Description:

Shakespeare never gets old. Though his language may sound strange to our modern ears, his plays are still relevant in today’s world and are continually performed and reimagined for stage and screen. Shakespeare transcends time, place, race, and status to address themes common to humanity. After the Bible, Shakespeare’s words are among the most frequently referenced written words in the western world. He seems to be, as one teacher-author put it, “in the water supply.” Therefore, to be familiar with Shakespeare’s works is to possess valuable cultural currency. Shakespeare’s plays allow students to explore the treasury of his language as readers and interpreters as well as listeners and performers. 

This year, we will study at least four of Shakespeare’s works representing his three main genres: comedy, tragedy, and history. By reading and discussing these plays together as a class, students will learn how to read Shakespeare, appreciate the power and play of his words, collaborate to unravel the complexity of his meaning, and build understandings of these remarkable texts. In class, students will be expected to participate in reading select passages from the plays and contribute to class discussion. Homework will range from 3-4 hours per week, consisting of reading selections of the plays and responding to them in reading journals, creating translations of selected texts into modern English, and writing character studies and interpretive essays. This class can be taken to fulfill a full English credit.