Shakespeare in the Changing Curriculum

English literature as a subject area in secondary and further education is undergoing profound change. The expansion of communication, cultural and gender studies, together with the claims of new theoretical perspectives, is transforming traditional approaches to literature. With the introduction of GCSE and the National Curriculum, schools, colleges and universities are being subjected to unprecedented demands for curriculum reform. At the same time, the education system is faced with a deepening crisis of resources. How is the teaching of Shakespeare affected by these academic and political developments? "Shakespeare in the Changing Curriculum" provides a context for debates about the place of Shakespeare within the English curriculum in the 1990s, and examines the new possibilities in teaching Shakespeare afforded by the application of contemporary critical approaches in the classroom and seminar room. This book should be of interest to students and teachers of English literature and education.