I made another video per Dr. Burton's suggestion... which hopefully says the same things as the last one, but with better lighting. :)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Brinn's video preview of Measure for Measure
Here's a brief video introducing the focus of my research analysis for Measure for Measure:
(With many prayers and creative attempts, I finally figured out how to upload a video onto YouTube!)
(With many prayers and creative attempts, I finally figured out how to upload a video onto YouTube!)
Richard II on Demand
Hello from the grave (of the semester? Bad analogy methinks. Oh well)!
I watched Richard II on the BYU Films on Demand site since I've been so interested in the successive history plays that start with this one and ends with the fifth King Henry. I didn't look into the background of this play, but after watching it I wonder very much if it wasn't a special filmed dress rehearsal type thing. The entire flow was done as it would have been if it were a stage play. There was no fading in or out, and the transitions between scenes was obviously done as a play would be.
The acting was good, but there weren't any outstanding ones in my mind. I didn't follow along with the text on hand, but this version of the play was obviously true to Shakespeare's script. This is a good thing because it's good to stick with the original because a feel of integrity or legitimacy usually goes along with it. However, the way many characters did their lines was obviously iambic pentameter. This was a bit distracting and not so attractive to me. The costumes were good, but I would have preferred a little less modern style. There was a cut very very short duel at the beginning, with swords, but later on in the play a minor character (about as important as the prison inmate #2 role that Tobias Funke gets), a guard, had a gun as a prop and I wasn't too keen on that. Yeah, I'm being picky, and I admit I'm biased with a love of medieval style anything, but it seemed out of place to me.
In the end I'm really glad that they seemed to be very true to the text. Honestly the main thing it did was greatly fuel my desire to watch the most recent 2012 version included in the BBC mini-series-type called "The Hollow Crown." Yeah, I've mentioned it about a million times now.
I watched Richard II on the BYU Films on Demand site since I've been so interested in the successive history plays that start with this one and ends with the fifth King Henry. I didn't look into the background of this play, but after watching it I wonder very much if it wasn't a special filmed dress rehearsal type thing. The entire flow was done as it would have been if it were a stage play. There was no fading in or out, and the transitions between scenes was obviously done as a play would be.
The acting was good, but there weren't any outstanding ones in my mind. I didn't follow along with the text on hand, but this version of the play was obviously true to Shakespeare's script. This is a good thing because it's good to stick with the original because a feel of integrity or legitimacy usually goes along with it. However, the way many characters did their lines was obviously iambic pentameter. This was a bit distracting and not so attractive to me. The costumes were good, but I would have preferred a little less modern style. There was a cut very very short duel at the beginning, with swords, but later on in the play a minor character (about as important as the prison inmate #2 role that Tobias Funke gets), a guard, had a gun as a prop and I wasn't too keen on that. Yeah, I'm being picky, and I admit I'm biased with a love of medieval style anything, but it seemed out of place to me.
In the end I'm really glad that they seemed to be very true to the text. Honestly the main thing it did was greatly fuel my desire to watch the most recent 2012 version included in the BBC mini-series-type called "The Hollow Crown." Yeah, I've mentioned it about a million times now.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Video preview of Jessica's Taming a Shrew Marriage Paper
Friday, December 14, 2012
If you like talking heads, click here.
Hey there. Here's a brief ramblement concerning my research paper about rebellion and Henry IV, Part 1.
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzL5-PSNiVa8b1lxbGZQV2tQWXM
Dana's Learning Outcomes
1. Gain Shakespeare Literacy
I have now read, watched, and/or studied numerous Shakespeare plays, including Troilus and Cressida, Henry V, King Lear, The Winter's Tale, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and A Comedy of Errors. I feel like this breadth has given me a wider knowledge of Shakespeare's great range of emotion and writing ability. In addition, I have done a more in-depth study of Henry V and Troilus and Cressida as I spent a substantial amount of time researching the plays and criticism about those plays. I have studied Troilus and Cressida in depth for over a month now as I have worked on perfecting my paper about it. In addition to this textual knowledge, I have gained an insight into Shakespeare by watching performances on stage of Henry V and A Comedy of Errors, and watched versions of King Lear, Henry V, Hamlet, The Tempest, and As You Like It. In addition to all of this literacy I have gained of the actual plays, I have learned so much more about Shakespeare in popular culture. Who knew that people have discussion groups about him over the internet or Twitter? I also learned more about Shakespeare's life, birthplace, wife, and schooling--what shaped him as a person and perhaps influenced his writings--as I watched a movie about his life, read various pieces of scholarship that gave his background as I wrote my paper, and reflected upon my visit to Stratford-upon-Avon this past summer.
