Shakespeare Today


Shakespeare Today Essay



Rationale: I am convinced that Shakespeare is worth reading, but I believe this neither because I’m supposed to as an English teacher nor because I believe difficult things are necessarily worth doing (sometimes they’re not, although things worth doing are often difficult). One of the reasons  I believe he is worth reading is that his plays contain deep, stylish wisdom, wisdom hidden, wisdom worth searching out. His craft displays what Sir Philip Sydney, Renaissance poet and scholar, deemed the purpose of poetry (a speaking picture): "to teach and delight" ("A Defense of Poesy" par. 13). The Bible says that “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,  / But the glory of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25.2). Shakespeare, like his Anglo-Saxon forefathers, enjoyed riddling, a form of concealing a matter. Like God who plunged riches into this world for us to search out, Shakespeare plunged riches into his dramas for us as well. However, like worldly riches, wisdom is not to be hoarded and brooded upon Smaug-like; it is, rather, for sharing with others, like a goodly king, like Hrothgar who did not “renege, but doled out rings / And torques at the table” (Beowulf, lines 81-82). Thus, this is your glory, your assignment:

·      Work with a partner

·      Use links below to either Hamlet and/or Much Ado about Nothing (please feel free to use both if you see the bard developing similar themes).

·      In Google Classroom, open a Google Doc and begin a dialogue discussing two things:

1.     A message: what you believe to be the deep, literary wisdom in Shakespeare’s text(s)

2.     An audience: a current event, an institution, public officials, an organization, your city, a public figure, or any other appropriate audience who could use that wisdom (someone/group on campus?). Keep your tone respectful, remembering that we are all sinners worthy of some criticism.

·   As you refine your discussion, quote the text(s) to support your opinions


Also record act, scene, and line numbers (2.3.18-21) so you don’t have to look up your sources later. Your next installment of the assignment I'll give to you tomorrow. 

Here are some more requirements, resources, and guidelines:
    • Introduction
      • greet and address your audience (Dear Mr. President, ) and occasion for writing
        • audience should be a specific person or group of people to whom you could send this letter
          • Dear Mr. President,
          • Dear senior "men" of MVCS's Class of 2015, 
          • Poor Mr. Reno, 
      • name your author and text(s) (italicize major works)
      • thesis statement: the deep wisdom Shakespeare offers this audience (what and how he does it)  
        • you will be graded on the depth of your Shakespearean wisdom
          • boys are stewpyd and smellee (D- . . . F?)
          • don't trust anyone (D+)
          • don't pursue vengeance (B-)     
    • Body (you can do one of two approaches)
      • EITHER integrate literary analysis (at least three in-text citations and other evidence from the text) and cultural commentary/application together into one section of several paragraphs
      • OR do the literary analysis first and then provide the cultural commentary/application once you have established your insights (separate paragraphs)
    •  Conclusion
      • review your deep wisdom
      • graciously appeal to your audience's ear to hear 
      • closing word(s) and signatures
        • Respectfully,
        • Yours forever and a day, (just kidding)
        • Yours for one year and a day (and then you're mine), the green knight ; )       


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