Composition & Essays

Lord of the Flies

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Shakespeare

To Kill A Mockingbird

Pablo Strauss

Romeo and Juliet

Grade: 10

Rationale

I am beginning with the assumption that this unit will be these students’ first exposure to Shakespeare. In this case, Romeo and Juliet is the perfect play : exciting, not overly complicated, and full of themes young people relate to.

Learning to read, watch and listen to Shakespeare are acquired skills. It has taken me many years, and many plays, to be able to understand and enjoy Shakespeare to the extent that I can today ; it will take me many more before I am satisfied with this understanding. I want, then, to stress to students that they are undertaking a difficult but worthwhile process that will last throughout their lives, if they so choose.

Accordingly, my main objectives are to develop in students the desire to read, listen to and watch Shakespeare – to persuade and show them that Shakespeare is not “boring” – and to help them begin to develop the skills necessary to read and understand Shakespeare’s language.

I will try to give each lesson a theme. Also, I will try to focus on one literary device some days, and in this way to gradually build students’ repertoire of literary terminology, and ability to read. Finally, I will give each of the plays major characters – Romeo, Juliet, the Nurse, Friar Lawrence, and Mercutio – at least part of one class during which they will be singled out for particular attention.

The overall focus will not be on issues, but on what happens in the play. This focus means that I will try to work in literary terminology, historical background, and other peripheral concerns along the way, instead of giving them a special place. Rather than begin with a long, detailed introduction, I will start right in on the prologue, and only after give background information. I will integrate much of this background information into the final assignment.

I think it is enough, at this point, to try to read and watch the play, and to try to figure out what is happening, and why. My hope is that at the end of the unit students will have happy memories of Shakespeare.