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.
Charter, Ann, and Samuel Charters, eds. Literature and its Writers: A Compact Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin's, 2003.
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.
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
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.
In September of 2008, Professor Michael Mack gave a speech to college freshmen at the Catholic university of America about his opinions on the importance of reading Shakespeare. Mack forges an effective argument that though reading Shakespeare is troublesome, it is well worth the effort through his use of counterclaims and rhetorical devices.
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
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.
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
Sisson, Mary. 1996. “Thematic and Structural Analysis.” in Beowulf: Bloom’s Notes. Harold Bloom, ed. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.
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.
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.