Romeo and Juliet should be taught to 9th graders because it improves students skills of understanding precise language. Countless figures of language are included in the story, which are difficult to understand because we are not accustomed to 15th century English. However, with reading and help from a teacher this language with become more and more easy. On page 787 in the textbook it states that “it’s now two hours traffic of our stage… ” Some people may think that this is a high usage of vocabulary when really it means that the play lasted for two hours.
Even though this is difficult to understand it is not impossible. It just takes practice and perseverance to improve vocabulary, and students understanding of precise language. The more and more someone reads Shakespearean works they will gain more knowledge of precise vocabulary. Not only does the story improve vocabulary but it is important because it provides examples of fundamentals and the culture of the fifteenth century. The 15th century is a time where knowledge and education was becoming an most importance.
Romeo and Juliet is a piece of history that can really each students how culture was really like in the 1 5th century. Therefore not only do students learn proper word play and vocabulary but they learn a bit of history as well. This is a great story to be taught to students, which further proves that is still is a relevant story today. My final piece of evidence is that why not start reading Shakespeare now? Shakespeare has written many plays and most of them all use the same word play. If students do not read Romeo and Juliet it’s going to be a difficult adjustment to the Shakespearean literature.
Also Romeo and Juliet is fairly easy according to all of the other playwrights. In the play (l. 1) it states that “love is a smoke and it is made with the fume of sighs”. Another quote from a different play also written by Shakespeare “The two Gentlemen of Verona” states that “love is like a child, that longs for everything that it can come by”. Shakespeare writes in a very similar way, in metaphors. Instead Of never being taught this at all, introduce it to students because they are going to be learning that stuff anyways.
This further proves why Romeo and Juliet should till be taught to high school students. Despite this evidence some people may still think that this story should still not be taught in high schools. One of the most common arguments is that the confusing word play can easily confuse students and that it is useless in the 21st century. Even though the context can easily confuse high level readers you can easily just research the quote on the internet. So if there really is confusion students can find out the answer. Therefore for those who disagree on it being taught students are not left clueless.
