Tuesday, Jan.31 ~ Act II

Go over Act I (J5) & Leithart (J6)

Should we have a journal check on block day? 

HW: Journal 8 ~ Read Act II Scenes 1-3 & complete questions below. 
Here is a recording of the older BBC film with sweet subtitles in the original script.

ACT II, SCENE I.

1. What question is Brutus pondering at the opening of the scene?
2. For what information does Brutus want Lucius to look at a calendar? What is the significance of what Lucius finds? 
3. Why do the conspirators want Cicero to join them? 
4. Why does Brutus reject Cicero? What is Cassius's reaction and what does this show about his and Brutus's relationship? 
5. What do the conspirators plan to do the next day? 
6. How does Decius say he will make sure that Caesar will come to the Capitol? 
7. What has Portia done to show Brutus that she is worthy of knowing his secrets?

ACT II, SCENE II.

1. What strange and horrible things does Calphurnia report to Caesar that have been seen that night?
2. What does Calphurnia mean by the following statement?

“When beggars die, there are no comets seen;/The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”(30-31)

     3. How does Decius convince Caesar to go to the Capitol?

ACT II, SCENE III.

1. What is Artemidorus's plan?

Monday, Jan.30 ~ Julius Ceasar Act II

Zoe presents!

Julius Ceasar

• Go over comprehension questions (Act 1 is all under J5).
• Watch this clip (first 20 min only) and do J6.
• Journal 7:  
• First, define HONOR.
• As you watch the clip, record as many reasons that Cassius uses to appeal to Brutus. What kind of man is Brutus? Cassius?

HW: Journal 8 ~ Read Act II Scenes 1 & complete questions below. 
Here is a recording of the older BBC film with sweet subtitles in the original script.

ACT II, SCENE I.

1. What question is Brutus pondering at the opening of the scene?
2. For what information does Brutus want Lucius to look at a calendar? What is the significance of what Lucius finds? 
3. Why do the conspirators want Cicero to join them? 
4. Why does Brutus reject Cicero? What is Cassius's reaction and what does this show about his and Brutus's relationship? 
5. What do the conspirators plan to do the next day? 
6. How does Decius say he will make sure that Caesar will come to the Capitol? 
7. What has Portia done to show Brutus that she is worthy of knowing his secrets?

And just in case you want to read ahead.....
ACT II, SCENE II.

1. What strange and horrible things does Calphurnia report to Caesar that have been seen that night?
2. What does Calphurnia mean by the following statement?

“When beggars die, there are no comets seen;/The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”(30-31)

     3. How does Decius convince Caesar to go to the Capitol?

ACT II, SCENE III.

1. What is Artemidorus's plan?

Block Day, Jan.25 ~ Define Honor...

All presentations!

Julius Ceasar

• For starters, here's a quick run down of the historical background of the actual Julius Ceasar. And here's one for those who like the morbid facts.

HW: Journal 6 Reading from Leithart's Brightest Heaven of Invention (pages 73-86)

1. Please answer all Review questions on page 86 as well as the Thinking questions #1, 3, 4 & 10.

Wednesday, Jan. 25 ~ Julius Ceasar 1.3

All presentations will resume on Block Day. (Ladies! Get your tooshes to school!)

Here is a copy of the play with a lovely side-by-side paraphrase.

      ACT I, SCENE III.

1.  What wonderous things has Casca seen on this night?
2. What reason does Cassius give for the terrible storm?
3. What important news does Casca give Cassius about the Senate's plan?
4. What does Casius mean by the following statement? “He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.”(106)
5. What instructions does Cassius give Cinna that will help sway Brutus to their cause?
6. What reason does Casca give for wanting Brutus to join their cause?

Tuesday, Jan.24 ~ Julius Caesar begins!

More presentations!


HW: Journal 5 ~ Begin reading Julius Caesar and complete questions below.

    ACT I, SCENE I.

1. How does Shakespeare make the common people appear to be less than noble?
2. What are the people doing that angers Marullus and Flavius? Why does this anger them?

 

    ACT I, SCENE II.

1. Why does Caesar want Calphurnia to stand in Antony's path during the race in honor of the feast of Lupercal?
2. What is Antony's response to Caesar's instructions? What does this suggest about their relationship?
3. What complaint does Cassius make about Brutus's behavior towards him? How does Brutus answer this complaint?
4. Cassius's story attacks what aspect of Caesar's makeup? What is this attack supposed to say to Brutus?
5. What does Cassius mean by the following statement? “ 'Brutus' will start a spirit as soon as 'Caesar.' “(147)
6. What astute observation does Caesar make of Cassius?
7. What does Caesar mean by the following statement? “I rather tell thee what is to be feared/Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.” (211-12)
8. What does this statement show about Caesar's nature?
9. What story does Casca relate to Brutus and Cassius? What does Casca tell us by the personal remarks he adds to the story?
10. What information does Casca give about Marullus and Flavius?

