Should Shakespeare be removed from the high school curriculum?

Answer 1

Shakespeare is taught in British schools both in English literature and English language and he should be taught in all schools over the world where English is the first language as so much of the English language was first coined by William Shakespeare which should be a good enough reason in itself. ---- Shakespeare is actually quite interesting, and I think its good to be taught in schools.

Answer 2

As the greatest writer in the history of the English language, and perhaps the greatest writer of Western civilization, Shakespeare will be taught in the curriculum until the utterly ignorant and perfectly stupid are in complete control of it.

Answer 3

The Elizabethan Theatre was the first commercial and popular entertainment system in the world - and Shakespeare was its foremost professional.

If popular culture doesn't matter, and if the working classes don't matter, there is a strong case for not studying Shakespeare.

Religious bigots and upper-class twits have good reason to fear Shakespeare. The rest of us have just as sound reasons for loving him.

Answer 4

Like in most instances this is a question of subjective opinion. Most scholars will say yes since certain themes within his plays deal with everyday life. Most exaggerate and stretch those themes, but it doesn't make it any less relatable. Helen from Midsummer Night's Dream fell victim to the scenario in which the man of your dreams loves your best friend. In Romeo and Juliet the two star-crossed lovers failed to seek approval from their parents. Of course Shakespeare blows this out of proportion by having the two commit suicide when they believe the other is lost forever, but then again, there are people in present day life that will do anything for love. Another plus to reading and watching his plays in high school is the fact that the colorful and figurative language demands your brain to expand and work at its maximum capacity to fully get a grip on the information being read. The only downside is that not everyone is motivated enough to actually read between the lines and put an effort to understand what "For nought but provender, and when he's old, cashier'd: Whip me such honest knaves." (Iago from Othello) means. the time and patience that goes forth from reading William Shakespeare's plays is something most people will find tedious. so unless you have the mindset to care it can be a waste of time. Some students use his works to their advantage though and can look at the context a word is used in order to draw a meaning. This helps develop skills that will be needed later on writing and reading sections of the SAT.

Answer 5

Shakespeare should be taught in every year of high school. Even the brief exposure to three or four plays is hardly sufficient, and for many students, this will be their only exposure to any dramatic scripts or any of the work of the greatest master of the English language. Even with those three or four plays, which are as often as not all tragedies (Hamlet, Macbeth, Caesar, Romeo and Juliet and Othello figure prominently in high school courses), students often get the idea that Shakespeare's plays are all or predominantly tragic.

Answer 6

No.

Answer 7

yes