Is Shakespeare taught in schools as it should be?

In schools across the U.K, and across the world, the many renowned plays of William Shakespeare are taught. The gripping plots which cleverly intertwine drama, tragedy and love are just one of the reasons why his plays are still so relevant after over 500 years later. However, the way his timeless pieces of literature are taught in schools are arguably not the most effective.

Almost all secondary school curriculums require Shakespeare’s plays to be taught to students, with requirements to analyse rich vocabulary and write critical essays to evaluate larger techniques and themes. An important area that the curriculum lacks in its requirements, however, is the consideration of the performance of these plays.

The words on paper can sometimes make one forget that these plays were actually performed to audiences of over 1,000 people in the famous theatre The Globe. With tickets starting from only one penny, Shakespeare’s plays were not limited to the elite of society, as most of theatre was in the 16th Century; they were accessible to almost anyone in society. The plays were written in the manner they are because they were to be performed to an audience for hours and with some standing under an open roof, only the most gripping of characters and plots kept their attention.

Unfortunately, students studying his plays do not always have access to see the plotlines unfold in action, which can be limiting to their holistic understanding of the plays. Some students have expressed their concerns on the pressure of simply reading instead of watching these nuanced plays.

Mehreen Hussain, an A-Level English Literature student at WCHS said ‘I think watching the plays being performed being compulsory in the curriculum would be really beneficial for all the students because these plays were written to be performed essentially, so we’d never truly be able to understand the full meaning of the plays by just reading.’

Although Shakespeare’s legendary plays are still remembered today, it is important to consider that some changes to the way Shakespeare is taught in schools may need to be implemented to ensure that the teaching of his plays in schools are as effective as possible.