My son, a high school senior, asked me today if I thought there was a benefit to reading "Othello." It isn't my favorite of the Bard's body of work, and I have a tough time with the plot in this one. I think there may have been better ways to write about our dark side, and I don't mean skin. Certainly there is value, especially in light of the social and political climate of Civil Rights in our nation, in studying this play. But I've never loved it. There are others that resonate more deeply and have an incredible breadth of topic to draw from in the classroom. I absolutely love teaching "Midsummer Night's Dream" to my sixth graders. We keep it to the G rating, but I teach this as they are wrapping up their unit on Ancient Greece in social studies. Watching their faces as they connect the names of ancient gods and goddesses with the characters in the play and their actions/personality traits/behaviors is sheer magic. We talk about the many elements of literature that are so easily identifiable. The plot has something for everyone: fantasy, jealousy, greed, math (yes, really!), humor, figurative language, foreshadowing and more.
"Othello" is more limited in its appeal. My son noted that it is a bit odd that our protagonist doesn't bother to question his previously devoted spouse before assuming the worst. I agree that the contrived plot is too much to be believed and is not one I can relish. I was never one for reality shows, anyway, which Shakespeare seems to have invented. I don't know which of the Common Core standards my son's class is covering with this one, but I think it is best studied in college. One of the toughest parts of planning a language arts curriculum is choosing what literature the class will read. Too many fabulous choices make the decision nearly impossible! One thing is certain, I am grateful that both my children have studied Shakespeare multiple times. That my local school district has kept the classics in the curriculum makes me a happy parent and makes my children more grounded individuals. Those who think Shakespeare is a waste of time will likely never read this post. To all my colleagues who support the arts in all its forms, I thank and salute you.
"Othello" is more limited in its appeal. My son noted that it is a bit odd that our protagonist doesn't bother to question his previously devoted spouse before assuming the worst. I agree that the contrived plot is too much to be believed and is not one I can relish. I was never one for reality shows, anyway, which Shakespeare seems to have invented. I don't know which of the Common Core standards my son's class is covering with this one, but I think it is best studied in college. One of the toughest parts of planning a language arts curriculum is choosing what literature the class will read. Too many fabulous choices make the decision nearly impossible! One thing is certain, I am grateful that both my children have studied Shakespeare multiple times. That my local school district has kept the classics in the curriculum makes me a happy parent and makes my children more grounded individuals. Those who think Shakespeare is a waste of time will likely never read this post. To all my colleagues who support the arts in all its forms, I thank and salute you.