Born 454 years ago April 23, Shakespeare and his 38 plays and 154 sonnets are said to make up the foundation of English literature.
He had a good run, but it appears to be over.
Today, of the 52 highest ranked universities and liberal arts colleges, only four require English majors to take a class on the bard, according to a study by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.
Instead, schools offer courses on vampires, cyborgs, popular film and television. Schools are increasing readings on race, class, gender and sexuality, according to ACTA.
The four universities that required a course dedicated to Shakespeare were Harvard University, Wellesley College, the US Naval Academy and the University of California at Berkeley.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