2. Analyze Shakespeare Critically
All of the responses we posted on Learning Suite and the blog, as well as the scholarship we did in our papers, was basically a continual analysis of Shakespeare. In my paper about Henry V, I looked at the language of the play to make my argument (e.g., the definitions of words, the puns on words, etc.). I also examined the theme of the overall play and drew upon my examination of the language to interpret the theme. In this post, I analyzed the stage version of Shakespeare's As You Like It, where I was able to interpret the set, tone, actor interaction, and viewer interaction of the play and explain how those elements might have affected how the play was interpreted. I have also analyzed the effects of Hamlet and Henry V on screen. This semester, I have really learned how to look at small details within a play on stage or on screen and understand what those small elements mean in relation to the whole play. In my paper on Troilus and Cressida, I looked at the contextual analysis (what sources Shakespeare drew upon for comedy and tragedy, what viewers at the time would have expected from a comedy or tragedy, what the "cultural" norms of a play were) in order to analyze the text as a whole and understand how genre played a role in interpreting the play. I have certainly realized the importance of both textual and contextual analysis as I have interpreted Shakespeare's works.
4. Share Shakespeare Meaningfully
I certainly participated in formal writing this semester. I spent the past month or so writing my paper about Troilus and Cressida. To do this, I went to the library to find scholarly sources (and checked out around 10 to 15 books), looked for various resources online, and wrote my paper in a formal and professional manner. I submitted the paper to the BYU English Symposium, Criterion, and the Scholars' Archive. In addition, I wrote another literary analysis paper about Henry V earlier in the semester. But I haven't limited my writing to formal outlets. I have also posted regularly on both Digital Dialog and the blog in order to analyze numerous plays and respond to others' ideas. In addition, I have discussed my paper with several students in the class and even discussed my paper with my roommates, family, and friends.
5. Gain Digital Literacy
I learned that scholarly work doesn't have to be limited to the classroom or to traditional forms of sharing! I have found ideas for my paper from Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Goodreads, blogs, and many other "nontraditional" sources that I had originally thought would never have any content about Shakespeare. I also posted my own scholarship on this blog and on YouTube, which were new mediums of scholarly publication that I had never delved into. I also tried to connect with friends on Facebook about Shakespeare, and even connected with an old professor of mine to discuss the genre of tragedy. She gave me help that influenced my paper and I was able to reconnect with her after several years (a double bonus of sharing scholarship on social media).
Reflection
This class has really boosted my understanding, not only of Shakespeare, but of how I can research and write in general. I really enjoyed the amount of time we were able to spend on the final paper. Most of the time, teachers give little time for students to produce a piece of work, but in this class we had about a month to produce a final draft. The blog held me accountable for my learning and spurned me to start my research process earlier. In this way, I was able to have a more solid idea when I actually started writing. The feedback I received from the students on the blog was also helpful because it turned me in the right direction for my final paper. Without this feedback, I wouldn't have been able to write as strong of a paper. Finally, I enjoyed making a video about my paper. This activity helped me narrow down my thesis. Not only did I learn more about how to write a paper, but I also learned the importance of seeing a Shakespeare work on the stage or on the silver screen. Of course reading a Shakespeare play is interesting, but watching the play really brings it to life. I like looking for all of the possible permutations that are available for each play. The focus of our class helped me understand Shakespeare as a living subject.
