HOW TO TEACH SHAKESPEARE

HOW TO TEACH SHAKESPEARE
The difficulties of teaching Shakespeare sometimes seem insurmountable. In our day of actionbased, sub-literary entertainment, Shakespeare takes forever to say what he means to say, and it's
easy to lose patience with him. Then there are all the antiquated words and phrases to deal with,
plus classical references and contemporary allusions that go over our 21st-century heads. But
still . . .
"Great Literature" is not determined by a conspiracy of stodgy English teachers. Literature
survives if it feeds the soul as well as the mind and gives the reader layer upon layer of meaning
to think about. Literature survives if it throws a spotlight on life and helps us see more clearly
what desire, love, ambition, faith, villainy and human personality are all about. Literature
survives if it encompasses the scope of human experience with the beauty and power of
language. Shakespeare does all this, and that's why he not only survives, but thrives.
First, a little background. Secular theater was a relatively new concept when Will Shakespeare
arrived in London around 1588. Throughout the middle ages, drama was directly connected to
the Church and consisted of religious allegories and Bible stories performed by amateurs on feast
days. Strolling players roamed the countryside, but they performed no real drama, only farces
and low comedy wedged between the fire-breathing, juggling, and trained animal acts. The
Protestant Reformation boosted literacy and the Renaissance elevated tastes, creating a healthy
climate for the development of art in all its forms. Shakespeare arrived on the cultural scene right
at the birth of modern theater, in the very city that was quickly becoming the play-going capital
of the world.
Londoners had developed such a taste for plays that within a decade after the construction of the
first permanent theater in 1576, four more theaters went up, each manned by a resident acting
company performing at least five plays per week, or 25-35 different plays in a single season.
Obviously, there was no time for extensive scenery construction, and the players needed material
written in verse because it was easier to memorize. Since it was considered unseemly for a
woman to make a spectacle of herself on stage (at least in England--the Italians were getting
other ideas), female roles were played by boys, generally between the ages of 12 and 17.
Changes of scene had to be indicated by speech; likewise, romance had to be spoken not
performed. But this was an age when poetry was cool and turning an elegant phrase was one way
to get ahead in life. And why stop at just one elegant phrase? "Less is more" was a concept that
would never have occurred to the Elizabethans, especially where language was concerned.
Separated from us by over four hundred years of changing vernacular and culture, Shakespeare
may seem hopelessly archaic. Yet Shakespeare was wildly popular with all classes and ages in
his own day, and given a sporting chance, he wins over teenagers even today. It just takes time to
get to know him--and time is what we all have the least of. But possibly some of the following
ideas and activities will fit into your schedule.
THIRD – SIXTH GRADE
Even though none of his plots were original (all can be traced to earlier sources or historical
events) a story could consider itself definitely told after Will Shakespeare told it! Many of these
stories have become so embedded in western culture that (I say with all seriousness) no one can
be considered “educated” who is not familiar with the plot and major characters of Hamlet,
Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and A Midsummer Night’s
Dream (to name a few). The early grades are a good time to become familiar with these stories,
and fortunately a number of excellent resources are available to make that possible. Charles and
Mary Lamb’s classic Tales from Shakespeare is still in print, in many editions.
But other writers have tried their hand at retelling, including Edith Nesbit (Beautiful Stories from
Shakespeare), Leon Garfield (Shakespeare Stories, 1991), Terry Deary (Top 10 Shakespeare
Stories, 1999), Anna Claybourne (Stories From Shakespeare, 2006), Bernard Miles (Favorite
Tales from Shakespeare, 1976), and Beverly Birch (Shakespeare Tales, 2002). The Orchard
Book of Classic Shakespeare Stories is a standard. For a read-aloud or for upper-elementary
readers, I like Stories from Shakespeare, by Marchette Chute (1959) because she covers all the
plays in 5-9 pages for each and includes many of the original lines. These books are written for
different age levels, contain all or few of the plays, include illustrations or not, and strive for
literary quality or economy—all written for slightly different audiences and for slightly different
aims, so check your library or local used book store to see what they have.
