Brainy Quote. William Shakespeare. www.brainyquote.com/authors/william_shakespeare. May 1,2018 Put bluntly, Shakespeare and classroom environments do not mix. Experiencing Shakespeare in an appropriate setting in a theatre allows viewers to be exposed to his literature in the most effective manner. Sitting behind a desk, reading aloud, and closely analyzing every phrase he articulates doesn’t do his work justice. This ultimately defeats his entire intended method of presentation; to be shared through acting on a stage. Overall, educational facilities’ modern ways of teaching Shakespeare undoubtedly ruin the experience, and associates a bad reputation surrounding his work with students.
Mark Powell beautifully writes, “You don’t need an expensive education to understand Shakespeare, but you do need the luxury of time, space and specialism to put his words on their feet.” (Powell,Subtitle) https://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2014/mar/17/kill-bill-shakespeare-classroom-theatre This emphasizes my opinion supporting that Shakespeare can take you on a unique journey through a perspective that no other author can offer, however shouldn’t be a part of the curriculum if funds don’t allow for it to be experienced effectively. In addition, the way teachers share Shakespeare’s work with students involving close inspection of certain phrases and attempting to decipher what certain situations represent isn’t what Shakespeare intended. Powell states, “It’s an English teacher’s remit to analyse language, but pick apart every word of Shakespeare and you’ve dissected the butterfly - pretty in parts but a nonsensical whole and certainly unable to fly.”(Powell, paragraph 3). Shakespeare’s audience didn’t recognize “every word uttered… but the sounds and pictures they created kept viewers enthralled for hours.”(Powell, paragraph 4). Thus, if Shakespeare must be studied in a classroom, teachers should modify their ways of analysing his pieces so as to not emphasize and pick apart each given word, phrase or section. In summary, teachers should stop asking ‘why?’ and simply allow students to enjoy. Other feeble approaches to this matter revolving around translating Shakespeare’s work into modern English are foolish and ignorant. Important meanings are hidden behind his straining vocabulary that will be lost. Shapiro of The New York Times exclaims how “Macbeth’s dense soliloquies were intentionally difficult; Shakespeare was capturing a feverish mind at work, tracing the turbulent arc of a character's moral crisis.” (Shapiro, paragraph 4). https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/07/opinion/shakespeare-in-modern-english.html?_r=1 If translated to modern English, the desired emotions attempting to be portrayed just won’t be represented effectively, and personally, I feel the play’s dullness will intensify. It will resemble reading a mediocre story, and lose its renowned ‘Shakespeare’ identity. Thus, tampering with his literature as it’s supposedly “too difficult for today’s audiences to understand.” (Shapiro,paragraph 1), will actually worsen comprehension of vital components. In conclusion, Shakespeare offers an idiosyncratic work of art for today’s generation, but won’t fully be expressed if not exposed to under proper conditions. True appreciation of his masterpieces is unachievable under contemporary education.
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