Should Shakespeare be removed from the school curriculum, or continue being taught?

Question

In my school we are having a discussion as to whether we should continue learning Shakespeare. What are your thoughts. Which side are you on and why?

Answer 1

you'd rather they replaced him with the immortal words of Fifty Cent or something?

Answer 2

There are very few times in my high school language arts career that I actually felt I was learning anything. Shakespeare's work was different. It was a challenge and I felt I actually learned something. I can understand not teaching a lot of it but probably a Shakespeare play every grade would be good.
Shakespeare should be kept in the school curriculum. My only complaint was having to watch two different movie verisons of Romeo & Juliet after we read that, I am sure there were better ways we could have spent our time.

Answer 3

I personally remove Shakespeare from the English curriculum and move it to drama. My reasons being that:
1) I studied Macbeth in years 7,8,10 (Grades 6,7,9) and Romeo and Juliet in year 9 (Grade 8), to be honest only watching the plays aloud us to have any real understanding of what was going on. I was lucky that Romeo and Juliet was in the cinema when I was studying it for my exams (the Leonardo DiCaprio one) and that helped allot, but I didn't see MacBeth fully until I did it again in college and I still cant interoperate most of the play due to the archaic language.

2) There are modern plays that have more relevance to modern society. It's all well and good studying a play that is a classic but unless you can comprehend the meaning it is pointless! How many youngsters would understand that Romeo and Juliet were only around 13? How Many girls of 12-14 could understand how Juliet felt at being told she had to marry a much older man that she didn't know just because that is who her father wanted her to marry? Very few I can assure you.

Answer 4

I have to say it bores me out of my mind but everyone should hear his plays once It will make you sound smarter if you know his famous works. There are lots of things in his plays that relate to the real world and people still enjoy his words so I think they should continue being taught. I got a A on my Romeo project in English so I am not going to complain. If the teacher says to learn about Shakespeare then I will since everything in school will lead me to a good job so I would keep the plays in the schools.

Answer 5

You HAVE to be kidding !!! :0 You would be better off getting rid of all the OTHER books in your School's Library- than you would by getting rid of your volume of Shakespeare's Complete Works!!! The fact is; the issues that Shakespeare dealt with in his stories- are Universal. You can find them in virtually EVERY novel that's been written before or since. He covered so many "bases" in his stories- his works compete with the Bible in their popularity & relevance to our everyday World. Remove Shakespeare from the school curriculum- and you "gut" the foundation of the study of English.

Answer 6

i just took a class in high school and we studied Shakespeare for about 3 months. i thought it was pretty boring but the teacher did a good job. Shakespeare made me think a lot and helped me better understand literature so i think it should continue to be taught.

Answer 7

He should be drawn and quartered. He is a big phony. The world will soon know that I wrote all of his plays and sonnets. Why do you ask? What would English literature be without Shakespeare? Half of the curriculum would be gone. I teach English.

Answer 8

Shakespeare shud be continued being taught, because his writing is very useful for teaching literary techniques. Some students may find him boring, but nevertheless there is large crowd of students who do find his work interesting. I personally found, his stories that i read were pretty compelling.

Answer 9

Shakespeare's writtings are timeless. Removing them would be a huge mistake. How about just removing the laziness from the students who refuse to take the time to try to read (and try to understand) them? That's my vote.

Answer 10

Absolutely not! That's such PC bullcrap! For God's sake - continue it - I loved Shakespeare in HS

Sad to say it, but I honestly feel that political correctness is making us dumber.

Answer 11

how did that queation arised????
shakespeare was a fine writer....he has written many good plays...
y should he be removed from the school curriculum?
it is a best source of knowledge for youngsters....