Younger children in this age range usually love rhyme, so Lois Burdett’s “Shakespeare Can Be
Fun” series is ideal. Each play is available in a separate paperback with the entire story re-told in
verse that incorporates much of the original language in a child-friendly format. Burdett’s A
Child’s Portrait of Shakespeare reflects on her years of teaching third-graders in Stratford,
Ontario, and includes poems and drawings by her students as well as teaching suggestions.
Kids who are resistant to reading can learn about the plays through Marcia Williams’ Tales from
Shakespeare (Vol. I and II), which presents fourteen of the plays in an entertaining comic-book
format. Her drawings show how the plays might have been originally performed, with
comments from the audience included.
MIDDLE SCHOOL/JUNIOR HIGH
The ‘tweener years are not too early to begin reading Shakespeare in the original, but I would go
slowly at first. A typical unit-study "Introduction to Shakespeare" could consist of spending a
week learning about the time period and the nature of the Elizabethan stage (for which Gary
Blackwood’s Shakespeare Stealer trilogy or my novels, The Playmaker and The True
Prince, can provide some helpful background information!). The next week could be a study of
the comedies, using A Midsummer Nights' Dream or Much Ado About Nothing as an example;
the third week is tragedy week (Hamlet or Julius Caesar), fourth week is histories (Henry V). If
you’re not quite ready for a full play, choose a couple of scenes from the list at the end of this
download and read with the suggested questions in mind. Watching all or part of a movie
performance can be helpful (see our list on Redeemedreader.com).
This is a good time to begin short writing assignments in connection with Shakespeare, such as
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Choose a character and describe a pivotal scene from his or her point of view. The
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character might be the central figure in the scene (Hamlet) or a character like Horatio
who serves as an observer. Even more interesting, choose two characters from the scene
and describe the action from their differing perspectives. This is a useful exercise for
understanding both scene and character.
Write a newspaper or broadcast account of an event in the play, including interviews (for
an extra challenge, ask characters questions that they can answer with lines from the
scene).
Ask the students to write their own paraphrase of a famous speech, such as Hamlet's "To
be or not to be" or Marc Antony's funeral oration. (Note: this activity can be done
individually or in groups. Discuss the gist, the motive, and the purpose behind the speech.
It should be plain even to a 12-year-old, for example, that Antony's tribute to Caesar is
intended to be much more than a tribute to Caesar. A further discussion on how public
figures today use emotion to sway the electorate could be interesting.)
SENIOR HIGH
Most high school literature curricula (last time I looked) incorporate an in-depth study of one
Shakespeare play. To get the most out of it, I recommend watching the play as well as reading it,
whether in live performance or (much more likely) on video or DVD. The plays were written to
be acted, and a good performance draws out their power. Here's an outline for high school
students warily approaching a Shakespeare play:
First, become familiar with the story: read a good synopsis from Sparknotes or one of the books
of Shakespeare stories mentioned above. Then, before reading the whole play, consider a
classroom performance of key scenes. Reading the whole play straight through leaves plenty of
students behind; they will get more involved if you wade right in with a big set piece that has lots
of characters and room for crowd reactions. Try a "script reading," (see Classroom Activities,
below) performing the scene at least twice, with different readers and different slants on the
characters.
With this degree of familiarity, students will find the reading easier, though not necessarily easy.
Stress to them that they don't have to understand every little reference or metaphor; if they just
keep on they'll catch the point of what's being said. Students at a 7th-grade reading level should
be able to get through one act per day, and since all the plays contain five acts, the reading will
fit neatly into one week. Each student should write a brief synopsis of each scene (just a sentence
or two) after reading it.
Whether it's best to read the play BEFORE seeing it performed is a matter of debate. Personally I
think it's more exciting to have some familiarity with the language and story before watching it,
because, if they have paid any attention to prep time, watching the stage or video version will
provoke lots of "aha!" moments. One interesting exercise is to make a list of famous quotations
from the play, have each student select one and write a paragraph or two on its meaning, then
watch the movie, listening for "their" quote in context. (Though remember that Shakespeare is
always adapted to the supposed audience, and it’s possible the quote ended up on the cutting
room floor. This doesn’t usually happen with the better-known passages, but be warned in case
it does.)