I have now read, watched, and/or studied numerous Shakespeare plays, including Troilus and Cressida, Henry V, King Lear, The Winter's Tale, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and A Comedy of Errors. I feel like this breadth has given me a wider knowledge of Shakespeare's great range of emotion and writing ability. In addition, I have done a more in-depth study of Henry V and Troilus and Cressida as I spent a substantial amount of time researching the plays and criticism about those plays. I have studied Troilus and Cressida in depth for over a month now as I have worked on perfecting my paper about it. In addition to this textual knowledge, I have gained an insight into Shakespeare by watching performances on stage of Henry V and A Comedy of Errors, and watched versions of King Lear, Henry V, Hamlet, The Tempest, and As You Like It. In addition to all of this literacy I have gained of the actual plays, I have learned so much more about Shakespeare in popular culture. Who knew that people have discussion groups about him over the internet or Twitter? I also learned more about Shakespeare's life, birthplace, wife, and schooling--what shaped him as a person and perhaps influenced his writings--as I watched a movie about his life, read various pieces of scholarship that gave his background as I wrote my paper, and reflected upon my visit to Stratford-upon-Avon this past summer.
2. Analyze Shakespeare Critically
All of the responses we posted on Learning Suite and the blog, as well as the scholarship we did in our papers, was basically a continual analysis of Shakespeare. In my paper about Henry V, I looked at the language of the play to make my argument (e.g., the definitions of words, the puns on words, etc.). I also examined the theme of the overall play and drew upon my examination of the language to interpret the theme. In this post, I analyzed the stage version of Shakespeare's As You Like It, where I was able to interpret the set, tone, actor interaction, and viewer interaction of the play and explain how those elements might have affected how the play was interpreted. I have also analyzed the effects of Hamlet and Henry V on screen. This semester, I have really learned how to look at small details within a play on stage or on screen and understand what those small elements mean in relation to the whole play. In my paper on Troilus and Cressida, I looked at the contextual analysis (what sources Shakespeare drew upon for comedy and tragedy, what viewers at the time would have expected from a comedy or tragedy, what the "cultural" norms of a play were) in order to analyze the text as a whole and understand how genre played a role in interpreting the play. I have certainly realized the importance of both textual and contextual analysis as I have interpreted Shakespeare's works.
4. Share Shakespeare Meaningfully
I certainly participated in formal writing this semester. I spent the past month or so writing my paper about Troilus and Cressida. To do this, I went to the library to find scholarly sources (and checked out around 10 to 15 books), looked for various resources online, and wrote my paper in a formal and professional manner. I submitted the paper to the BYU English Symposium, Criterion, and the Scholars' Archive. In addition, I wrote another literary analysis paper about Henry V earlier in the semester. But I haven't limited my writing to formal outlets. I have also posted regularly on both Digital Dialog and the blog in order to analyze numerous plays and respond to others' ideas. In addition, I have discussed my paper with several students in the class and even discussed my paper with my roommates, family, and friends.
5. Gain Digital Literacy
I learned that scholarly work doesn't have to be limited to the classroom or to traditional forms of sharing! I have found ideas for my paper from Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Goodreads, blogs, and many other "nontraditional" sources that I had originally thought would never have any content about Shakespeare. I also posted my own scholarship on this blog and on YouTube, which were new mediums of scholarly publication that I had never delved into. I also tried to connect with friends on Facebook about Shakespeare, and even connected with an old professor of mine to discuss the genre of tragedy. She gave me help that influenced my paper and I was able to reconnect with her after several years (a double bonus of sharing scholarship on social media).
Reflection
This class has really boosted my understanding, not only of Shakespeare, but of how I can research and write in general. I really enjoyed the amount of time we were able to spend on the final paper. Most of the time, teachers give little time for students to produce a piece of work, but in this class we had about a month to produce a final draft. The blog held me accountable for my learning and spurned me to start my research process earlier. In this way, I was able to have a more solid idea when I actually started writing. The feedback I received from the students on the blog was also helpful because it turned me in the right direction for my final paper. Without this feedback, I wouldn't have been able to write as strong of a paper. Finally, I enjoyed making a video about my paper. This activity helped me narrow down my thesis. Not only did I learn more about how to write a paper, but I also learned the importance of seeing a Shakespeare work on the stage or on the silver screen. Of course reading a Shakespeare play is interesting, but watching the play really brings it to life. I like looking for all of the possible permutations that are available for each play. The focus of our class helped me understand Shakespeare as a living subject.
