-95% of the population will have children. If the study of Shakespeare is continued, your children will ask about it. No parent likes to answer a question with *I don't know, I never learned it*. That's a simple, logical, practical reason for it.
Another reason why Shakespeare is useful in every day life, is that the media does reference it from time to time. *To be or not to be? That is the question*. Every single person has heard that quote. But do they know where it came from? Maybe, maybe not. It all depends if you were taught Shakespeare in high school. Point, proven.
Good post Breanna.
By the way, Shakespeare didn't only write plays. He also wrote poems, sonnets, and a talented composer.
ReplyDelete