YES I anticipate using all that free time in class to
discuss PLACES I have found good info, get FEEDBACK on my argument ideas, and
find ways to HELP my classmates.
What can I research for YOU? Please THINK about it and you
can either POST HERE or let me know in our next lovely FREE TIME in class. J
Thanks to discussion with my group today, I have boiled my
thesis plan down from three to two to ONE great idea. WHY TEACH SHAKESPEARE TO
TEENAGERS: FIVE LIFE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. I
have been trying to think of good life lessons to fill in these five slots. Any
suggestions? Here are some ideas I’ve already got. Let me know if you
support/disapprove/can add to them/think I should alter them. Thanks!
- Don’t do drugs.
- Get married.
- Watch out for obsession about romance.
- Law of chastity (good job for not cuddling up in the forest)
- Be loyal to your friends.
- Be careful about rebelling against your father (they were running away from him when all this crazy stuff happened)
- Be careful about listening to your crazy father’s advice (he wanted Hermia to marry Demetrius! No bueno!)
- ?
- ?
- ?
Careful holding grudges: forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteVanity and Pride is also another thing to watch out for (Bottom).
ReplyDeleteWell that was stupid. I just wrote this whole long response and then Blogger deleted it.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I like where you're going with this, but I do have a few concerns. One is that a few of these 'life lessons' maybe not be relevant enough in the play to justify using them in the actual paper. Chastity may be a great life lesson, but I don't see how remaining chaste affects the characters of contributes to the story enough to grant calling it a life lesson taught by this specific play. Just make sure whatever lessons you choose have a big enough impact on the play that the students can see the consequences.
Oo! Another lesson is 'Love conquers all'. In the end everything turns out alright, yes? See! And I'm sure you can relate that to other types of love aside from the romantic love.
With the two pertaining to Hermia's father, I'd maybe consolidate it into one pertaining to listening to advice from your parents, don't make rash decisions, stay true to your identity... I think you could get a few from there.
Also, instead of 'Watch out for romance obsession" I would say maybe 'Don't give up hope' (She ends up winning her love in the end, and I'm sure her persistance could be related to other aspects of life) or maybe a lesson in self control/moderation in all things.
I hope some of these help you with your idea!! :)
Don't drug others, either--you might make a queen fall in love with a donkey.
ReplyDeleteI second Bailey's comment. I feel like it would be hard to justify these "lessons" when many of these "mistakes" are prompting the action in the play. I suppose you could say "We all make these mistakes, but they work out because they make the world go round and we learn from them."
ReplyDeleteI admit, I was stretching these connections a little bit...okay, a lot. Haha. Thanks for your input. I'll see what I can do.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm sympathetic to finding moral lessons in literature, this is not likely to be high in the criteria for selecting or teaching literature or Shakespeare to young adults. You need either to find another angle, or else really research and identify audiences for whom "life lessons in Shakespeare" is a strong selling point.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, in any educational setting, what ARE the reasons for studying Shakespeare? Do the life lessons you identify align with these? Again, it may be a question of audience.
(Nice of you to offer to help others. And thanks to Bailey for your generous comments)
what are the reasons for studying Shakespeare? Maybe the themes that became universal through his repetition of them (disguises, magic, love, war, etc), and the subsequent effect of his widespread popularity on future writers? His ability to reach the masses? I don't know...
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