Why all students benefit from access to Shakespeare

The false divide: STEM vs STEAM

Over time, education systems have come to treat the Arts and the Sciences as opposing domains. In recent years, shaped by shifting political priorities, global financial pressures, and the impact of the pandemic, literature and drama have often been undervalued and under-resourced in comparison to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects.

However, this division is increasingly recognised as artificial. A growing body of evidence suggests that separating students into rigid academic pathways overlooks the powerful benefits of integrating the arts into scientific and technical education. As inventor and entrepreneur James Dyson has argued, true innovation demands both analytical precision and creative imagination. Technical skill alone is not enough; innovation emerges from the convergence of diverse mindsets, perspectives, and abilities. Inventing, engineering, designing, and art are inseparable processes. 

The ‘A’ representing the Arts needs to be restored to its rightful place - in STEAM.

Shakespeare as a proponent of science

In terms of the global curriculum, Shakespeare is widely accepted as a cornerstone. However, many institutions still regard Shakespeare and drama as solely the preserve of arts and humanities students. This view overlooks history itself: figures such as Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin valued literature and the classics, while Leonardo da Vinci exemplified interdisciplinary thinking. 

Shakespeare, too, was influenced by the rapidly expanding scientific knowledge of his time, as well as by travel, folklore, politics, and early modern studies of nature and medicine. We might look at lines such as King Lear’s (Act 2, Scene 4): “These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us” pointing to the Elizabethan interest in humanism and astronomy, and the idea of man as part of a rational universe; ideas which began rising in popularity through the works of scientists and astronomers such as Brahe and Galileo. Much of the underlying drama in Macbeth reflects the Renaissance understanding of the relationship between mental and physical health, (for instance the way guilt can affect the physical body); concepts studied by scientists of the time such as Hippocrates. Students of Othello and The Merchant of Venice, among other works, may learn to recognise Shakespeare’s fascination with global subjects, reflecting the real-world movement of people from Africa and the Mediterranean into European contexts at the time. In The Tempest, (Act I, Scene II) Prospero declares: “By the means of this art, I know how to endow my daughter with riches that would make her one of the greatest princesses of the world.” mirroring the Elizabethan fascination with exploration and ‘foreign’ treasures, hinting at the global circulation of wealth and exotic goods. And Othello, the Moor in Venice, is a clear representation of the contemporary movement of Africans into European ports, reflecting trade, diplomacy, and migration.

Cognitive research consistently shows that engaging with challenging texts strengthens memory, deepens learning, and fosters collaborative thinking. 

Discussion-based approaches nurture the ability to analyse evidence and evaluate competing interpretations. These competencies translate directly into employability skills, such as adaptability, leadership, communication, and sound judgement.

Critical thinking in the age of AI

As curricula evolve to reflect the influence of the internet and artificial intelligence, critical thinking has become central to secondary and higher education. Students are increasingly expected to conduct independent research, produce extended essays, and demonstrate media literacy and evidence analysis.

The parallels between Arts and STEM study are clear. Just as scientists test hypotheses and interpret data, literature students analyse sources, evaluate interpretations, and construct reasoned arguments. Studying Shakespeare trains students to look beyond surface meaning and exercise independent judgement – an essential skill in a world saturated with information.

Creativity and innovation

Shakespeare demonstrates that creativity is foundational, not peripheral, to scientific progress. His imaginative exploration of ambition, perception, identity, and power models the speculative thinking that drives discovery. Breakthroughs often occur at the boundaries between disciplines, where creative connections spark new ideas – much as Shakespeare blends poetry with politics, psychology with philosophy, and observation with invention.

His inventive use of language, coining words, reshaping syntax, extending metaphor, the juxtaposition of opposites, parallels the way scientists develop new conceptual frameworks to describe previously unknown phenomena. Creativity and rigour are not opposites; they are partners.

Context, culture, and global awareness

Unlocking Shakespeare’s value for STEM students requires a contextual approach. Shakespeare’s world was shaped by exploration, emerging scientific inquiry, religious debate, and cross-cultural exchange.

Professor Richard Schoch, author of A Short History of Shakespeare in Performance, has observed that recent scholarship reveals Shakespeare’s environment to have been far more diverse than once assumed. Multiculturalism and cultural encounter are not later additions imposed on Shakespeare; they are present from the outset.

Advances in cognitive science show that the brain processes information contextually, recognising patterns before decoding individual components. Teaching Shakespeare through context, using plot, historical background, theme-based frameworks, rather than studying isolated extracts, leads to stronger interpretation and deeper analytical responses. 

Conclusion: A strategic necessity

The study of Shakespeare is not a luxury for STEM students. It is a strategic necessity. After all, as Hamlet reminds us (Act 1, Scene 5):

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”