Watching the play will also reveal that some of entire scenes have been cut--sometimes a lot of
scenes. Even in Shakespeare's time, plays were seldom performed as they have come down to us
in text. Hamlet in its uncut glory runs to almost four hours, but its original running time was
almost certainly no more than two and a half. That’s because the plays were first performed in
the famous circular theaters open to the sky and depended on natural light; if a performance
began at 2:00 or 3:00, it could run no longer than three hours in order for everyone to get safely
home before dark. As an exercise, provide the students with copies of one scene in the play and
let them determine where and how it could be cut with no great sacrifice of meaning or art. They
can do this individually and compare their versions, or work as a group.
By the end of all this, a study lasting 3-4 weeks, students should at least have an idea why
Shakespeare is considered one of the greats of literature. They may even find something to like
about him.
Writing projects for high school might include
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Theater reviews. Pretend you're a critic for the Queen's Times and write a review of the
original performance of Hamlet, King Lear, Merchant of Venice, or whatever play you're
studying. Feel free to include asides about the audience reaction, gaffes or mishaps that
occurred, and your thoughts about the play's future. (i.e., "Hamlet has its moments, but
revenge plays have had their day . . . .")
Character analysis. Pretend you're a clinical therapist treating a character in the play.
Write an analysis of this character's problems based upon what he or she says in the
context of the play.
Assign a two-character dialogue from the play to a pair of students, and have each student
paraphrase the dialogue for their character. Then they will read aloud their version of the
scene, with one person speaking the original text while the other responds in
contemporary English. Read again, reversing the parts. This makes it easy to discuss
what Shakespeare's language adds to his drama.
GROUP ACTIVITIES, adaptable to grades 6-12
1. Divide the students into 2-4 groups and have each group work up their own interpretation
and performance of the same scene. All drama leaves room for interpretation, but
Shakespeare leaves more than most, especially since the plays contain very little in the
way of stage direction. Ask the students to add gestures or actions and make facial or
physical responses to what the other characters say. A question that directors often ask is,
"What inspires a character's first line?" For instance, consider the "Get thee to a nunnery"
scene in Hamlet, Act III. Unbeknownst to Hamlet, his treacherous uncle and old Polonius
are spying on him, and using his girlfriend Ophelia as bait. When Hamlet meets Ophelia
(directly after his "To be or not to be" soliloquy), she is reading a book--presumably a
devotional book, for his greeting to her is, "Nymph, in thy orisons (i.e., prayers) be all my
sins remembered." At some point during the scene, Hamlet apparently realizes that he
and Ophelia are not alone (his seemingly incongruous line, "Where is thy father?"
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
indicates this). But when does he know this? In the Kenneth Branaugh movie, it's from
the beginning; in the Ethan Hawke version, it's when he tries to kiss Ophelia and
discovers that she's wired for sound. In the BBC version with Derek Jacobi (available on
video), Hamlet notices immediately that she in her distraction is carrying the book
upside-down, and guesses that he's being set up. The "orizons" line is heavy irony, and
their relationship goes downhill from there. Or, could it possible that Ophelia is giving
him eye signals to indicate, "Dad's listening"? If so, what explains his apparent anger at
her? A single gesture or facial expression, missing in the text, can point the scene in an
entirely different direction.
Divide the class in groups of 5 or 6 and ask each group to determine the time setting,
overall design, costumes and music for the play they're studying. (Of course, this works
best if you have artistic or musical students to contribute their ideas.) Comparing key
scenes (found on Youtube) from Ethan Hawke's Hamlet with Kenneth Branaugh's or Mel
Gibson's should give them an idea of the range of artistic interpretation.
As a class, determine movie or TV actors (or musicians--why not?) to fill the cast roster
of a new production of the play you're studying.
Make a list of movies and TV shows that are based on Shakespeare plays, such as O,
West Side Story, King of Texas, and 10 Things I Hate About You. (Shakespeare-related
websites might help in doing the research.) Students choose one movie to compare with
the play, draw a contrasting characters chart, and make an oral presentation showing how
the plots diverge.
Specific ideas for teaching The Merchant of Venice and The Winter’s Tale can be found
on my website, jbcheaney.com, under the “Study Guides” tab: study guide for The
Playmaker.
Ideas for teaching Henry IV, parts 1 and 2 can be found on the website under study guide
for The True Prince.
