The Common Core generally eschews mandating texts in favor of promoting critical analysis and rigor. So it's significant that Shakespeare is the only author invoked in imperatives. His explicit inclusion offers a significant opportunity for educators to rethink how we approach Shakespearean instruction. Rather than the traditional learning of Shakespeare that rushes through themes and character, the primary goal under the aegis of the Common Core should be to equip students with the tools to understand, decode, and analyze complex texts.