In my own personal reading, I find myself identifying best with characters full of emotions, passions, and unique voice. I know that I am not alone in this search for realistic characters that extend beyond stereotypes. I’ve read articles suggesting that many young readers (especially females) seek strong, complex characters. Sadly, these characters are virtually non-existent in much young adult literature. While it does seem tragic that so many young readers get stuck experiencing dull and one-sided characters in their reading, perhaps this is partially our fault. We have resources as English educators, and certainly there are some works of very high literary merit that we can share with our students. While I recognize that it is better for students to read works with stereotypical characters than to not read at all, suggesting literary works containing these beautifully complicated characters should become our goal.
One author whose characters are always memorable, full of distinctive voice, and able to evoke an array of emotions is Shakespeare. I know many young (and old) readers may have preconceived notions, which taint their perceptions of Shakespeare. However, the appeal of Shakespeare’s complex characters can be a way to overcome some difficulties students may have with the text. Collaborative work between students can help them to sort through difficult plotlines and language. Ultimately students will not only be exposed to these complicated characters, but also get to experience the beauty of Shakespeare through these activities. Rex Gibson’s Teaching Shakespeare provides a variety of activities for introducing the complex characters found throughout all of Shakespeare’s works.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Kelly // Sep 20, 2006 at 2:31 pm
I totally understand what you mean about identifying complex and passionate characters in literature. I think that’s what makes literature so exciting: the endless possibilities of making new connections with literature when we read it from new perspectives. I agree that Shakespeare has created perhaps more interesting, complex, and unforgettable characters than any other writer of yesterday and today, which gives us a great opportunity as teachers to analyze these characters with our students and perhaps learn more about ourselves and issues of today. I’d be interested to know what your favorite activities in Gibson’s book were and which ones you’d like to use in the classroom!
2 Ms Scarbary // Sep 20, 2006 at 7:43 pm
Ellen- you’ve hit on the exact reason why I love the dramatic form in general- character driven story. Because of the limitations of a stage, and the necessity of describing certain plot elements rather than showing them, dramas usually have those complex characters we love to see. I think you are right on in using Shakespeare’s characters as a hook to get students interested in these works.
3 EDLA 7550 » How can you help students understand the power of his language, appreciate the beauty of his speeches and recognize the universality of characters and themes in Shakespearean and contemporary discourses? // Sep 27, 2006 at 2:58 pm
[…] Ms. Scarbary reflects on the ways to help students make connections between Shakespearean and contemporary discourses in her post, The Everyday Language of Shakespeare. Ellen thinks that one way to accomplish this goal is through a careful analysis of complex yet vibrant characters in Shakespearean works. I think that such an analysis can be easily applied to our students’ lives and the interesting people and peers they regularly interact with. Additionally, in his response to Doborah Appleman’s discussion of literary theories (2000), Jim noted that exploring Shakespeare’s works through multiple literary theory lenses would help students to grow as “critically thoughtful citizens who are able to see and appreciate diverse viewpoints.” I consider this task as one of the core responsibilities for the English teacher community at large. Jim, thank you for bringing it forth in this discussion. […]