Should schools be teaching old literature? 

English and literature classes typically have a curriculum that consists of older literature and stories from  older centuries. There are plenty of stories; a whole generation of students end up stuck reading. From a nearly indecipherable vocabulary to tales, legends, and religions people once never knew of. People learn more from the past, and help shape the future with it, and books are a stepping stone to understanding the world as we knew it and as it becomes.

“I think schools still teach really old stories like Romeo and Juliet. I think old literature helps you think more deeply because it’s harder to relate to in terms of everyday things, so we have to imagine the scenario more vividly,” said Deerfield Beach High School junior Kerbens Prospere.

Shakespearean tragedies like ‘Hamlet’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ teach about the way humans feel and act on emotions, such as love, jealousy, and anger, which bear resemblance to the way they are expressed today. The story of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is actually all about being dotty for love, and ‘Hamlet’ is really about a guy who totally loses it trying to get revenge. From reading such books from long, long ago, it is easy to see that those individuals were not such a different set of people after all, in relation to the people of today. Classic novels are not such ancient useless fiction, but a view into how people used to express themselves.

The rich, engrossed manner of writing is typically most appreciated by concentrated rereading. But this intellectual tug-of-war builds brain resistance to a greater degree than relaxed reading. The reward for the effort is worth it. Beyond language, literature tackles issues that even now persist in centuries like longing, betrayal, and justice. Human concerns do not vary with details like names or technology. Recognizing these lines of similarity makes it more true that people centuries ago were as complicated and bugged as human beings now are, and which gives a sense of reassurance.

“I think students benefit more from reading a mix of both modern and classical literature; however, with much more of an emphasis on modern literature, as reading more recent works is more important, being that they are a better representation of our modern society and language,” said DBHS Junior Ryelle Tibby.

While new pieces are nice to read up on, to leave out the classics would be to provide a recipe with all the ingredients but an essential one. Modern writing relies on whatever has been established in previous pieces. In order to cultivate good habits of reading, writing, and analysis, one must begin with classics that raise tough questions and stimulate or confuse one’s mind. Schools should keep traditional works at the center of the curriculum. The works are worth reading not because they are old and hard to read, but because they offer an irreproducible intellectual and cultural experience.

Written by Rigby Scott | Graphic Designed by Rigby Scott 

Published October 23, 2025 | ePathfinder | Perspectives