Script readings:
This activity involves some prep time for the teacher, but I've found it to be worthwhile. See the
.pdf download of “The assassination of Julius Caesar” for directions and printed scripts. If you’d
prefer another scene, or would simply like to do some more, here’s a plan:
Choose a Shakespeare scene that includes several characters, plus room for crowd reaction.
Prepare a script for each character that consists only of his or her lines, plus cues (5-12 words
from the previous speaker). Good scene choices include 1), The "Pyramus and Thisbe" play
from A Midsummer Night's Dream (V, 1, beginning with the second entrance of Philostrate and
ending with the exit of Theseus). Eleven speakers, including the lion; always a crowd-pleaser. 2)
The duel and death of Hamlet (V, 2, beginning with the entrance of the King and Queen). Eight
speakers and lots of dramatic action (i.e., dying); Hamlet and Laertes need swords. 3) The St.
Crispin's Day speech from Henry V (IV, 3); eight speakers, and plenty of cheer lines for the rest
of the class. 4) The banquet scene from Macbeth (III, 5). Only five scripted speakers--plus
Banquo's ghost who doesn't say anything--but the Lords in attendance at the banquet can respond
with amazement and dismay.
Online versions of Shakespeare's plays can be downloaded to your word-processing program and
edited from there. I usually cut long speeches to a more readable length and change a few words
that would be unintelligible to a modern audience.
After handing out the parts, explain that in Shakespeare's time, actors did not receive an entire
script of the play to study; each player was given only his part, which was called a "side."
Explain a little about the context of the scene and the motive of each major character. Then the
principal characters read the scene with only their individual scripts to go by. I've done this with
fifth graders on up, and find that even mediocre readers who stumble over the language can get
into the emotion of the scene. Having only their part forces each reader to listen for his or her
cue, and attention is less likely to wander.
You won’t see anything like natural movement, or even basic blocking (the shifting position on
actors on a stage) because their attention will be focused on following the words. But after
you’ve done the scene once, talk about what happened with each of the characters and how that
can be better expressed through movement. Then do the scene again and try to make it more like
an actual performance (even though everybody will still be reading their lines).
Of course, the more enthusiasm you have for Shakespeare, the more likely your children or
students are to catch it. If you're familiar with the Bard, but just don't like him, c'est la vie--but
some of these ideas may make the subject a little more bearable for yourself and your students. If
you suspect your dislike is due more to ignorance than educated distaste, give Shakespeare a
chance. He may surprise you as much as your students.
SHAKESPEARE SCENES TO STUDY
Richard III. This play is really a melodrama, and Richard is one of the world's greatest allaround villains. Shakespeare did such a good job of demonization that there are societies and
websites devoted to restoring the poor king's reputation! In the play, he is crippled, ugly and
unloved, which gives him some psychological motivation to lash out at the world. But he's so
audacious in going about it we can't keep our eyes off him, all the while wondering, "How does
he get away with it?" Read Act I, Scene 2, where he "woos" princess Anne, the widow of Prince
Edward, a man he helped to kill. (It's all part of the Wars of the Roses, which I gave up trying to
figure out.) Anne knows that Richard murdered her husband, and naturally loathes the sight of
him, but such is his snaky charm that by the end of the scene she accepts his ring. And while she
hasn't exactly said "Yes" to his proposal, both he and the audience know she will. As you read,
try to find the place where Anne's defenses are worn down. What tells you that Richard has her
number? Do you think she believes his professions of love? Is her surrender due to Richard's
persuasive power, or her weakness, or both?
The Taming of the Shrew hasn't worn well because of its smug view of male superiority. But
modern critics often overlook the obvious fact that Katherine needs to be tamed; she's so deadset on having her own way that she doesn't even know anymore what her way is. In Act II, Scene
1 Kate meets Petruchio, her suitor. He's already agreed to marry her for her money, but many
directors make it clear that at first sight he decides she might be worth winning for herself. The
scene also contains Kate's father Baptista and her sister Bianca, Bianca's two suitors who are
posing as tutors, and two servants posing as masters. So it may be confusing--but stick with it.
Before he even meets Kate, Petruchio decides on a courting strategy: he will insist that she is fair
and gentle, even as she acts just the opposite. In the words of St. Paul, he will "call things that
are not as though they were" (see Romans 4:17). Eventually it works, but we're a long way from
it in this scene. Read from the beginning to Kate's exit (or read the whole scene if you can keep
the characters straight). What can you tell about her family life? How do you know she's not
happy? Where does Petruchio apply his strategy? In what ways are they a good match?
