Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Class Summary 3/2/15

Monologues

We discussed the monologues the students chose to read and analyze for homework, which included:

• Giles, the beggar
  
• Taggot, the blacksmith's daughter
  
• Otho, the miller's son
  
• Will, the plowboy

(If you were absent today, please read these monologues as homework).

Students identified the theme and mood of each piece, looked at the use of figurative language, and discussed the motivation and circumstance of each narrator/character. We are slowly uncovering the interesting variety of personalities that comprise the young medieval voices of our village.  

As you read through the monologues each week, you should be thinking about which characters and scenes you would like to perform.  I have asked that everyone provide me with their first, second, and third choice no later than March 30th.  

Set Design

We then turned our attention toward the layout of the manor/village setting and discussed which components of the medieval village could be designed and built as a theatrical set for the final performance of the monologues.  So far, we have decided that the following components should be represented:

• The Church
  
• The Manor House
  
• Serfs Homes
  
• The Village Street
  
• The Stream
  
• The Forest
  
• The Fields  
  

Students broke into small groups to brainstorm ideas for designing and building these components. We will continue work on set design concepts next week, so come prepared to present and discuss your ideas!

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Homework

To prepare for next week:

• Read ALL of these monologues and complete the character worksheet for ONE:

1. Jack, the half-wit
   
2. Edgar, the falconer's son
3. Lowdy, the varlet's child

• Research and sketch your ideas for set design.  Bring designs, sketches, photos, etc. to class. Make sure to start listing the materials and supplies you will need to build your piece of the set. 
• Read Feb-Apr chapters in Catherine Called Birdy.