With such a huge volume of work to choose from, deciding which six plays make the cut is a daunting task. Sweeney has clearly put considerable thought into her selections, reaching beyond Shakespeare's best-known works to sample his diverse writings as broadly as possible. Sweeney also chose plays with which many students are not familiar, allowing for fresh, unbiased readings of the works. This semester's list is comprised of King Lear, Richard III, Twelfth Night, Henry IV, Measure For Measure, and The Tempest. The class touches on some academic elements of style and structure of verse, but the focus is on speaking authentically, clearly, and gracefully.
Students analyze the plays, with the goal of revealing each work's meaning and purpose.
According to Sweeney, the oral communication of Shakespeare's works can be enjoyable for all-one need not be an actor to experience and take pleasure from this type of expression. Sweeney tries to draw this appetite out of her students, challenging them to try hard and take risks. Grading for the course is organized to support this goal. Sweeney encourages students to practice reciting their passages daily in front of anyone who will listen. The students in the class caught Sweeney's enthusiasm.