The Merchant of Venice is often called a "problem play," and its chief problem is the character
Shylock. As a Jew in Gentile Venice, he has been mocked, cheated, and spat upon--and for a
crowning insult his daughter Jessica has stolen a chest of his money and jewels and run off with
a Christian. So he deserves sympathy--but he's not a sympathetic character. The trial in Act IV,
Scene 1 shows him at his worst. Here's the background: Antonio, the merchant, has borrowed
3000 ducats from Shylock to give to his friend Bassanio, so that Bassanio can court the wealthy
and beautiful Portia in style. But Antonio can't pay his debt to Shylock, who brings him to court
to collect the pound of flesh that the merchant agreed to forfeit. Bassanio and his friends plead
with Shylock to give up his bond in return for a double repayment of the debt, but he refuses.
Since the law is the law, it looks hopeless for Antonio until a "learned law student" (Portia, in
disguise) arrives and finds a loophole. From this scene, how would you describe the character of
Shylock? Antonio? Bassanio? Portia? Gratiano? Shylock's fate at the end is disturbing to many.
Do you think it's justice, or mercy? Why or why not? (See study guide for The Playmaker for
more suggestions on this play.)
Romeo and Juliet. When this play is mentioned, most of us think about Juliet leaning from a
balcony (or floating in a pool). But for sheer drama, nothing beats Act III, Scene 1, where
Mercutio is killed by Tybalt and Tybalt by Romeo. (Think of "the rumble" in West Side Story.)
This is the climax of all the baiting and mocking and casual swordplay that was set up in the very
first scene of the play and continues through I, 5 and II, 4--here the violence comes to a head,
and here it ends. It might even be said that this scene is the real tragedy, if we accept Aristotle's
view that tragedy must result from a fatal flaw in an otherwise noble character (what happens to
Romeo and Juliet afterward is just a fluke of bad timing). If Mercutio is Aristotle's kind of tragic
hero, what's his flaw? What do you like and dislike about him? What's your view of Romeo in
this scene--generally positive or negative? How about Tybalt? Do you think any of these three
deserve what they get, at least to some degree?
A Midsummer Night's Dream. This is the kind of goofy play that even rank amateurs can
successfully perform. Obviously you can have a lot of fun with the "rude mechanicals," who
think they have a real shot at performing a terrible play for the Duke of Athens. Such is the
enchantment at work, that their wish comes true! The play is largely about wishes coming true,
though not as the wishers expect. Try this: read Act I, scene 2, then III, 1 (to Puck's entrance) and
IV, 1 (short scenes, all). Bottom, Quince, Flute, Smug, Snout, and Starveling are all recognizable
types--foolish in a way but lovable too. Think about these characters and how they behave, then
cast the parts with people you know at school, work, or home.
Richard II. Unlike Richard III, the second Richard is no villain, but he's just as interesting in his
way. The play tells the story of how he was forced to give up his crown, partly due to the
aggression of his cousin Bolingbroke (who becomes Henry IV) and partly due to defects in his
own character. Richard finds himself endlessly fascinating--so much that he spends more time in
studying his own responses than actually responding. No scene shows the variety of his
emotional life better than Act III, Scene 2, which takes place after Richard returns to England
from France, only to learn that Bolingbroke has returned also, from exile. Bolingbroke is
gathering an army to win back the lands that Richard confiscated from him, but the king fears his
cousin won't be satisfied until he wears the crown (a fear that turns out to be correct--whatever
he is, Richard isn't stupid). His mood swings are remarkable--every piece of news provokes
another shift. Read the scene, and chart his journey from defiance to despair to irony . . . and how
many more can you find?
Much Ado About Nothing. This is a play about love and betrayal, but since it's a comedy
everything turns out okay. My favorite scenes (just about everybody's favorites, in fact) are II, 3
and III, 1, when Benedick and Beatrice realize they're in love--with the aid of a little well-meant
deception from their friends. I don't think this has ever been done better than in Kenneth
Branaugh's movie version. Watch that first, then read the scenes at least twice. Pretend you are
the director, and imagine how you would stage a cynical version of the scene (where Beatrice
and Benedick are being manipulated by their friends, and really aren't that well matched, and will
be miserable together). Facial expressions, gestures between the characters and voice inflections
would be very different from the movie. Can you make it work? Would you want to?