Monday, Jan.23 ~ Tell us about Shakespeare!

Today's Presenters

• Zoe ~ EQ:What conspiracy theories exist about Shakespeare and how valid are they?
• Bri ~ EQ: How does Shakespeare approach gender and sexuality?
• Sarah ~ EQ: How did Shakespeare influence modern media and culture?

If we have time, we can play with Sonnet 29

SONNET 29

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Paraphrase and Analysis of Sonnet 29

Block Day, Jan.19 ~ Project Prep

Sonnets Review

Is the Earl of South Hampton really that pretty?

And another...

SONNET 1

From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty's rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decease,
His tender heir might bear his memory:
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.
Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content
And, tender churl, makest waste in niggarding.
    Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
    To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.

Notes
From fairest creatures (1): From all beautiful creatures.
we desire increase (1): we want offspring.
riper (3): more ripe.
contracted to (5): bound only to.
I like this help site.



Work on your presentations for the rest of the period. Let me know how I can help!

HW: Be ready to present on your due date (Mon or Tues).

Project Rubric
30 points
1-10 Quality and depth of information.
1-10 Engaging quality of presentation
1-10 Clarity of product (does the class walk away with notes or other product to remember for quiz?)

Wednesday, Jan. 18 ~ Don't let your beauty die!!!!

Since we were talking about it, here are a couple of those feely love sonnets...

Journal 4: For each sonnet below, complete the three steps:

1. Crafty: What lines, words or phrases reveal Shakespeare's beauty and skill in his word craft? (and why of course). 
2. Curious: What parts did you have a tough time understanding?
3. Clincher: What is the most important line or couplet? How does it capture the meaning of the poem?

When you finish the journal, you may work on your projects.

SONNET 6

Then let not Winter's ragged hand deface
In thee thy summer, ere thou be distill'd:
Make sweet some vial; treasure thou some place
With beauty's treasure, ere it be self-kill'd.
That use is not forbidden usury,
Which happies those that pay the willing loan;
That's for thyself to breed another thee,
Or ten times happier, be it ten for one;
Ten times thyself were happier than thou art,
If ten of thine ten times refigur'd thee:
Then what could Death do, if thou shouldst depart,
Leaving thee living in posterity?
    Be not self-will'd, for thou art much too fair,
    To be Death's conquest and make worms thine heir.

ragged (1): rugged or rough.
treasure (3): enrich.
use (5): interest.
happies (6): makes happy - an unusual verb and the only time Shakespeare makes use of it. The children will be happy to pay Nature (note that the children themselves are payment), who will gladly receive the bounty. 

SONNET 12

When I do count the clock that tells the time,
And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;
When I behold the violet past prime,
And sable curls all silver'd o'er with white;
When lofty trees I see barren of leaves
Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,
And summer's green all girded up in sheaves
Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,
Then of thy beauty do I question make,
That thou among the wastes of time must go,
Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake
And die as fast as they see others grow;
   And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence
   Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.

count (1): count the chimes.
hideous (2): The exact meaning here is likely derived from the Old French hisde meaning dread. Thus we have a balanced antithesis in brave/day and hideous/night.
prime (3): peak; also a continuation of the extended time metaphor as prime was the first hour of the day, usually 6 a.m. or the hour of sunrise (OED).
sable (4): darkest brown. Note the extensive color imagery (as we also see in Sonnet 73) -- violet, sable, green, silver, white.
canopy (6): shelter.
erst (6): formerly.
summer's green (7): Shakespeare here uses a literary device known as synecdoche (by which a specific part is taken for the whole); thus summer's green is the bounty of crops.
girded up (7): tied up tightly (the first use of the term as such in English).
And...beard (8-9): One of the most striking metaphors in the sonnets. The harvested crops, carried on the bier, wrapped tightly with protruding pale hulls, are personified as the body of an old man, carried on a cart or wagon to church, wrapped tightly in his shroud, with his protruding white beard.
breed (14): children.
brave (14): challenge.

Tuesday, Jan.17 ~ Sonnets 27 & 28....Feeling Sleepy

Today we have some work time for Shakespeare presentations, but first a couple of sonnets.

