Wednesday, October 31, 2012

All Schools Include The Study Of Shakespeare For Students

By Marcy Becker


Across the U. S, many different schools have a set curriculum for schoolchildren that is set in order to provide the most well rounded experience possible. Nearly all the subjects, including English, science, and math have required lesson plans, most of the literature planning includes some Shakespeare for students. Most grade levels have their own goals and requirements for students to meet or exceed by the school year coming to an end.

For reading, writing, and English classes, there are usually a set of books or stories which are required to be read. Often these pieces are classics of literature and are meant to apply to certain age levels based on the subject matter in the text. Basing readings on age and maturity level, along with the issues that age group is facing, is often how these required texts are assigned.

While some readings may be assigned during the summer between grades, most are given out in the classroom and worked on together over a period of time. Many grade levels have texts which are considered essential to the curriculum and are seen assigned for that age range across the country. These texts are usually literature classics which were written at influential time periods or which contain influential subject matter or writing styles.

Likely the most well known of all classic authors assigned for classroom reading is William Shakespeare. His plays were popular in his time and have only continued to be loved by readers as time has passed. Today, there are a few plays written by the author which are required reading for nearly all schoolchildren at some point.

Likely the most beloved and influential pieces written by Shakespeare include Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and King Lear. However, these are just a few of the many incredible works created by a man who was definitely ahead of his time. While over 400 years separate the creation of the works from those who read them today, the underlying subjects and stories are ones that are universal and withstand the test of time.

The base themes for many of his works are those which humans will experience forever, including greed, love, life, and death. People both suffer from and delight in these things today as they did hundreds of years ago. The value of the works lies not only in the subject matter itself, but also in how the writer created the stories and painted a picture with mere words.

Most of the author's plays detail strong subject matter that is inherent to the human condition. Examples of this include racism, abuse of power, and treatment of different social classes. Students are often required to read his pieces because the subjects are as applicable today as they were hundreds of years ago and they are written in a unique and beautiful way that no longer exists in popular culture today.

Shakespeare for students and subject matter relation is often why many schools require the reading of Shakespeare's works. Additionally, the huge affect of the writer's works on the English language as a whole necessitates that people familiarize themselves with his works. His style, ideas, and wording are all things that have greatly shaped language and literature in the west and these contributions cannot be forgotten.




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