Introduction: Identifying the problems of teaching complex literature
One of the most pressing matters facing teachers of English and literature is how to teach complex literary works, such as those written in Old and Middle English. Works such as Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales, and the works of William Shakespeare are some of the most integral parts of literary study, especially considering these are the foundations on which British literature, and as an extension, American literature, stands. Many instructors of literature lament teaching these complex works to undergraduates. According to Kleypas (2004):
“Teaching Shakespeare to undergraduates can be difficult under the best of circumstances. The densely figurative language can be very difficult to sift through for students unfamiliar with anything but naturalistic speech. When this is further compounded by the student’s resistance to reading anything longer than several paragraphs, I
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Most undergraduate students are compelled to take at least one course that requires the study of complex literary works such as Shakespeare and Beowulf. Many of these students have neither the drive nor the time to study these works to the extent needed to comprehend the works on their own, leading to a conundrum for both instructors and students.
Without an effective method of teaching these literary works, undergraduate students, particularly those who are required to study British literature for their composition or humanities requirement, are placed at risk of a low retention rate, something that reflects poorly on any college or university. The solution many colleges and universities has relied on recently has been simply to teach these complex literary works in translation. However, to teach complex literature solely in translation, without exposing students to the original language the work was published in, does a disservice to students.
Translation: the best
Clark, W.G., and W. Aldis Wirhgt, eds. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Vol 2. USA: Nd. 2 vols.
In preparation for the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition exam, high school students must read many kinds of literature during the year-long course to familiarize themselves with different time periods, movements, philosophies, and genres. Advanced Placement students must learn to think critically, and be ready to find, analyze, and express literary connections through written analysis. The biggest challenge of teaching and learning Advanced Placement English is the difficulty covering the entire scope of literature in two semesters. Twentieth century literature often gets neglected. The pace of the curriculum can also limit the creativity of lesson planning and evaluation. Many teachers rely heavily on lecture, discussion, and a traditional analysis paper.
For as long as people today can remember there has always been Shakespeare in the classroom. Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest playwrights of all time and deserves to be presented as so, however his work is very old and as times have changed so has English. Teens don’t understand his work and struggle through these units in school. The least that should be done is changing a few allusions for an easier and deeper understanding for young minds. Teachers always talk about giving their students the tools that they need to succeed and this update is one of those necessary tools. In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change
Abrams, M.H., ed. Beowulf: The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001.
Dominic, C. Catherine. Shakespeare's Characters for Students. Detroit - New York -Toronto - London: Gale Research, 1997.
One of the first literary work studied by our class was “Beowulf,” the longest and greatest surviving Anglo-Saxon poem. The poem is packed full of Christian and Pagan elements that are constantly fighting for the dominant position. In order to understand these thematic elements portrayed throughout “Beowulf,” we must first discover
Cohen, Walter, J.E. Howard, K. Eisaman Maus. The Norton Shakespeare. Vol. 2 Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor. New York, London. 2008. ISBN 978-0-393-92991-1
William Shakespeare’s plays are being made into box office film hits at an incredible rate. Films such as Much Ado About Nothing with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, Hamlet with Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, Othello with Laurence Fishbourne and Henry V with Kenneth Branagh have been seen by a surprising number of teenagers. Often they have not understood it all, or even half of it, but they have been affected by the powerful characters and by the Shakespearean magic which has affected audiences around the world for centuries. They want to know more, they want to understand, and what better motvation can any teacher ask for than that students WANT ? That alone is sufficient reason for any English teacher to start a course in Shakespeare.
Not only is Shakespeare hard for students it’s also hard on the teacher as well. Shakespeare’s work is written in a different way then works nowadays. So not only does the student have to understand it, the teacher has to have a clear understanding as well. The fact that Shakespeare can be interpreted in many ways does not help in the slightest bit.
In today’s world the quality of the art form called writing is said to be somewhat diminishing, it is important for English literature to keep some studies of classic literature, such as Shakespeare. I think well rounded education must have a strong foundation in both modern and classical literature, for the foundation in classical literature, an in-depth study of Shakespeare’s works would be more than sufficient. Not only was Shakespeare so skilled in his writing that he has become a significant point in the history of literature, but a majority of his works were written on such basic human themes that they will last for all time and must not be forgotten.
There are some problems in studying a text such as Beowulf. It must be read in translation to be easily accessible for the reader. This means the subtle nuances of the original language will be lost. The other major problem is that Beowulf had a long oral tradition before being written down by monks or clerics after the Norman conquest of England, resulting in an added layer of Christian thought on top of the original pagan ideologies in the poem.
Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into literature. San Diego, California: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUENG125.10.2/sections/sec2.3
Literature is an essential part of society in the present day and enables the communication between multiple parties in a written form. Texts can provide a vast knowledge on subjects dependent on content whereas novels are often seen as being purely for leisure and enjoyment. However it can often be seen that prose
Beowulf strikes peculiar reactions among scholars, historians, and professors. The increase in the amount of confusion is caused by new twists to old theories and by new theories. Beowulf was composed for an audience that would take into account the struggles that the main character took, and the audience would see the poem in its own way. Though few can clearly understand the value of the poem, we must realize that judging the poem from a twentieth century point of view would be unjust to the author or authors of Beowulf.
Yet his prose, plots and characters are as alive today as they were when the plays were first staged. Shakespearean works are required reading for high school English students and a course or two for college students who study writing or literature. The plays have been performed in almost every language, on stage and screen and at popular festivals around the world. Even in prisons, teachers find that Shakespeare offers contemporary connections that open pathways to learning for some of society’s most marginalized. Shakespeare’s mysteries works are standard curriculum for high school and college students.