Henry IV, Parts One and Two. This is my favorite history play, and not just because of Falstaff. I
think there are lots of interesting characters here: Hotspur, Owen Glendower, Justice Shallow,
King Henry himself, and Prince Hal. Still, the relationship between Hal and Falstaff is the
continuing story in both plays, and there's no definitive version. Is Hal a cold, calculating
Machiavelli, ready to dump his friends as soon as he has no use for them? Or does he genuinely
love Falstaff, and gives him up only because of the higher call of duty? In Part One read Act II,
Scene 4, then compare with the final scene in Part Two, and see what you think. Here's the setup
for II, 4: Falstaff and his gang have cooked up a plan to rob some Canterbury pilgrims on the
road, but Hal and Poins, who pretend to go along with the scheme, disguise themselves and rob
Falstaff of the loot he has taken. Then they ride to the Boar's Head Tavern, their rendezvous, to
wait for Falstaff to show up. The scene is long but funny, with a bittersweet ending. What's
going on under the horseplay when Falstaff pretends to be Hal's father, and then Hal himself
takes that role? How does Hal let Falstaff know what's going to happen to their friendship? Is the
warning brutal or merciful? Does Falstaff take the hint? The final scene of Part Two will answer
that question, but what do you think Hal's attitude really is, now that he's King Henry V? (See
study guide for The True Prince for more suggestions about this play.)
Henry V. The St. Crispian's Day speech is the highlight of this play for many--a stirring call to
battle that could rouse a corpse. But before you read that (Act IV, Scene 3), turn back to Act IV,
Scene 1. The exhausted and outnumbered English are bedding down for the night, knowing that
a mighty French army is preparing to chew them up and spit them out the following day. King
Henry, who got them into this mess, is patrolling the camp in disguise, eavesdropping on
conversations to gauge the mood of his men. Some, like Fluellen, are gung-ho; others, like Pistol,
have grudges to settle. John Bates, Alexander Court, and Michael Williams are ordinary guys
who expect to be killed or maimed in the battle. Still incognito, Henry joins their conversation,
which develops into an ethical discussion of who bears the greatest responsibility for death in
war--the leaders, or the soldiers who do most of the killing? Try to summarize each man's
position. Do you see any part of the conversation reflected in King's soliloquy and prayer that
follows? From this scene, and the St. Crispin's Day speech of IV, 3, how would you evaluate the
quality of his leadership?
Hamlet. Where do you start? This is the most famous play in the world, and the most famous
character, and no one has figured him out yet. Hamlet is brilliant, witty, inventive, angry,
vindictive, emotionally instable . . . also cynical and idealistic, impulsive and hesitant, devious
and totally sincere. But when is he what? I, for one, don't think he is seriously mad, but there are
times when his own personality makes him a little crazy. Actors who try to play him and scholars
who try to analyze him can sympathize. If you want to tackle it, I would suggest these scenes: I,
2 (beginning with the "O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt" soliloquy); I, 4&5 (Hamlet
meets Ghost); II, 2 (beginning with Hamlet's entrance); III, 2 (from his entrance to his exit); III,
2 (from the entrance of Rosencranz and Gildenstern); and III, 4 (Hamlet and his Mom). This still
leaves a third of the play to go, but if you're trying to understand this character, it's a good start.
Notice particularly the many references Hamlet makes to truth and deception.
Julius Caesar doesn't seem as highly regarded these days as it used to be, perhaps because it was
the play that many contemporary directors had to read in high school. But it's the play that
introduced me to Shakespeare (see FAQs), so I think it's great. It's more a study of politics than
character, and anyone who imagines that ancient Rome has nothing to tell the contemporary
political scene should read Marc Antony's funeral speech several times during a major campaign.
Julius Caesar is actually about his assassination and the fallout from it. Read Act I, Scene 2 to
discover how the plot was set in motion. Cassius is the instigator, but he draws Brutus in easily
enough--why? How does Cassius make use of Brutus's noble character? How would you
describe the character of Cassius, Caesar, and Casca in this scene? The assassination (Act III,
Scene 1) is high drama--as you read it, try to visualize the facial expressions of each character as
he speaks. Finally, if you're up for more, compare Brutus's funeral oration with Mark Antony's in
Act III, Scene 2. Antony's speech is a great lesson on How to Sway A Mob--if you have political
aspirations, study it closely.
