Clearly we love Shakespeare at any time of year! But there is something especially dramatic about the autumn – a chill in the air, golden leaves, nights getting longer – that makes thoughts turn to the Bard and what he might illuminate about this season of transition.
For children and grown-ups alike, one of the more striking changes is heading back to school. We have explored this topic over the years, and you can see some of our “greatest hits” here.
Of course, we cannot help but think about “The whining school-boy, with his satchel and shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school” (As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII) – a highly appropriate line from the “all the world’s a stage” monologue. And who knows, reflecting on the school-as-stage might even be a helpful way of spurring on reluctant students!
We have even considered the slump that can hit us once the hustle and bustle of new school days has passed. At this point, check out our post on harvesting potential and ways to reflect on the schoolwork that we (again, teachers and students alike!) might find ourselves doing by rote.
As authors Miriam Weiner and Shannon Whitt remind us in their lovely book Shakespeare’s Seasons, each time of year brings its own wondrous possibilities – and it is always exciting to reflect on what the coming months have in store. See you at Halloween!