William Shakespeare's Influence In Schools

The name William Shakespeare can, often times, go without introduction. The inherent ability of Shakespeare’s works to transcend the written or performed word hinges upon its literary merit and capacity to enthrall an audience. The survival of Shakespeare has long been determined by his works taking an active role in the lives of his audience and maintaining cultural relevance. Setting the task of discovering if Shakespeare’s influence remains prominent in the lives of New York University students, I interviewed several students posing the challenge of defining what comes to mind when one hears of Shakespeare and reckoning with reasons why Shakespeare is still taught in schools today. To call something Shakespearean is to give the designation of drawing upon the elements of Shakespeare’s world,

Once volunteering to be interviewed, one student began, “I know nothing about Shakespeare,” yet this declaimer had no bearing upon the information he provided. He subsequently elaborated that, “I do know that Shakespearean definitely applies to language and how Shakespeare’s language has been involved in our culture and the culture of the world, as well as how it has developed over time.” This first student, a

Unsurprisingly, these students placed emphasis upon language and theater because this is the format in which schools most regularly present Shakespeare. More surprising was the value placed on Shakespeare’s characters. Shakespeare’s expertly crafted and deeply complex characters have a timeless feel as people from every era have identified with their triumphs and downfalls. Although the meaning of Shakespearean is versatile, for these students this meaning is contingent upon influential language, performance in theater, and empathetic