Labeling literary or artistic periods is always tricky, and labeling an emerging period (such as this post-postmodern one) is, of course, impossible. Harold Bloom has labeled this period the "chaotic age" because of the canon wars that have raged among factions. One writer with a place in any canon and who is an anodyne to the chaos of the present period is Shakespeare. One effective way of teaching Shakespeare is to read his words aloud. Educators must remember that they are teaching college students today who have not been read to and who have not necessarily read Shakespeare in high school. The instructor who reads aloud need not see himself/herself as a showoff or "ham"; rather, he or she should see himself/herself as a facilitator, a presenter. Students learn to appreciate and understand Shakespeare by listening to his work read aloud. Choice excerpts from "Romeo and Juliet,""King Lear," and "The Merchant of Venice" demonstrate the beauty of Shakespeare's language and how well that beauty lends itself to recitation. In addition, Shakespeare suggests a theme for the present era--optimism. Despite dark periods in history, including a number of sonnets that depict the tortuous entanglements of love, Shakespeare was wise enough to be an optimist and this optimism comes through even in his great tragedies. Examples of optimism can be found in "King Lear,""Much Ado about Nothing," and "Taming of the Shrew." (TB)