Should Shakespeare be taught in high school?

Sheryll (No)

Though Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest writer in the English language, we should pay some attention to the concerns of educators who are reluctant to continue keeping his work a staple in high school classrooms. 

Many educators argue that Shakespearian works fail to reflect the experiences of diverse groups and that granting so much value to just one white man’s view of life promotes the idea that other cultural perspectives are less important. Instead, teachers could emphasize early writings from Asia, Latin America, or African oral traditions. After all, many students come from these languages and customs and deserve to allocate equal time and value to these works. 

Secondly, though Shakespeare is often praised as a man ahead of his time, it should be noted that his work does not hold up to modern standards of progressiveness. Many Shakespearian tragedies, for instance, seldom grant women satisfying endings to their stories. A female death is also often written as a consequence of a male character’s mistakes.

Furthermore, if people did want to understand Shakespeare, there are better places than a high school classroom. Shakespeare’s words were chosen to be spoken or heard, not to be read and analyzed behind a desk, and held up without a performance. It is also worth noting that most of Shakespeare’s audiences were illiterate, not knowing the meaning of every word he wrote. Quizzing students on the meaning of every Shakespeare detail put a burden on the students that was not present for the original audiences. Therefore, it is time to take Shakespeare out of the classroom and provide students with more diverse and progressive literature study.

Luis (Yes)

Considering that the main purpose of high schools is to provide students with the necessary knowledge for their lives and future careers, it’s crucial to teach them about Shakespeare. After all, we’re talking about one of the most important figures in Western civilization’s art and the person many consider the greatest English writer.

Learning Shakespeare is vital to understanding the Western canon of literature, which has impacted and shaped most of Western civilization. Teaching Shakespeare to high school students is crucial because it can curate a love for creative stage writing, poetry, and historical and classical allusions to other cultures. It also provides a window into a whole different era, allowing students to understand the cultural and sociopolitical context of a time that set a turning point in many aspects of Western society.

Moreover, teaching Shakespeare exposes students to a vocabulary level, sometimes enhancing their language skills as they encounter new words and structures that could improve their grammar and writing skills. Teaching Shakespeare also can enhance creativity. After all, his works can exacerbate personal reflection and creative expression through different art forms such as writing and acting. In fact, Shakespeare’s work can even inspire young students to explore their own values and identity, allowing them to develop imagination and even empathy.

While it’s understandable that some high schools expand their literature curriculum to include authors other than the famous British writer, it is important that Shakespeare remains taught. His works provide countless benefits, like expanding a student's knowledge of art, history, and stories, and can even help develop their own creative spark.