Shakespeare in Ashland

Click here for information and intinerary for Shakespeare in Ashland.

Julius Caesar journal #1

One page: What does the play have to say so far about...
politics
character (as in moral character)
the common people
trust (or mistrust)
ambition
conspiracy
something else?

(include 1-3 of your favorite lines from acts 1 or 2)
Click here to search for good lines.

Hamlet final project

Here are some helpful links for the final project:

Film reviews
Branagh's Hamlet reviewed in Variety
Branagh's Hamlet reviewed in The New York Times
Gibson's Hamlet reviewed in The New York Times
Gibson's Hamlet reviewed by Roger Ebert
Tennant's Hamlet reviewed in The Guardian
Tennant's Hamlet reviewed in The Telegraph
Tennant's Hamlet reviewed by the BBC

Stage/ acting history
A stage history of Hamlet from the Royal Shakespeare Company
"Hamlet" from theatrehistory.com
"Acting Hamlet" from theatrehistory.com
"All Sorts of Hamlets"

Click this link if you want to read some excerpts from a review of the OSF 2010 Hamlet.

Click this link if you want a copy of the Hamlet film comparison graphic.

"Slings and Arrows" explains Ophelia

Mariah Gale as Ophelia

Mariah Gale as Ophelia (part 2)

“To be or not to be” journal

This speech has been called the “most famous and most misinterpreted speech in all of literature."

Pick one or more of these questions for your journal:

Why do you think this speech is so famous?

What is Hamlet’s state of mind at the moment he delivers the speech?

What is he thinking about?

What is this speech about?

What’s your favorite line from the speech besides “to be or not to be”? Why?

Freewrite topics for Lord of the Flies journal #6

1. What does Golding wish for us to believe about the role of shame in a society?

2. What does Golding wish for us to believe about the effect of anonymity on the individual?

3. What does Golding wish for us to believe is the primary component of a civilized society?

4. What does William Golding wish for us to believe is the primary cause of the descent into savagery?

Hamlet FYI

Click here for background pages on Hamlet that I mentioned in class.

An actor prepares to perform Shakespeare

Gregory Linington prepares for roles at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Cick here for the video.

Click here for the article.

Click here to see what his script looks like.

Passages for act 3 reading log

3.3.19-28

3.3.155-161

3.3.342-354

3.3.407-423

3.4.56-76

Approaches to Shakespeare

Greetings Approaches to Shakespeare students. Click the link below to access all documents for our course.

Approaches to Shakespeare documents

And here are some useful links for you:

Shakespeare Insulter

Shakespeare Help

Open Source Shakespeare

Folger Shakespeare Library

Shakespeare Competition

Shakespeare in American Communities

Shakespeare's Globe

Heritage Institute (where you will find the Shakespeare course in Ashland)

Hamlet Act 5 (This American Life episode on Shakespeare in prison)

Third Quarter Extra Credit-- 10 pts

Does literature still matter?

To earn the 3rd quarter extra credit, read the article below and write a comment of no less than 50 words about it. You may either leave your comment here on the blog in the comments section (be sure to leave your name) or write one out and hand it to me on Monday morning before 7:45.

Does Literature Still Matter

The Piano Lesson key passages

Here is a link to the key passage list for The Piano Lesson: key passages

The Piano Lesson essay topics

1. How does Wilson use the motif of haunting to develop an important theme?
2. How does Wilson use the motif of ownership to develop an important theme?
3. How does Wilson use the symbol of the piano to develop an important theme?
4. What does Boy Willie symbolize and how does that symbol develop an important theme?
5. What does Maretha symbolize and how does that symbol develop an important theme?
6. What does Berniece’s relationship with Maretha symbolize?
7. How does the conflict between Berniece and Boy Willie over Maretha develop an important theme?
8. How does the conflict between Berniece and Boy Willie over the piano develop an important theme?
9. How does the contrast between Boy Willie’s and Avery’s attitudes about white people develop an important theme?
10. How does the contrast between Boy Willie’s and Avery’s attitudes about power develop an important theme?
11. How does Wilson express his theme on the American Dream through conflict, characterization, symbolism, motif or some other device?
12. How does Wilson express his theme on work/craft/labor through conflict, characterization, symbolism, motif or some other device?
13. What important theme is embodied in one of Boy Willie’s “soliloquies” in Act 2 scene 5?
14. How does Wilson use the motif of the epithet nigger to develop an important theme?

Guiding questions for Lord of the Flies key passages

1. What makes this passage key?

2. Which lit. terms are important in this passage and why? Does the passage contain a motif, symbolism, important characterization, an important external conflict, an important internal conflict, etc?

3. Which specific topics (such as savagery vs. civilization, survival, instinct, loss of innocence, law and order, anonymity, etc) are illuminated in this passage? Are there new topics we see in the passage?

4. How is the passage relevant to previous passages? How do the boys or the actions of the boys in this passage remind you of something from previous passages?

5. Which character is the “star” of the passage? Why?

6. What are the key phrases in the passages?

7. What are the key words?

Extra Credit

To earn the 10 points extra credit for 2nd quarter, you must read one article posted below and write a 200-300 reaction to your reading. Your written reaction is informal and should just reflect your personal response to what you’ve read.

Due: Monday, February 7

Life in Shakespeare's London

A Short Shakespeare Biography

The Authorship Question

Is Shakespeare relevant to the Modern Age?

How popular is Shakespeare?

Juliet Lives

No Fear Shakespeare on your iPhone

Advanced Sophomore English calendar

Click here to view the calendar for the first quarter. Keep in mind I will modify this occasionally as things change over the quarter.

Siddhartha calendar

Click here.

The Joy Luck Club calendar

Click here.