The Seventh Annual Great Shakespeare Debate

This article was published on Tuesday 13 March 2012

The seventh annual Great Shakespeare Debate, co-hosted with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-Upon-Avon, took place on Wednesday and Thursday 14 and 15 March. After 5 debates, one visit to Shakespeare's birthplace, a trip to see 'Measure for Measure' and a rare opportunity to chat to one of the principle actors of an RSC production; Jenni Ashby, Jasmine Freeman and Harry Bignell from Kingsbridge Community College emerged as the winners.

One of the ESU's Great Debates series, the Great Shakespeare Debate combines the teaching of public speaking and debating skills with the ability to analyse the works of arguably England's greatest writer. Issues discussed by the teams that took part included the rights and wrongs of Hamlet's delayed actions to revenge his father, the modernisation of Shakespeare's works and, in the final debate, whether Shakespeare's women are appropriate role models for modern women.

Prizes were presented to the winners, along with the team from Bradford Grammar who also made the finals, and Malvika Jaganmohan of the Leicester Highschool for Girls, and Elizabeth Boyd of The Abbey School, who were judged by the mentors to have the best knowledge of Shakespeare, and the most dramatic delivery throughout the competition.

The Great Shakespeare Debate is one of the highlights of the ESU's Spring Term activities, and will be back next year, in early March. For more information keep an eye on the Great Debate's webpage, here.