Acting Out Class Summary 4/8/13

Reader's Theatre class started this week with a dialogue on the characters of William Shakespeare's play "Hamlet." A handout was given to the students on all the characters that are in the reader's theatre version we are studying. This character analysis not only offered them a chance to better understand the actions of the play, but is also preparing them to dive deeper into a character of their choice for the next two weeks' homework assignment.  

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To Be or Not to Be...(that is, in fact, the question)

We then discussed the meaning of "soliloquy." What is its meaning? And what is its importance in a Shakespearean play? This led us into a soliloquy exercise where the class was divided into two groups. Each group was given a different soliloquy from Hamlet. The soliloquy was cut into equal parts per student and randomly distributed between them. Students had to come together in their respective groups and read each of their texts and try to put the soliloquy back together in its original text form. It was no small feat for everyone to make sense of Shakespeare's language and bring it all together into a cohesive speech. It's hard enough to read a Shakespearean soliloquy when it's already in its rightful form!  

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Homework for next two weeks!

Collecting a Character

Students should choose from one of the characters in Hamlet (see the handout that was given in class) and create collections/anthologies to express their ideas about essential aspects of their chosen character. The project could include some or all of the following: poems; songs or instrumental music; sounds; still images -- drawings or photos, on their own or in a collage; an excerpt from a book or article; a color scheme; fabrics; abstract patterns; a scent or smell. They need to explain how each item in the collection fits in with their interpretation of their chosen character. Let the creativity flow!

**Next week I will devote a few minutes before the start of class to check in with them to see how they are doing with the project, and if they have any questions. The following week (4/22) the assignment will be due and each student will present to the class.

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Here is a small piece (I'm sure you'll find familiar) of Shakespeare's Soliloquy from Act III Scene I:

"To be, or not to be: that is the question: 
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer 
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, 
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, 
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; 
No more; and by a sleep to say we end 
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks 
That flesh is heir to…"

To further our soliloquy discussion, we watched the above soliloquy on the computer where it was acted by three different famous actors in three different versions of the play. It was interesting to watch each student suddenly get a case of the giggles and start squirming in his/her seat. Perhaps it was the melodramatic tendencies of Shakespeare's writing and the actors who portray the characters, or maybe it was the idea of watching an actor with so much intensity and focus that when he speaks the words seem like they don't match what he is doing (in our minds) -- sort of like watching a film in another language. 

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PBS LearningMedia

To further our understanding of the soliloquy, we recommend that students take some time to view one or more of the following videos found at THIS LINK:

• What is a Soliloquy?
• The Big Question: To Be or Not to Be
• Many Different Hamlets

After reading the explanatory "slide" in front of the video, click the down arrow to the far right of the video screen and press play. You may need to create a free account after viewing a certain amount of resources.

It can actually prove to be quite humorous at times. This was the case when we all watched Shakespeare together and when we started to read from the script as well, BUT, something magical happened this time around. As we read the script, we stopped at certain crucial turning points in the play and broke it down. We dissected the script and what was really being said. For example, "To be or not to be," is Hamlet questioning whether he should suffer through this terrible, evil situation he has found himself in ("to avenge his father's death") OR "Take arms against a sea of troubles…" (to fight for what is right and good in the world)? 

You can imagine we were doing quite a LOT of dissecting, but to watch the students faces go from glossy-eyed to lit-up when they realized what their characters were saying was really awesome to witness. I think I even heard someone say, "Why don't we just say it in plain English?" And so is the plight of analyzing Shakespeare! We came to class, we read the script, and we conquered!! It is really an honor to watch your children's Shakepearean brains unfold and deepen their perception of the English language. So very cool!

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The Soliloquy videos and materials are just one small offering of a large body of resources from PBS LearningMedia, entitled, Shakespeare Uncovered. There are numerous topics available and while we will hopefully be able to implement some of them in the next six weeks, if you or your students are interested in delving deeper into Shakespeare, this is a great place to start. Before we left New Jersey, I was able to catch a few of the "Shakespeare Uncovered" programs on our local PBS station and found them quite enjoyable. Until next week! -- Mrs. H