Teaching Shakespeare: An Inside Look

Shakespeare is hard. There are two main reasons for this: 1) The language is unusual and dense; and 2) The cultural references are unfamiliar. Since the second reason can be remedied through a little research and information, let’s focus on the first one.

Language is a living thing; it evolves as it is being used. In the 400+ years since Shakespeare placed his pen on the page, English has undergone some profound shifts. Mechanics, words, and sensibilities have all changed. The Elizabethan and Jacobean eras (both of which Shakespeare was a part) are notable for their lush, complex syntax. To our modern sensibilities, these sentences can often appear extravagant and unnecessarily wordy. This combined with all the old words (many of which have fallen out of use) can make reading Shakespeare feel like translating a text that is written in a foreign language.

While all this is true, it is also true that Shakespeare’s writing remains a high point of English prose. He is incredibly inventive, funny, and wise. It is an absolute treat to read. As an English teacher, my goal is to get students to see this side of Shakespeare. How do I do that? Well, I’m still experimenting and adapting my process, but there are two governing principles: 1) Take time; and 2) Make it fun. If we take our time and make it fun, then the students engage more deeply with the text. If they engage more deeply with the text, then they are able to encounter and consider the profound psychological truths that are held within.

Now, I’m sure there’s a big question on your mind: how do you make Shakespeare fun? Here are some things I have tried:

1. Insult Contest 

Students are given a list of words that Shakespeare’s characters used as insults in his plays. The students then mix and match those words and make new insults. We break into groups and have a competition to see who created the most scathing insults.

2. Balderdash: Shakespeare Edition

This is just like the game Balderdash—but instead of using contemporary words, we used words from Shakespeare’s play.

3. Class Performance

We read most (if not all) of the play together in class. This allows us to have fun acting it out and discussing/clarifying key points of the play as we go. Before reading, we also look up summaries of the scenes. This makes it easier for students to piece together difficult language.

4. Watch Excerpts from Film Adaptations

After we read an act or scene (or even just an important monologue) we watch a clip from a film adaptation (sometimes multiple adaptations). This allows students to hear the dialogue multiple times. This is the real key. The more you hear/read the language, the easier it becomes. We also get to discuss how the director’s stylistic decisions connect to the content of the scene.

5. Watch a Performance of the Play

Last year we had the good fortune of hosting a theater troupe’s production of "Macbeth" at Stuart Hall. This year I will be taking the AP Literature class to see "Hamlet" at the American Shakespeare Center–a local world-renowned institution (after all, Staunton is our campus). Seeing the play performed really helps bring it to life. 

In the end, Shakespeare is one of those writers who can be endlessly explored. Whatever you put into reading his plays you will receive tenfold. It takes effort though, and I am thrilled to work at a school where students are willing to engage with me on this journey. It is a special place.

This originally appeared in Stuart Hall’s Midst the Hills newsletter in October 2023.