#2661. Shakespeare and the Web

Literature, level: Advanced
Posted Thu Aug 8 08:23:36 PDT 2002 by Eric D. Manko (spcmanko@hotmail.com).
IUP, Indiana, US
Materials Required: Access to computer labs.
Activity Time: 1 week total.
Concepts Taught: I have provided a start for two days.

Mr. Eric D. Manko AP English 12: Brit Lit
Monday, August 6, 2002 Phase II
Lesson Plan: Shakespeare

OBJECTIVES --
Students will:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of Shakespeare's life and works by sharing information gained in both lecture and Web Quest exploration.
2. Derive and understanding of the historical, religious, and peer influences on Shakespeare's work.
3. Understand the concept of a Tragic Hero and its relation with contemporary life.
4. Utilize the Internet to research information for a Web Quest.
5. Organize information and post a Web Page of final results.

ACTIVITIES:
1. Begin by proposing this question: "How do people best acquire true knowledge -- through the teachings of their predecessors or through their own discovery?" Allow students to think before asking, "How do you think Shakespeare gathered knowledge?" Wait for responses before asking, "We have an advantage over Shakespeare -- technology. How could Shakespeare have used the technology we have today to gather knowledge?"
2. Show A&E Video. Ask that students take brief notes by following the lecture prompts written on the chalkboard.

INFORMAL LECTURE (see attached)
- Section I
Explain: The concept of a Web Quest. Organize groups to answer certain questions and ask for group leaders. Ensure that students realize that they will need pictures, mpegs, and sound in addition to text.

ASSIGNMENT --
Read pages 223-230 (Introduction to Shakespeare). Answer Reading Focus on Pg. 225 and answer questions 1,4,5, and 9 on Pg. 230. Bring in a few floppy disks for saving information. If students cannot locate them provide extra disks.

Mr. Eric D. Manko AP English 12: Brit Lit
Tuesday, August 7, 2002 Phase II
Lesson Plan: Shakespeare

OBJECTIVES --
Students will:
6. Demonstrate an understanding of Shakespeare's life and works by sharing information gained in both lecture and Web Quest exploration.
7. Derive and understanding of the historical, religious, and peer influences on Shakespeare's work.
8. Understand the concept of a Tragic Hero and its relation with contemporary life.
9. Utilize the Internet to research information for a Web Quest.
10. Organize information and post a Web Page of final results.

ACTIVITIES:
Intro: We see how the history of the monarchy influenced Shakespeare (history plays), but what about everything else? How important were religion and Shakespeare's contemporaries? How could we use the Internet to learn more about Shakespeare and his works?
Give students the opportunity to break into groups and begin research. Provide websites to get them started, but encourage them to explore sites not suggested. Make certain students are able to download information. Ask this question: What is the importance of the Globe Theatre? Should we include a Virtual Tour of the Globe Theatre on our site? Show students the Virtual Tour of the Globe.

INFORMAL LECTURE (see attached)
- Sections II and III.
Explain: Tell students that the Wednesday's class will be devoted entirely to research. Thursday will be a tech day where students learn how to use Netscape Composer to create pages. Students will begin construction of the website. Friday will be a wrap up and completion of website.

ASSIGNMENT --
Read pages 231-233 (Shakespeare and his Influences). Answer Reading Focus on Pg. 232 and answer questions 2,3,6, and 10 on Pg. 233. Bring in floppy disks for downloading info.

INFORMAL LECTURE:
SHAKESPEARE
II. Shakespeare's Personal Life
A. Childhood
• Born in Stratford-upon-Avon to John and Mary Arden Shakespeare on April 23, 1564.
• Attended New Kings School for 2-3 years learning to read, write, and catechism.
• In grammar school at age 7 he learned Latin, grammar and the ancient writers Virgil and Ovid.
B. Middle Years
• At age 18 marries 26-year-old Anne Hathaway on Nov 27, 1582.
• May 26, 1583 Suzanna born.
• Feb 2, 1583 Hamnet and Judith born. Hamnet dies at age 11 of a childhood disease.
• 1585-1592 lost years. No one knows exactly what Shakespeare is doing during these years. It has been speculated that he got into trouble with the law in Stratford so he ran to London. Joined the military. Just went to London to begin a normal career.
III. Religious Influences on Shakespeare
A. Liturgical Drama/Easter and Christmas Tropes
• Acted during Christmas and Easter holidays retelling the story of the birth and resurrection of Christ.
B. Mystery Plays/Corpus Christi Plays
• Acted out by the 'mystery' or the trade guilds.
• Performed at the Corpus Christi festivals during the early 14th century.
• Shakespeare probably saw the plays before they were suppressed by the Protestants. He recalls this in Hamlet, "it out-herods Herod," (3.2.14) and the Porter in Macbeth says, "But this place is too cold for hell/I'll devil-porter it no further," (2.3.16-17) recalling Christ's harrowing of hell.
C. Saints Plays
• Like Corpus Christi plays but Saints Plays emphasized conversion from sin to grace.
• Some History Plays show this.
Hardly an Influence: Corpus Christi and Saints Plays belonged to the Pre-Reformation period, although it is likely that Shakespeare would have seen them in his youth it is unlikely that they had any deep impact.
D. Morality Plays
• Morality plays easier to prove to have influenced Shakespeare because they survived well into the 16th century. Rely on Allegory, telling spiritual struggle and eventual triumph over sin.
• Morality plays rely on the soul's struggle between good and evil, wavering progress toward salvation -- vehicle for portraying social structures of 16th century life.
• Vice character -- comic tempter of morality play, technique of evil persuasion. "Boasting, chortling brand of villainy." (Richard III, Aaron the Moor, and Iago).
• Tragic Hero -- Tragic flaw -- the Seven Deadly Sins
IV. Contemporary Influences on Shakespeare
A.1 Romance: John Lyly 1554-1606
• Romantic comedy where, "men abase themselves before women, vacillate between idealization and misogyny and not infrequently fail as wooers."
• On the other hand, Shakespeare's lovers work toward a successful realistic completion of love.
A.2 Romance: George Peele 1558-1597
• History play -- folk legend combined with the spirit of popular romance and kingly power.
• (Style, setting, and movement)
A.3 Romance: Robert Greene 1558-1592
• Greek Romance -- romantic fiction where improbable encounters, piracies, exposure of infant children to the elements and restoration as grownups to their parents, separation and reunion of twins.
• He developed the Heroine. The witty, independent, resourceful, yet feminine.
• (Love and adventure)
B.1 Tragedy: Thomas Kyd 1558-1594
• Senecan story. Keeps brutality on stage.
• Senecan ghost and revenge motive, stoicism.
• (motive, plot, tragic intensity)
B.2 Tragedy: Christopher Marlowe 1564-1593
• Protagonist expressing aspiration of the Renaissance.
• Naturalistic amorality
• (poetry, character, and style)
V. Tragedy Plays
A.1 Classical
• The story of a great person fallen out of high degree into misery and ends wretchedly or eternally damned.
• No comedy
A.2 Native
• Scenes alternate comedy with tragic seriousness.
A.3 Italian Short Story
• Impassioned and serious. Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure.
B.1 Late 16th Century
• Tragedy of Shakespeare and his contemporaries is hardly classical. The focus is on English or Native tragedy, which contains: broad narrative focus, variations of time and space, and the inclusion of comedy.
B.2 Why?
• Authors of the time were rarely trained in the classical tragedy and the popular audience demanded new plots, songs, and humor.