A Lost Eloquence by Madisen

A Lost Eloquence by Madisen - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

I feel high school students should have to read at least one work of Shakespeare during their school years for several reasons. The reading of Shakespeare's works prolongs the historical aspects of one of the most well known authors in history and encourages students to seek deeper meanings about subjects and questions.

Not only do I fin the language beautiful and unique, but it is a part of history. Most find the language awkward and are unable to understand it, but often times this is because they have no appreciation of the past or do not want to take the time to understand it. I believe that if teachers were able to show excitement towards the subject and start early in a child's high school career, it could encourage a thriving interest in many, as they discover some of the greatest love, war, and historical stories within Shakespeare's works.

Many times in high school, my teachers chose to read the revised versions in today's language, which lost the eloquence and magic that makes Shakespeare's works so famous. I started my journey with reading several of his various works in middle school, including Much Ado About Nothing, and learned to appreciate and seek deeper meanings from the words. I also believe that high school students who read works such as Shakespeare's have a better ability to analyze reading material because they are faced with not only a different way of speaking and writing, but are forced to struggle through deciphering the meanings beyond the surface. I recall taking chunks of time to simply analyze one stanza, walking through the various possible meanings, reciting, and acting them out. This turned out to be some of my favorite exercises in English class.

Once the language is practiced and analyzed it becomes beautiful, unique, and exciting material to study. I would like future high school students to grow up with a deeper knowledge of the time period Shakespeare lived in as well as some of his great works.