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The Shakespeare buzz, contd.
From The Daily Oklahoman, which was inspired by ACTA's Vanishing Shakespeare report to research English major requirements at state schools:
No university in Oklahoma was part of the report, but The Oklahoman found state campuses have mixed requirements on Shakespeare.
Kathryn McGill, artistic director of Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, said she was surprised the works of Shakespeare aren't mandated for all English students. "He has been more influential to the English language than any other writer," she said.
University of Central Oklahoma
Requires English majors and minors to take at least one course in Shakespeare.
UCO professor Sandra Mayfield said she can't imagine not requiring Shakespeare of English majors. She thinks such a class should be a general education requirement of all students. "Shakespeare was the best writer in the English language," Mayfield said. "So much later literature alludes to characters in Shakespeare's plays. It really teaches the value of language, thinking in terms of metaphors."Oklahoma State University
Mandates Shakespeare courses only for English majors getting a teaching certificate in English.
Carol Moder, head of OSU's English department, said Shakespeare used to be required of all English majors but the curriculum changed several years ago "to bring the requirements more into line with developments in the field, which allow for more thematically based courses and greater diversity in the authors studied.""The reason for allowing other students to choose whether to take Shakespeare is to allow them greater flexibility in developing their course work to meet their career goals," Moder said.
University of Oklahoma
Does not require Shakespeare courses for undergrads.
Shakespeare is a popular elective at OU, professor Alan Velie said. While he thinks all students ought to study Shakespeare, he thinks the number of required classes should be kept to a minimum. "I think our majors should know the great American authors as well, and the Bible, but we would not require courses on those subjects either," Velie said.
The Oklahoman also includes a fun pop quiz. Feel free to post your answers in the comments--and no using Google to cheat!
A quiz: Can you match the quote with the play?
1. "To be, or not to be; that is the question."2. "Now is the winter of our discontent."
3. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
4. "Why, then the world's mine oyster."
5. "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."
6 . "Et tu, Brute!"
7. "Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble."
8. "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, rounded with a little sleep."
9. "This above all: to thine own self be true."
10 . "A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!"
Enjoy!
Posted by acta online on April 26, 2007 at April 26, 2007 09:23 AM
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Comments
Without googling:
1. Hamlet
2. Richard III
3. Romeo & Juliet
4. ???
5. Henry VI, Part I
6. Julius Caesar
7. Macbeth
8. A Midsummer Night's Dream
9. Hamlet (again)
10. Richard III (again)
Posted by: Dave J at April 26, 2007 06:47 PM