Shakespeare In The 9th Grade Curriculum

On the relevance of Shakespeare in the 9th grade curriculum

William Shakespeare, or known as the Bard, was an English poet, playwright, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer of the English language, and England’s national poet. Shakespeare wrote around 38 plays, 154 sonnets, 2 long narratives, and others, which have been translated into every language. He is known for plays such as Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and Macbeth. The main discussion on Shakespeare at the turn of the 20th century is, Is Shakespeare still relevant enough to discuss in schools? This has been contemplated around the world, with no definite answer. Shakespeare, however, was a genius of his time in writing, and his literature is an example of great work, thus, he is essential to teach in schools.

His plays, although written in a language that is no longer in use, uses fundamental techniques in writing that transcend the language barrier, and show the effect on great writing on a story. By not studying Shakespeare, one cannot better comprehend the foundation of English literature today. While one may be able to read other writers, no one can give the same effect on a literary work as Shakespeare. While many argue that not being able to comprehend the language makes it not worth examining, but, regardless of the language, one is able to comprehend the story behind Shakespeare’s work. The fact that, without knowing the language, one can still comprehend the story, shows that Shakespeare was a true genius because he was able to communicate to others a story that still stand hundreds of years later. Examining Shakespeare gives anyone a better understanding of literary