I recently attended a presentation at the University of Johannesburg by Chris Thurman, Associate Professor at Wits University. His talk focused on the relevance of teaching Shakespeare in a South African context. It raised an important question: Why do we continue to teach Shakespeare to a population that has difficulty understanding modern English – never mind Elizabethan English?
Of course Prof. Thurman was preaching to the choir, as the audience was made up of English teachers, academics who are Shakespeare scholars, and publishers who have previously taught English. We all knew the obvious answers…
- Shakespeare’s writing has universal application.
- Shakespeare’s writing is transformative.
- Shakespeare’s writing is beautiful and poetic.
- Shakespeare is a good storyteller.
- Shakespeare’s works form an essential part of the canon of English literature and it would be poorer without it.
- Shakespeare introduced many new words which have enriched modern English.
So if Shakespeare’s works have such intrinsic value, why have a debate about it? Shouldn’t we just keep on prescribing his poetry and drama and keep a whole lot of people happily employed!
However smug we might feel about the teaching of Shakespeare, we do need to look at the reservations that non-fans have about teaching Shakespeare at a school level. (Most people agree that Shakespeare still has a place at a university level.) Here are some of the arguments:
- Shakespeare is difficult to read if you are a teenager.
- Shakespeare is difficult to read if English is your second language or third language.
- Teaching Shakespeare perpetuates a colonial education legacy that has no place in modern South Africa. We should be reading and learning about Africa’s heroes and tragic figures and their stories.
- Shakespeare is boring and going through it line-by-line kills all potential enjoyment.
In the discussion that followed the talk, the audience passionately countered all of these objections.
Like any subject, English comes alive with teachers who are inspired and passionate about what they teach. So whether you are teaching physics or climatology, Shakespeare or JM Coetzee, it’s not the content that is boring but the way it is taught.
Most importantly Shakespeare should be performed not read. Learners should preferably do the performing themselves and be allowed to interpret the text in a way that is meaningful to them. If Shakespeare were alive today he would probably be a rapper and would totally approve of people improvising and adapting his plays. After all that is what he did with other people’s stories and ideas.
Professional performances on the stage or on film provide an opportunity for the viewer to be caught up in the story regardless of whether they understand all the words. Good performers will convey the meaning through their actions and delivery of the words.
Shakespeare works well in translation. Sol Plaaitjie translated ‘Julius Caesar’ and ‘The Comedy of Errors’ – and both plays were performed to much acclaim in the early twentieth century. The Zulu translation of ‘Macbeth’ – ‘Umabatha’ has been a success at home and abroad. ‘The Lion King’ retells the story of ‘Macbeth’ (some would argue it also relates to ‘Hamlet’) in a way that is understandable to even the youngest viewer.
Perhaps the conclusion to draw can be found in paraphrasing the bard: ‘There is nothing either good or bad (about studying Shakespeare) but teaching makes it so.’
Here is a list of articles and websites which might help you to make the teaching of Shakespeare relevant to South African learners in the 21st century. Share with others how you have gone about making Shakespeare fresh and relevant in your classes by posting your comments on this blog.
Teachers Shake Up Shakespeare with Digital Media
Teach Shakespeare However You Want – Just Keep His Language Alive
The Gangsta Shakespeare series provides a gangsta translation of Shakespeare’s classics. Learners can create their own gangsta recordings and post them on YouTube.
Lists 10 movies surprisingly based on Shakespeare’s plays.
Watch Globe Theatre productions online.
MacKat