There are many reactions when the topic of Shakespeare is raised in conversation, like: ‘I hated learning Shakespeare’ and ‘it was so boring’. Due to these negative views, there is a current debate in South Africa whether or not there is still a place for Shakespeare in high school. The idea of popular culture has been around for centuries and is forever morphing its image based on the latest cultural trends and as Wertz (2010) points out, is a vital component in the story of humanity. According to the History Teachers’ Association of Australia, popular culture is:
‘A cultural activity that gains widespread acceptance within a society over a period of time, rather than a brief historical moment’ (2013). According to the above definition, Shakespeare could be considered one of the first popular culture icons of the Western world. His plays are still being studied and performed and have been adapted into modern day theatrical acts, TV series and movies. When you reflect on the plays’ themes, his plots and characters are as alive today as they were during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Who hasn’t, like Juliet, fallen in love with the wrong person or, like King Lear, hurt the one they love the most? In today’s society, people do terrible things to achieve their ambitions (as did Macbeth), murders are committed and prejudice and inequality continue to thrive as they did in the lives of Othello, Katherine and Shylock (White, 2014). Infiltrating through many of Shakespeare’s plots, the underlying themes still connect with us on a personal level through our own lives, world events and television. If we study the themes of love, treachery, bravery and political intrigue and show students how these topics appear in our everyday lives through friendships, news, and family we can draw students into a world that opens up their imaginations and can be related to their own experiences (Tumiel, 2013). Hamilton, the Broadway musical, is a fantastic example of how a story based on events that occurred two hundred years ago became relevant and interesting to students by incorporating popular culture elements such as rap, drama and themes of modern day stresses such a student loans, immigration and race. A student from New Jersey commented ‘it adds a bit of hip-ness to history and makes it cool to learn’ (Solomon, 2015). This is exactly why, if we teach it in a way that appeals to young adults, Shakespeare can still be relevant and exciting to learn. By incorporating popular culture adaptations alongside original texts into the curriculum, it enables Shakespearian studies to be taught in an exciting and relevant way. It is not compulsory in many South African schools to study Shakespeare; however, many choose to do so based on the fact that the one book Nelson Mandela smuggled into his jail cell on Robben Island and claimed to have inspired him greatly, was the Collected Works of Shakespeare which was translated and circulated around prison (Presto, 2013). For South African students who have never travelled outside their remote towns, Shakespeare enables them to develop a sense of imagination and withdraw themselves from the world they are currently living, as they can pretend they are Romeo or Juliet or explore the alleyways of England, Italy and Greece without ever having traveled there. However, caution needs to be taken, as it is up to educators to teach and present Shakespeare in a way that exposes dramatic and relevant themes, otherwise views of Shakespeare being boring and melancholy will strengthen (Shultz & Throop, 2010). Therefore, critical analysis of popular culture in an open and safe classroom environment can be highly beneficial to students because it offers them ways to explore issues significant to their daily lives and this is exactly why themes of Shakespeare can be taught in high schools if the right teaching strategies are implemented. No matter where you are in the world, whether it’s at a Private school in Sydney or a small rural town in South Africa, the themes of Shakespeare can be relevant in everyone’s lives and by incorporating popular culture into the curriculum, it enables students to connect with Shakespearian themes on a personal level, bringing joy, anticipation and excitement into the classroom. Please comment – I would love to hear your opinion of whether or not you think Shakespeare should still be taught in the classroom! It is such a hot topic around the world at the moment, I would especially love to hear feedback from High School English teachers out there! References Schultz, K., & Throop, R. (2010). Popular Culture. International Encyclopedia of Education, 1(1), 318-323 Tumiel, C. (2013). Why do we still care about Shakespeare? Wertz, J. (2010). Pop Culture History: From Ancient Times to Today White, G. (2014). We shouldn’t teach Shakespeare to learners of English: false
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Miss Megan Elizabeth
Australian living in Johannesburg, Primary School Teacher, IT Teacher, World traveller Header Image Used with permission from: Flickr. Creative Commons Quick Links Home About Me Blog Roll Digital Curation Feedback Reflection Blogs Dystopian Literature Banning Books Pokemon iPads Shakespeare Minecraft |