Twelfth Night. During Elizabethan times, "Twelfth Night" (twelve days after Christmas) was a
celebration when servants became masters, students became teachers and "lords of misrule"
presided over activities that were normally illegal. There's the same sense of displacement in the
play of that name: the fool is wise, the respectable man is a fool. Almost everyone who's in love
is in love with the wrong person for the wrong reason: Viola loves Orsino, who loves Olivia,
who loves Viola; in addition Malvolio and Sir Andrew are pursuing Olivia and Antonio appears
to have a crush on Sebastian. The use and misuse of words is another theme; in Act III, Scene 1,
Feste identifies himself as a "corrupter of words," and throughout the play characters are
deceiving themselves and others by high-sounding sentiments. In the end, everything sorts out
and falls into place. Read the last scene (all of Act V) and notice how the plot is given its final
twist. Then mark each place where it untwists, until all identities are known and couples sorted
out as they are supposed to be. (Read a synopsis of the play or see the movie first, or else you
won't make sense of it.)
Othello. Iago is considered one of Shakespeare's greatest villains (Richard III being the other)
because he appears to have little or no motivation for the evil he does; he's just evil. Othello
himself is more of a tragic hero: a good man with a fatal flaw that brings him down. Othello's
flaw, on the surface, is jealousy--but is there anything behind it? Act III, Scene 3 is called the
"temptation scene," for it's here that Iago first plants the suspicion in Othello's mind that will
inexorably lead to tragedy. Iago's carefully constructed plot involves the manipulation of several
other people, including his own wife. First he maneuvers Lt. Cassio, Othello's second-incommand, into starting a brawl, for which Cassio is demoted. Then Iago encourages the
distraught lieutenant to ask Othello's beautiful young bride Desdemona to intervene for him.
Cassio is doing just that when the scene opens. Read from the beginning of the scene to Iago's
exit. How does he first raise doubts about Desdemona's virtue? How does he nurture those
doubts? Is he stoking Othello's jealously all by himself, or is Othello complicit at all? (Don't try
this with your friends.)
King Lear. The world's most depressing play: foolishness, pride and revenge lead to madness,
death and disillusionment. If there is a ray of light anywhere, it's in Cordelia's unspoiled love for
her father and Kent's unshaken loyalty. Lear himself is a pitiful figure, but since he brought
misfortune on himself, even our pity is compromised. To see how he set himself up for
destruction, read Act I, Scene I, to the entrance of France and Burgundy. What are Lear's
mistakes? Why do you think he makes them? The scene opens with a brief conversation between
Kent and Gloucester (usually pronounced "Glah-ster"), where Gloucester makes light of his
illegitimate son, Edmund ("Yes, he's a bastard, but I had fun making him, ha ha"). He, like Lear,
is another foolish father, and Edmund will turn out to be one of the villains of the play--can you
see any reason why in this scene?
Act III, Scene 6 is one of the most heartbreaking in all literature. In spite of his best resolutions,
Lear has descended into madness due to the cruelty of his two eldest daughters. Kent has
returned from exile in disguise and Edgar, Gloucester's legitimate son who has been falsely
accused of treason, is also in disguise as "Tom of Bedlam," a poor madman. The Fool is still the
Fool. With this curious entourage, Lear takes refuge in an abandoned hut on Gloucester's
property, and enacts a trial against his daughters. In what ways does this scene parallel the first?
Macbeth. Plenty of havoc and destruction here, too, but with witches thrown in! Other
Shakespeare plays contain supernatural elements, but this is the only one that mucks around in
witchcraft--one reason for the tradition among theater people that this play dares not speak its
name (cast and crew members, when rehearsing and performing Macbeth, are supposed to call it
"The Scottish Play," or else very bad stuff will happen). The three weird sisters set things in
motion in Act I, Scene 3 by making certain predictions to Macbeth that throw his mind into an
uproar. Or would his mind have uproared eventually anyway? The great question is, do we make
our destiny, or does our destiny make us? Macbeth is aware of this conundrum from the
beginning. Act I, Scene 3 is his first entrance: how would you describe him? What purpose does
Banquo appear to serve? If you were casting this play, how would you present the witches-malevolent spirits? deluded souls? crazy bag ladies? supernatural beings, or mad prophets?
