Observation #4 The 12th Grade ELA and Theater Class

Name: __________

Date:   __________

Class:  __________

Sect.:   __________

Shakespeare and Persona

Short Essay (Pick 2)

1.      Romeo and Hamlet have very similar mentalities as characters within William Shakespeare’s plays.  However, Romeo is 14 while Hamlet is 31.  What this is meant to show is that their mentalities are not age specific, but human specific.  Take for example Romeo’s soliloquy “What light through yonder window breaks?” , or Hamlet’s soliloquy “To Be, or Not To Be,” how would you recite these soliloquies?  How would you expect to feel as a person reciting these lines? Include a situation in your own life where these might be applicable.

Evaluation

2.      Cleopatra of Antony and Cleopatra is a dominate woman, and dominate person in general, within the spectrum of Shakespearean works.  But like all people, she has the ability love, be loved, fall out of love, and be jealous.  As Cleopatra learns about Antony’s to-be wife in Rome, she begins to descend from her pedestal of an Egyptian Goddess and into the shoes of a mere mortal.  What about her descent makes her a more believable character?  Look specifically to her interaction with Charmian.  Or is Cleopatra simply a vain and shallow character within Shakespearean works?

Analysis

3.      Although Antonio is the main character of The Merchant of Venice, heavy focus is found usually surrounding Shylock, the rich Jewish moneylender.  Look towards his soliloquy “To bait fish withal.”  In most scenarios, Shylock is seen as a coldhearted and villainous character, but it is within these lines that the audience may come to sympathize with his villainous intents. Taking a few steps back, look at Shylock as an extension of yourself.  How would you convince a friend or family member to believe you had been deceived or framed for something you never did? And how would you do this if your reputation was that of a fraud to begin with?

Sythesis

Objective: Ss will take close readings of select Shakespearean texts in order to interpret their meanings within a contemporary sphere of mind.

By allowing students to decide between 3 options, only having to answer 2, this gives them the ability to sieve and process information freely.  And while they have their own choice in answering, they will have meant the same objective regardless of what they choose to answer.