Beginning Shakespeare

Today 1-2 and 1-3 saw the video entitled “Shakespeare in the Classroom.” Here it is if you missed it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTtPW-zT45k

Far be it from me to correct Gwenyth Paltrow but I am now going to correct Gwenyth Paltrow. In woeful tones she told you that Elizabethan women couldn’t vote. This is true. True and misleading. Most Elizabethan men couldn’t vote, either. a) It was a monarchy, not a democracy, and no one votes for the monarch. You just get them. They’re born, not voted on. and b) The only voting was to see who got into the House of Commons, and Joe the Butcher couldn’t vote there any more than his wife could. You had to have a certain level of annual income to vote. So, in a nutshell: You had to be male and you had to be rich. 

1-2 didn’t start reading the play, but 1-3 did. We read Act 1, Scenes 1, 2, 3, and 4. Then it was time for me to be Lady Macbeth and the bell rang. You were spared. But I shall be back, hamming it up as usual, next class. 

Here’s my Macbeth blog. Go here and find out who’s who: HERE.

 

Macbeth: Cast

 

• Macbeth: Stephen,
• Lady Macbeth: Watson,
• Duncan: Wyatt,
• Malcolm: Andy,
• Donalbain, Carl,
• Macduff: Trey,
• Lady Macduff: Laken,
• Boy Macduff: Josh,
• Banquo: Erik,
• Fleance: Keegan,
• Witch 1: Sarah,
• Witch 2: Nicole,
• Witch 3: Andrea,
• Hecate: Justine,
• Lennox: Emilia,
• Ross: Mykenna,
• Menteith: Cynthia,
• Angus: Megan,
• Caithness, Maggie,
• Siward: Brendan,
• English doctor:
• Scottish doctor:
• Gentlewoman: Emmi,
• Seyton: Trey,
• Murderer 1: Ema,
• Murderer 2:
• Sergeant
• Porter: Trey,
• Old Man: Brandon,

 

What now? Essay now.

So. You’ve read the book. You’ve watched the black and white movie. You’ve watched the colour movie. You’ve done multiple short paragraph answers and now it’s time for the essay.

But first, to backtrack. On Pro D day I went to a workshop that gave me answers to deal with something I already knew. It won’t be a surprise to you. Students procrastinate. And why do they procrastinate? Number One Reason: What they’re being asked to do seems too big. They look at the assignment, have no idea how to break it down into manageable pieces, then leave it for weeks on end, hoping the Essay Fairy will come in the night and do it for them. No Essay Fairy. Just reality. One day before the essay is due or one week after and they try to figure out what do to, knowing they have to hand in something.

Forget the Essay Fairy. You’ve got me. I listened to the speaker and the whole time she was talking I was multitasking, taking notes on what she said and simultaneously planning how I was going to present this essay. So here it is: Lord of the Flies in parts.

• Part 1: You do a handout on writing a topic sentence.
• Part 2: You do a handout on writing a thesis statement.
• Part 3: You do a handout on finding quotes.
• Part 4: We make sure your quotes prove your point.
• Part 5: You stick the quotes in little boxes. (You’ll find out.)
• Part 6: You bring all the pieces to class and you write the essay in class.

We go a stage at a time. You hand in the handout; I tell you if you get it. If you don’t get it, I teach it again ’til you do get it. Then we do the next handout. We do it in little pieces in class and you get the hang of it. The only thing you need to do outside of class time is read Spark Notes. That’s it.

Oh, and I would advise coming to class.