Here at myShakespeare, we keep an eye out for new and exciting Shakespeare resources that might be useful to our teachers. While we continue to provide the most comprehensive and engaging multimedia Shakespeare textbook available, we know there is value in supplemental resources that provide contemporary connections, culturally sustaining adaptations, and new critical perspectives. Here are a few of the latest resources we have found especially exciting!
Throughlines
We highlighted the impressive scholarly work over at ASU’s Throughlines when they first debuted last year. The project is a living resource that focuses on how to discuss issues of race in the premodern and early modern eras. While the site is geared towards college-level instruction, there are plenty of resources that could be modified to add
dimension to a high school Shakespeare unit. For example, Throughlines recently added the full syllabus for a course titled Othello and Othello and Othello, created by University of Pennsylvania professor Abdulhamit Arvas. The course examines “the complex meanings of race, religion, gender, social status, and sexuality in premodern England through Othello as well as other medieval and early modern materials.” The syllabus includes recommendations for text, stage, and screen editions as well as ideas for writing assignments—all of which could supplement a high school unit on Othello.
Borderlands Shakespeare Collectiva
We visited the inaugural Borderlands Shakespeare conference last year, and were delighted to 
learn about the rich happenings at the intersection of Shakespeare and Borderlands narratives. The Collectiva continues to do exciting work, including co-sponsoring a production of Invierno by José Cruz González—a Borderlands appropriation of The Winter’s Tale. The staged reading, directed by Madeline Sayet, is set to take place on October 20th, and will be available online for educational purposes through October 26. Borderlands Shakespeare Collectiva has helpfully created this instructional material for teachers who are interested in viewing and discussing Invierno in their classrooms. While The Winter’s Tale isn’t one of the more popular plays taught at the high school level, exposing students to Borderlands Shakespeare adaptations and appropriations can keep students engaged with any Shakespeare play by helping them make connections to their lived experiences. Even a short detour into this material might prove rewarding in your classroom!
Folger
As a long-trusted source for teaching tools and classroom inspiration, The Folger Shakespeare Library continues to highlight new perspectives and creators in the world of Shakespeare. Their podcast, Shakespeare Unlimited, recently featured an interview with Dame Harriet Walter discussing her new book, She Speaks: What Shakespeare’s Women Might Have Said. The book adds dimension to characters like Gertrude and Cleopatra by imagining “what they might tell us if given the chance.” If you don’t have time to read the book, you can check out the interview to see if it might inspire some interesting angles for discussion surrounding the women in Shakespeare’s plays.
Folger also provides some pop commentary on Taylor Swift’s recent track titled “Fate of Ophelia,” as well as her new album cover which features her submerged in water much like the famed painting by Sir John Everett Millais depicting Hamlet’s doomed lover moments before she drowns. Swifties (and Swift haters) in classrooms everywhere are sure to have something to say about Taylor’s Hamlet references, so why not come prepared? Check out Folger’s other blog posts and podcast episodes for more on how Shakespeare remains relevant to modern students.
