Friday, 20 November 2015

Introducing Shakespeare

Before we start:

1. The writer's course is finished!

I should have 4 pieces of work.

Some people have not turned in ONE piece yet!

2. The next three Fridays are for the Classic book talks. Sign up!
Please fill in the sheet which is here 

3. On Monday we will try out  a Cambridge Listening Test 


Today we finally get to start studying our Shakespeare play- a comedy entitled "Two Gentlemen of Verona"

We will use a Shakespeare Survival Kit which should be completed by the time we finish the play.

We will start off by getting a copy of the play from Björn.
Then there will be a video about Shakespeare's life.

Fill in some information for each heading on the document (available on paper)


General information about Shakespeare:-
Here is a link document to help you



After that we will begin studying the language and looking at the compendium.
Here are some of the documents:

General 

Words  -Some basic information about Shakespeare's language

Common Shakespeare terms- more general language information 

Figurative language- some of the devices Shakespeare uses to enrichen his plays

What did he say? Test your own knowledge of Shakespeare's words having read through the information about his language

Punny guy! The classic Shakespeare device for providing verbal humour (N.B. This is a pdf file!)

Here ia an extra resource from about.com( http://specials.about.com/service/newsletters/shakespeare/3d5479d1d00001ad8c000fac.htm )which I can recommend

Two Gentlemen of Verona
Here is a document to get you going with the language



Here are the study questions for Act I

Scene 1

1.     How does the play begin ?


2.     Which characters are on stage?

3.     What are they discussing ?

4.     What is Valentine about to do?

5.     Who is Speed? Why do you think he is called the way he is ?

To help you here is a short summary of this first scene in the play
Act I, scene i
Summary
The Two Gentlemen of Verona opens on a street in Verona as Valentine bids an emotional farewell to his dearest friend, Proteus. Valentine explains to Proteus that he must leave Verona for Milan because he believes that young gentlemen remain simple if they do not venture out to see the world. Proteus responds that his passion for Julia keeps him at home in Verona. Valentine chides Proteus for being so consumed with love, and hints that Proteus' devotion to love will ultimately make him a fool. Proteus promises to pray for his friend, and Valentine departs. Proteus muses that Valentine has set out to find honor, and that Valentine honors his friends by becoming more dignified himself. With melancholy in his voice, Proteus notes that he has abandoned his friends, his studies, and his rational thoughts, all for his love of Julia.

Proteus' mournful thoughts are interrupted by the entrance of Speed, Valentine's punning page. After a long, silly discussion about whether Speed is a sheep and Valentine a shepherd, Proteus asks Speed if he has delivered Proteus' love letter to Julia. More punning ensues, until Speed finally confesses that while he did indeed deliver the letter, he could discern no particular response from Julia since she simply nodded her head when she received the letter. Speed notes that Julia did not tip him for delivering the letter, from which he infers that Julia will be hard and withholding toward Proteus' as well. Proteus angrily sends Speed after Valentine's ship, worrying himself over Julia's cold reception to his love letter. 

Scene 2
1.     Who is Julia ?

2.     What is her relationship to Lucetta?

3.     Why is this scene “comic”?


4.     Who is Julia in love with?

Scene 3

1.     In all these scenes, there is a master/mistress and servant? Who is the servant here?

2.     Panthino is not like Lucetta and Speed. Why?


3.     Proteus gets tricked by his own lies. Can you explain how?


4.     What is the relationship between Antonio and Proteus?


5.     Give examples of 5 puns (plays on words) from the First Act of the Play
We shall go through Act I next Friday (on the blog). By then you should know the answers!

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