Shakespeare: His Life and Times
We have spent a lot of time studying Shakespeare and reading his famous play, “Romeo
and Juliet.” In order to get you
thinking with and about Shakespeare, I have integrated a lot of
technical presentations and assignments. One of our principal objectives is to
learn about Shakespeare as a man. What
makes his works so important and how did he write? I really want you to view Shakespeare as an individual, not a
complex literary icon.
You have several tasks to
complete. These are meant to be fun and
meaningful tasks. You are allowed to
work in groups of two. Please read the
tasks closely and make sure to follow the directions. Have fun and come to me with any questions or concerns.
Task #1: The
Elizabethan Era
In
order to get to know Shakespeare, it’s important to find out about the “time”
he lived in. It’s very different from
your era, find out how. Pick out 5
interesting facts or ideas about Elizabethan life and compare/contrast them
with the things in your era. Write a
page in journal. For example: the dresses were fluffy back then
(describe them.) The dresses now….(describe.)
You can write about the religion, dress, food, education…
Here are some helpful links:
http://renaissance.dm.net/compendium/home.html
http://www.erasofelegance.com/elizabethan.html
http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/life.htm
Task #2:
The Diary
Study Shakespeare so that you have enough knowledge to put yourself in his shoes. Your task is to write a diary entry of at least one page, describing your day and your thoughts. Be sure to include particulars of the Elizabethan Era and try to include some reality (his family members, house, school, etc.) You must have a date and at least 3 particulars of the Elizabethan Era and 3 particulars of his reality.
Here are some helpful links:
http://library.thinkquest.org/19539/front.htm
http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/homepage
http://web.uvic.ca/shakespeare/Library/SLT/intro/introsubj.html
Task #3:
The Casting
You have finished two tasks that
promoted Shakespeare as a man. You also
have read his famous play “Romeo and Juliet.”
I want you to focus on the theme of LOVE and FAMILY. Also, think about
the year Shakespeare wrote this play.
Take one of your
favorite scenes and translate it to our everyday language (sorry, no intense
profanity.) Keep a notebook page of
costume, makeup, and hair for your time, 2002.
For the particular scene, I want you to pick actors/actresses to play
certain parts. Explain (1 paragraph
each), why you chose that actor/actress.
Make a script with your lines.
On a separate
notebook page, I want you to write how the theme of LOVE and FAMILY still plays a part in today’s society. Also predict how “Romeo and Juliet” would be
different if it was written today. (1
page)
Here are some
helpful links:
http://library.thinkquest.org/19539/front.htm
http://the-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/romeo_juliet/
http://www.clicknotes.com/romeo/welcome.html
Congratulations!
You should have finished all of your tasks. I hope you had fun discovering meaningful information about Shakespeare. I’m proud of you for taking the time to research the web and complete high-quality work. Thank you!
What do you turn in?
For Task #1: You and your partner should have one journal page each, of comparing/contrasting 5 things from the Elizabethan Era to present day.
For Task #2: Diary entry of a day in the life of
Shakespeare. Must have 6 particulars, a
date, and a signature.
For Task #3: Casting.
Pick a scene and translate it to everyday language. Choose present day actors/actresses to play
parts and write 1 paragraph for each actor/actress on why you chose
him/her. This should be in the form of
a script.
On a separate notebook page,
write about 2 things: how the theme of
love and family still plays a part in today’s society, and a prediction on how
“Romeo and Juliet” would be different if written today.
How will I grade you?
I will grade each task for completeness and quality. Highest-quality tasks will receive extra points. Total points possible for each task is 30 points.