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The Shakespeare Fellowship Essay Competition

Welcome, students and teachers, to the Shakespeare Fellowship. On this page you'll find information about our annual essay contest, started in 2002. For details of the Essay Contest 2003-2004, take yourself to the hyperlinked page.

The purpose of the contest is to involve secondary school students in the creative and analytic synthesis of knowledge regarding Shakespeare, the Shakespearean Canon and the Shakespeare Authorship question by offering prizes for the best essays.

On this page you'll find everything you need to get started thinking about involving your students in the essay contest: a list of general rules and submission guidelines and the topics for the first season of essays. Please don't hesitate to email us if you need additional information.

 

Rules and Submission Guidelines

1. Currently we sponsor two essay contests, one for Grades 9-10 and the other for grades 11-12. The contest is open to students around the world writing in English.
   
   
2. Prizes are awarded for the best expository essays of no more than 3000 words in both age-categories. Specific topics will be assigned annually. Below are listed topics for the 2002 contest cycle.
   
   
3. The 2002 contest cycle is timed to encourage students and teachers to write and revise essays during the fall 2002 semester. All entries must be postmarked on or before January 15, 2003. Prizes will be awarded in March 2003. Manuscripts cannot be returned so contestants should keep a copy of their work.
   
   
4. Each contestant may enter one or more essays. Each essay should cover only one topic.
   
   
5. Send your essays, clearly marked with the grade and name of each contestant, to:
   
   The Shakespeare Fellowship
   P.O. Box 561
   Belmont, MA
   02478
   
   
6. Prizes for the first contest cycle are as follows:
   
   9-10 Grade:
   First: $250
   Second: $100
   Third: $50
   
   11-12 Grade:
   First: $500
   Second: $250
   Third: $100
   
   
7. All submissions must be typed, double-spaced, in English, and must be the original work of the contestant.
   
   
8. Expository essays should conform to either the MLA or APA style sheets.
   
   
9. Expository essays will be judged on the basis of originality of thought, insight into the Shakespearean experience, effective and logical development of thesis and other relevant factors such as consideration of contrary evidence, effective use of resources, and elegance of style.
   
   
10. The names of winners and winning essays will be published on the Shakespeare Fellowship website.
    

2002 Essay Topics

1. At least since the 18th century, "Shakespeare" has been regarded as a mystery in one way or another (in 1989 PBS Frontline produced a documentary, The Shakespeare Mystery). Write an essay which explores some aspect of this mystery.
   
   
2. Are Shakespeare's plays relevant to the 21st century? Why or why not?
   
   
3. Traditionally the central problem of Hamlet has been identified as his delay in taking revenge against Claudius. Write an essay exploring the relevance of the play within the play to this problem.
   
   
4. Consider Juliet's statement that "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Explore the implications of this statement within the play Romeo and Juliet or within the context of the Shakespeare authorship mystery.
   
   
5. How does the life of an author enter into the construction of his literary work? Illustrate with specific examples from Shakespeare and/or others.
   
   
6. Explain how the characters and situations in Shakespeare's drama (e.g. in Hamlet) are influenced by the personalities and circumstances of Elizabethan England.
   

Questions: please email our Conference guidelines coordinator, Sarah Smith.