Gabe's Learning Outcomes
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Basic format of this blog post brought to you by copy and paste.
Gain Shakespeare Literacy
Breadth. Growing up so close to Cedar City's Shakespeare festival gave me many opportunities to become familiar with a good range of Shakespeare's plays, through going on my own or going back in high school. With this background, and the fact that this isn't my first Shakespeare class at BYU, I was curious to see how many new plays I would meet this semester. Several of the plays we read I had already either seen or read them, but it was a great refresher. Shakespeare's works amaze me in their applicability to life. They serve almost as a type of scriptures of the humanities. This semester I enjoyed learning a lot more about what is sometimes referred to as the Henriad, or the history tetralogy from Richard II to Henry V. Before this semester my interest in the historical plays was limited to Julius Caesar and Henry V, and I was happy to add to it.
Depth. The research paper I did about rebellion as found in Henry IV, Part 1 was a major help to the depth of my understanding of that time period in history. Despite my interest in the subject, I haven't ever taken a British history class, so the time I put into looking into Prince Hal's real life helped me put the play in perspective and gain insight on the play. Checking into some of my other classmates' research papers has also helped me learn of conversations concerning plays (Richard III is one example), which has been informational at the least.
Basic format of this blog post brought to you by copy and paste.
Gain Shakespeare Literacy
Breadth. Growing up so close to Cedar City's Shakespeare festival gave me many opportunities to become familiar with a good range of Shakespeare's plays, through going on my own or going back in high school. With this background, and the fact that this isn't my first Shakespeare class at BYU, I was curious to see how many new plays I would meet this semester. Several of the plays we read I had already either seen or read them, but it was a great refresher. Shakespeare's works amaze me in their applicability to life. They serve almost as a type of scriptures of the humanities. This semester I enjoyed learning a lot more about what is sometimes referred to as the Henriad, or the history tetralogy from Richard II to Henry V. Before this semester my interest in the historical plays was limited to Julius Caesar and Henry V, and I was happy to add to it.
Depth. The research paper I did about rebellion as found in Henry IV, Part 1 was a major help to the depth of my understanding of that time period in history. Despite my interest in the subject, I haven't ever taken a British history class, so the time I put into looking into Prince Hal's real life helped me put the play in perspective and gain insight on the play. Checking into some of my other classmates' research papers has also helped me learn of conversations concerning plays (Richard III is one example), which has been informational at the least.
Jessica's Learning Outcomes
I knew how to analyze a piece of
literature thanks to the many English classes I’ve already taken for my major
here at BYU. However, interpreting a
Shakespearean play was somewhat outside my academic reach. I knew that I could use similar tools that I
would use to analyze a poem and so I started with imagery, allusions and the
like. Now I feel comfortable discussing
theme, language, the placement of conventions, and other formal devices. In this class I learned that there are ways
to analyze the text by comparing the historical events that occurred around the
same time that a play was written. These
events could also lead to comparisons between the Elizabethan culture and
modern day culture. By analyzing the text with this context I found little gems of knowledge
that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.
Well we shared a lot about
Shakespeare through online writing and social media. There are groups on Goodreads that didn’t respond
until after the paper was due but I think that it will be a fun conversation to
continue to pursue over the break. I
found myself discussing my paper with friends in my dinner group, sometimes talking
up my paper to roommates, and sharing my knowledge with my parents. I started out writing this paper as any other,
with research in the library and then started organizing the facts only to find
that they were so interconnected they basically linked themselves. After revising with both classmates and
others in my social circle I now feel that I have a paper that’s ready for
publication.
This was the hardest learning
objective for me to fulfill because I am not out there on the social media
sites. I use Facebook to organize face
to face parties rather than for communication and Twitter is something that my
sister does. However, I was able to get
past this bias and learn how to use Tweets in order to link to people who had
performed in a Shakespeare play in the past.
