On a television show about unschooling, something
the reporter mentioned stood out for me. Near the end of the segment,
she asked: “What happens when the learning becomes more sophisticated
and her kids need to be exposed to Shakespeare or Twain or Henry James?”
And that stuck with me. Because really, does
anyone “need” to be exposed to Shakespeare? And by being exposed to
Shakespeare in school, do the vast majority of public and private
schoolers really develop a deep and abiding love for the famous
playwright’s work? Or do they hate, dislike, or find absolutely useless
and/or boring everything they’re taught about the man and his writing?
Yes, I’m sure there are a very few who actually find Shakespeare, his
life and work, to be fascinating, and who love learning about him in
school. But can anyone tell me that that’s even remotely common?
I was big into poetry as a kid (I still do love poetry). I’d completely
memorize poems that were pages long, and regularly my mother, sister
Emilie, and I would pull out a book (or a few books) of poetry and take
turns picking ones to read out loud, to share with each other. So I came
across some of Shakespeare’s poetry at a young age. However, none of it
ever really appealed to me.
As for his plays, since popular culture is steeped in references to and
spin-offs from his most famous plays, I knew the basic story to them,
and read bits from a few children’s versions. But, as with his poetry,
nothing ever particularly caught my interest.
Then, just a month or so ago, PBS was scheduled to air a production of
Hamlet starring David Tennant, an actor whom I adore. So, along with
Emilie and a friend, both of whom also happen to adore David Tennant, we
settled down to watch.
And I was entranced. The archaic language was unsettling for a minute or
two, but after that I became absorbed in the story, language, and truly
incredible acting.
I was surprised at how many lines I recognized and, for the first time
ever, I really understood why Shakespeare was considered such a great
writer. Despite the length (a whopping three hours), I was sad when it
was over.
But… How could things have gone differently? Had I been forced to read
and dissect Shakespeare’s work, would I have been willing to even try
watching the performance? And if I had, would I have enjoyed or
appreciated it (the language and tragic intricacy of the story, the
tortured character of Hamlet)?
Art, any art, should be enjoyed and interpreted by the individual, of
their own free will. To force someone into “art appreciation,” to drag
someone to the theater, to force someone to dissect poetry or interpret
a painting the way the teacher interprets it (or risk getting bad
marks), is to kill art for that person, to kill what enjoyment they may
have found in their own time.
Enjoyment and interpretation of art is a deeply personal thing, and it
angers me when people try to take that away from children and teens.
So, please, let the kids discover Shakespeare (or not) on their own
terms. If they never find joy in Shakespeare, I highly doubt that will
negatively affect their life. But if they’re force-fed Shakespeare
against their will, I have no doubt that it will have a negative impact!
Idzie Desmarais is a grown unschooler, cook, writer, and anarcha-feminist. She likes to spend her time making tasty food, reading
fantasy novels, blogging about unschooling, and going on road trips with friends. She dreams of someday living in the woods with friends and
family, growing tons of tasty food, and writing books. She lives in Montreal with her parents, sister, kitties, and a big shaggy dog. You can read more of her writing on
her blog I’m Unschooled. Yes, I Can Write.