Journal 3: For each sonnet below, write a few sentences explaining the meaning you gather and at least three details that lead you to that conclusion. Bullet point any images, words, motifs that you want to question/discuss.

SONNET 27

Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,
The dear repose for limbs with travel tired;
But then begins a journey in my head,
To work my mind, when body's work's expired:
For then my thoughts (from far where I abide)
Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,
And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,
Looking on darkness which the blind do see:
Save that my soul's imaginary sight
Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,
Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night,
Makes black night beauteous and her old face new.
   Lo, thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,
   For thee, and for myself, no quiet find.

SONNET 28

How can I then return in happy plight,
That am debarr'd the benefit of rest?
When day's oppression is not eas'd by night,
But day by night, and night by day, oppress'd?
And each, though enemies to either's reign,
Do in consent shake hands to torture me,
The one by toil, the other to complain
How far I toil, still farther off from thee.
I tell the day, to please him, thou art bright,
And dost him grace when clouds do blot the heaven:
So flatter I the swart-complexion'd night,
When sparkling stars twire not thou gild'st the even.
   But day doth daily draw my sorrows longer,
   And night doth nightly make grief's strength seem stronger.

HW: Make sure you are ready for your presentation!

Block Day, Jan.12 ~ Project Shakespeare

Language Practice: "SONNET 35"

No more be griev'd at that which thou hast done:
Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud,
Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,
And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.
All men make faults, and even I in this,
Authorizing thy trespass with compare,
Myself corrupting, salving thy amiss,
Excusing thy sins more than thy sins are;
For to thy sensual fault I bring in sense,
(Thy adverse party is thy advocate)
And 'gainst myself a lawful plea commence:
Such civil war is in my love and hate
That I an accessary needs must be
To that sweet thief which sourly robs from me.
Do you really need it? 

•  Finish the game from yesterday and check out the links.
• Discuss Shakespeare background projects.
• Claim research questions and begin.

Shakespeare Project Defined:
Our goal: To understand the big picture of who Shakespeare was and why he is so famously loved.

How: You will choose an essential question and design a lesson plan to teach the answer to your peers. You Should think not just about your own presentation style, but also what your peers are doing as a learning activity. Make sure your audience walks away with a written product to study the main facts from. (I'll make a quiz from your lessons later:) You will have a 35 minute block to lead us to understanding in any way you please. Consider that you could lead a discussion, assign a journal, create a webquest, create a multimedia display, tell a story in your own way, whatever you can think of. How do you like to learn? Give us a learning experience.

When: How about next week? We'll start on Wednesday and go forward until Tuesday 1/24.

Shall we sign up for due dates?
Tuesday and Wednesday = Work Days
Monday 1/23 Zoe - EQ: What conspiracy theories exist about S and how valid are they?
Monday 1/23 Bri - EQ: How does S approach gender and sexuality?
Monday 1/23 Sarah - EQ: How did Shakespeare influence modern media and culture?
Tuesday 1/24 Grace - EQ: What are the historical/cultural influences that inspired S?
Tuesday 1/24 Mattie - EQ: How did S revolutionize theater?
Tuesday 1/24 - Quiz on Shakespeare background

HW: Design your lesson. Text if you need help over the weekend. 831/454-6483

Wednesday, Jan 11 ~ Shakespeare Background Contunued

First, a sonnet!

Sonnet CXVI

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
     If this be error and upon me proved,
     I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
    Here is a cheat sheet if the language feels tricky.

Journal 2 Game: Gather your facts! Most original examples will make the winner.
Categories:

• Personal life
• Theater & the Globe
• Politics & Culture
• Influence
• Plays
• Misc. Cool Info.

Here are a couple of quick power points with some starting information.
This one covers the facts about his life, his influence on language and Elizabethan England.
This one gives some perspective on the role of theater in society and a few lit terms worth knowing. 


What will your research question be?
Consider the ideas on the board and check out this fun source.

We'll claim questions and define the assignment tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 10 ~ Getting our feet wet...

Continue from yesterday....

EQ: How does Shakespeare continue to transcend time and place?

Spend 15 minutes researching. Find out as much as you can about Shakespeare and record these bullet points as Journal 2. Your goal is to find the most obscure information to stump the other team. The person with the most unknown facts may win a bit of extra credit to help on the first journal check. 

Journal 3: The Globe Tour

Let's take a little tour of the globe via the app:

 

For $0.99 you can have full access, but this is pretty cool. 

Take down at least ten bullet points of info that you learned from the app. 

*If you would like a hard copy of our next play, I recommend the Folger's paperbacks. Julius Ceasar is up this week.