I also engaged in a conversation in Goodreads that I hope will continue
and spark more discussion. And of course
by submitting our papers for publication we are able to put our papers out
there both on the Team Shakespeare Blog and out in the public eye for others to
see, comment and criticize.
In this class I learned more than I originally thought possible. I gained knowledge of how to find information through social networks. As a class, I think that we bonded more than any other English class. Sure it could have been that we were few in number or that we always had a few minutes to talk before class but I think that it was more than that. I think that we were able to share ideas and learn outside the classroom but link that knowledge to the blog. Some people who I would not have approached (simply because they were on the other side of the room) commented on my paper and gave me great feedback. Overall it was a great experience and I'll be sorry to say good bye to everyone. Hopefully we'll see each other around campus and have a brief moment to refer back to this class. . . Remember that time when we had that horribly long paper due in Shakespeare? Yeah, and it was due BEFORE Thanksgiving!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone!
LLL Paper Discussion Video
Here is the video of my research paper. It may not be as entertaining as my last video, but, like Shakespeare, my circumstances are different for this one (you'll understand if you watch the video)
The Story of Marsha's Paper
I wanted to choose a controversial text, because
I think censorship and book bashing is often bogus, so The Merchant of Venice was a good choice. As I read it, I was
fascinated by the idea of nature versus nurture (my original thoughts), and
wanted to find some evidence that Shakespeare was making a point about it. However,
I found myself extremely confused since I found evidence in every direction,
and it was difficult to formulate an argument. Fortunately, someone made a
comment on a Facebook post of mine that suggested some deeper implications
about that argument (my post about her help), and I began to think about why
that debate even matters. I began to realize that in this play it really came
down to how you judge someone, and so I began to look into prejudice. Once
again, I found there was no definitive conclusion in the play. I was really
frustrated with this, until I realized that in all my research everyone was
making it out like Shakespeare was promoting something one way or another, and
it was making me irritated, because I really felt they were wrong. I realized,
quickly, that that was my argument. I was planning on analyzing the whole play
(outline of original ideas) but found I had too much to cover, and so I just
went with Shylock for now.
As I mentioned, censorship irritates me often, so I wanted this paper to address that issue, and I am studying English Teaching, so applying this to censorship particularly in the classroom was an obvious choice. The end.
As I mentioned, censorship irritates me often, so I wanted this paper to address that issue, and I am studying English Teaching, so applying this to censorship particularly in the classroom was an obvious choice. The end.
Marsha's Learning Outcomes
1. Gain Shakespeare Literacy
Before this class I actually didn't realize how little I knew of Shakespeare. In the beginning Dr. Burton kept mentioning the names of these plays that I had never heard about, and even in the end I know I hadn't heard of at least one of the plays that someone did their final paper on. I learned about the history of the plays, as in the sequence in which they were written, and was fascinated by Shakespeare's apparent progression from his earlier plays to his later plays. I learned also about the differences in various versions that are out there. I already knew a fair amount about the early productions of Shakespeare and how those were formatted, but I had never learned about music in them before. I gained a better understanding of Hamlet most particularly in this class. I always hated that play before. It's a little tedious, what with Hamlet saying the same things all the time, and I never really understood him, but actually comparing the different productions that we watched and looking at different thoughts from fellow students and different directors helped me catch on to a little more of the depth of that play.
2. Analyze Shakespeare Critically
I have written analyses of Shakespeare's works before, but I had never gone in depth as much as I did in this class. I particularly enjoyed writing the first paper, which I did on Henry V. An issue I had always had with Shakespeare before was that it didn't appeal to me aesthetically, but I can always enjoy analyzing a work, so that helped me enjoy it more, and it helped me tie Shakespeare's genius into an appreciation of his work. I was amazed to learn this semester how much of Shakespeare's work was borrowed. I didn't realize a lot of the elements in his plays as well as many of the actual plots were taken from popular stories from his time. I was particularly interested, of course, in a contemporary production that was very similar to Merchant.
