The problem is, Cav, that-- when films are introduced-- quite a lot of kids rely on the film, ask it to be shown again without concentrating on the words. The visual is a substitute for the written word, for many of them, not something that goes side by side. There is also, over here, a machisimo attached to not reading. Boys who read aren't treated well; and even some of we grown women are mocked for bringing poetry on the bus by snotty, Nintendo-raised kids.
Unfortunately, it was a night class, drom. Does that make things a little clearer? American Literature.
I always prefaced the study of the Bard with any relevant films that would help them to get the feel of HOW it was done.
As for MacBeth and Julius Caesar, the boys were usually too embarrassed, because they somehow didn't identify them folks with a macho image.
Yikes, drom. I am lost when trying to deal with vid kids.
Hey. We're all three thinking along the same lines, but youse guys are quicker. 56K dial up modem, here.
Drom and Cav. Please do me a favor and go answer gollum's question. Letty is a dumbed down science person.
http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=806389#806389
O; I didn't know that the professors that they put in as night-profs were unenthusiastic. I hope that they all didn't give assignments like that one.
I agree with showing them before; it also makes things more decipherable. It would be better that the parts were acted out, but there are not enough players to act for every school's whims.
I have 56 kb too. And, I thought the same as you, with that question, but it seems that everything must sound better to be right!
I think that kids are best introduced to Shakespeare by seeing - or at least hearing - the works performed. I taught high school many years ago and all I had was a recording of "Julius Caesar". But I thanked God for it. They needed to hear the rhythm of the speech.
Math ain't my srong suit, Letty. The question of whether the statement "the sum is the whole of it's parts" can be proven mathematically is a conundrum best left to others with more time on their hands.
Hey, George. How did that MRI go? I agree my friend.
Cav, Do you mean that I have found something that you CAN"T do. Then fall, Letty. (hey...gotta keep drom's thread on track)
Can't even balance a chequebook, Letty. You have indeed found my Achilles heel. Lately, I have become more interested in math and physics, but more on the theoretical level, which makes me a poor choice to answer the unanswerable.
I am quite good at normal maths-- especially algebra, which I can figure out quickly-- but their post is a load of tosh.
A load of old tosh. I think that just gave me a fond memory.
Well, Cav. Everyone has one small foible. It keeps us humble, don't 'ya know.
drom, It wasn't Caesar, it was the kids who felt they weren't macho should they be called upon to read. Those who could, like one brilliant child that I taught, was intimidated by the jocks, I guess.
I hate the whole system of making stupidity look cool. I hope that that brilliant student came from school well, despite others' intimidation. Has it always been 'jocks and nerds and outcasts and coolkids and fashion-queens', grouped like that? I loved reading, but I didn't care about those kind of things-- I just accepted my reputation as an unusual young woman. (I never was terrorised, though, because many people-- in their penultimate year of studying-- who were studying Othello, needed me to tell them who Iago is. Fancy learning Othello and missing out Iago! There were plans, a while back, to teach Shakespeare mostly audiovisually, giving them modern words rather than Shakespeare's. I find it dangerous, to model national teaching around the abilities of the least-inclined student, rather than around those of the most-inclined.
Great thread, drom.
I agree that the best way to understand Shakespeare when learning it is to read it aloud. It was never intended to be read silently...
I can top Jespah's early experience. My class put on scenes from Midsummer Night's Dream in fourth grade! (8-9 years old) I was Helena.
I'm sure that the study of Shakespeare throughout my education with some inspired teachers led me to love theatre and choose it as my first profession.
Thank you, Mac. It's great to see you here.
You are right; plays were never meant to be read silently-- anything based entirely on dialogue really needs to be read out aloud. Otherwise, I find, one misses nuances and-- in some cases-- parts of the plot. There is nothing better than getting a good role in a Shakespeare play.
Doing 'Midsummer' when you were eight or so is really impressive, Mac! Did you like playing Helena?Did you study Shakespeare ever since then? Are there any plays or roles that you particularly liked?
I don't remember anything about playing Helena at all except a dim memory of the donkey scene!
Besides that very early kiddy version of Midsummer, I've stage-managed that play 4 times in various professional productions. I've worked on Hamlet 3 times. So those are the plays I know best by far.
Mercutio is probably my favorite character, but it's too hard to pick a favorite play. I like several of them very much. And there are a few I've never read...
By the way, Julius Caesar was the only history play we studied in high school. Other than that, it was all comedies & tragedies.
Are there any plays that you have produced more than Shakespeare? I love Mercutio, too; he is probably my favourite from all the male characters -- my favourite female being Beatrice from Much ado. He is really the energy behind the play, despite what they say of his lovelessness.
What did you study at High School? Do you think it's true that the ones that you study at that point of life are the ones that stay with you the most?