Antony and Cleopatra. Finally, a nice little romance--NOT! The title characters are co-ruler of
Rome and queen of Egypt, who fall tempestuously in love and create a vortex of self-centered
passion that destroys not only themselves but also their closest friends and followers. Not a
pretty sight, but it does make for good drama. In the course of the play, Antony alienates himself
from Octavius and Lepidus, his co-rulers in Rome, and plots with Cleopatra to establish a
Roman-Egyptian empire with themselves at the head. Octavius (Caesar) doesn't go for this idea,
and war looms. Act IV, Scenes 1-4 depict the gathering storm, and how all the principals react to
it. Read these scenes (they're short) and notice how the dramatic tension builds. What is Antony's
attitude to the approaching conflict? What is Cleopatra's? What attractive qualities can you see in
them, that inspires loyalty in their followers? Often these parts are taken by young attractive
actors, but historically, both Anthony and Cleopatra were past their prime at the time. Imagine a
couple of young and hot actors in these roles, then re-cast them with . . . I don't know, Mel
Gibson and Meryl Streep. How does your understanding of the scene change?
The Winter's Tale. This is one of those plays (The Tempest is another) that falls in an uncertain
category, neither tragedy nor comedy. Sometimes it's called a tragi-comedy, sometimes a
romance--it ends happily, but not without a few deaths along the way. The linchpin of the story
is Leontes, king of Bohemia, who without any material cause whatsoever begins to suspect his
faithful wife Hermoine of adultery with none other than his best friend, King Polixenes of Sicily.
His mad jealousy leads to death and misery, but in that are the seeds of grace and redemption.
All this is set in motion in Act I, Scene 2. It's a long scene, but there are lots of interesting little
by-plays between characters. How does Leontes act with his friend and wife at the beginning?
When does his attitude toward them change? Do you think this is a sudden revelation to him, or
could it have been building? Does he show any defects of character that might lead to
unreasonable jealousy? How does he act with his noblemen? With his son? (See my study guide
for The Playmaker, referenced above, for further suggestions about this play.)
The Tempest. Many of the plays have fantastic elements, but this one is a fantasy from first to
last. Shakespeare supposedly received his inspiration from the real account of a shipwreck on the
island of Bermuda. From that story comes this tale of an enchanted island where Prospero, once
the Duke of Milan deposed by his treacherous brother, now resides. Most of the action of the
play is influenced by his magic--he punishes his brother, marries his daughter to a handsome
prince, and gets himself restored to his rightful place as Duke of Milan. With these purposes
accomplished, he gives up his magic books and sets free the spirits who served him. Since this
was one of Shakespeare's last plays, if not the last, it's irresistible to see him as Prospero, giving
up his magic stage in order to return to a quiet, normal life in Stratford. The play's most beautiful
lines occur in Act 4, Scene 1. The setting is a wedding "masque" arranged by Prospero for his
daughter Miranda and Prince Ferdinand. A masque is a solemn dance performed by actors
dressed as gods or mythical figures. For his last bash Prospero summons the real thing: Iris,
Ceres, and Juno, goddesses of the rainbow, the harvest, and the hearth. At the end of the masque
comes the speech beginning, "Our revels now are ended" (start at line 148). Read the speech and
compare with the Epilogue, also spoken by Prospero. How might these words reflect
Shakespeare's thoughts? Compare with Puck's speech at the end of A Midsummer Night's
Dream. What similarities do you see?
These questions, thought experiments and comparisons don't suggest everything there is to think
about a play, or even a single scene within a play. The possibilities for interpretation could keep
you busy for a lifetime--and I haven't even mentioned Measure For Measure, Coriolanus, As
You Like It, and the rest. "That's nice," you might be thinking, "but all I want to do is get through
this semester of English lit." Got it. But what literature is supposed to do is open your mind to
other ways of looking at the world, as well as express thoughts and feelings you didn't even
know you had. About 400 years ago, a country boy from Stratford managed to think and feel for
the whole world. Maybe you ought to check him out.