4. Share Shakespeare Meaningfully
My friend posted this to my Facebook wall while I was finishing up my final paper research:
"This is what I think of when you post Shakespeare things: http://www.demotivation.us/shakesbear-1258682.html"
I don't know if I would call this "meaningful," but it was fun to share my thoughts with friends, and my roommates definitely know a lot more about Shakespeare than they thought they would at the end of this semester. My roommate helped me prepare for the first video we did, and said it really made her think about Shakespeare again, since she hadn't since high school. I had never submitted a paper for actual publication until this year, and I am excited to have my research in the ScholarsArchive.
5. Gain Digital Literacy
I had never even heard of sites like LinkedIn before this class, let alone thought to use them for research. I learned how to use them for this semester. I also learned more about ways I can use more social networks for research. I had some useful ideas shared just on Facebook, and I even shared with a friend online how she could do the same. She thought I was kidding at first. I loved getting to make a video of my argument in the beginning. I will enjoy making another. This is incredibly helpful, and I think also more interesting for the consumer to view than to read.
Before this semester I didn't really like Shakespeare. I'd say the greatest success for me in this class was just me learning to appreciate his work better. I'm still not sure I'm on board the "Shakespeare is the greatest writer in the English language" bus, but I really enjoyed reading some of his work and getting more familiar with him. I particularly liked Henry V. I had never read any of the history plays before, so that was a great experience.
Before this class I actually didn't realize how little I knew of Shakespeare. In the beginning Dr. Burton kept mentioning the names of these plays that I had never heard about, and even in the end I know I hadn't heard of at least one of the plays that someone did their final paper on. I learned about the history of the plays, as in the sequence in which they were written, and was fascinated by Shakespeare's apparent progression from his earlier plays to his later plays. I learned also about the differences in various versions that are out there. I already knew a fair amount about the early productions of Shakespeare and how those were formatted, but I had never learned about music in them before. I gained a better understanding of Hamlet most particularly in this class. I always hated that play before. It's a little tedious, what with Hamlet saying the same things all the time, and I never really understood him, but actually comparing the different productions that we watched and looking at different thoughts from fellow students and different directors helped me catch on to a little more of the depth of that play.
2. Analyze Shakespeare Critically
I have written analyses of Shakespeare's works before, but I had never gone in depth as much as I did in this class. I particularly enjoyed writing the first paper, which I did on Henry V. An issue I had always had with Shakespeare before was that it didn't appeal to me aesthetically, but I can always enjoy analyzing a work, so that helped me enjoy it more, and it helped me tie Shakespeare's genius into an appreciation of his work. I was amazed to learn this semester how much of Shakespeare's work was borrowed. I didn't realize a lot of the elements in his plays as well as many of the actual plots were taken from popular stories from his time. I was particularly interested, of course, in a contemporary production that was very similar to Merchant.
4. Share Shakespeare Meaningfully
My friend posted this to my Facebook wall while I was finishing up my final paper research:
"This is what I think of when you post Shakespeare things: http://www.demotivation.us/shakesbear-1258682.html"
I don't know if I would call this "meaningful," but it was fun to share my thoughts with friends, and my roommates definitely know a lot more about Shakespeare than they thought they would at the end of this semester. My roommate helped me prepare for the first video we did, and said it really made her think about Shakespeare again, since she hadn't since high school. I had never submitted a paper for actual publication until this year, and I am excited to have my research in the ScholarsArchive.
5. Gain Digital Literacy
I had never even heard of sites like LinkedIn before this class, let alone thought to use them for research. I learned how to use them for this semester. I also learned more about ways I can use more social networks for research. I had some useful ideas shared just on Facebook, and I even shared with a friend online how she could do the same. She thought I was kidding at first. I loved getting to make a video of my argument in the beginning. I will enjoy making another. This is incredibly helpful, and I think also more interesting for the consumer to view than to read.
Before this semester I didn't really like Shakespeare. I'd say the greatest success for me in this class was just me learning to appreciate his work better. I'm still not sure I'm on board the "Shakespeare is the greatest writer in the English language" bus, but I really enjoyed reading some of his work and getting more familiar with him. I particularly liked Henry V. I had never read any of the history plays before, so that was a great experience.
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