First, we’re off to place our autobiographical letters in the career center. Whoo-hooo…Dont’ forget to give me onw.

Next, I’ll mention and go through a study guide for the final exam next week.

Then, let’s share some poetry before we talk about metaphors. (poetry1.pp)

Your turn: write a 10+ line poem that uses either an extended metaphor or a series of metaphor in order to create a riddle, give us clues that allow us to guess what the subject might be.

If we have time, we’ll go on to look at some Blake and the idea of form.

Then, we’ll take a little time for groups to get ready. The scenes will begin and we’ll all be impressed.

Hopefully, we’ll have time to look at this in class, but if not it’s homework.  Read this sonnet by Shakespeare and write a 300 word reaction.  Paraphrase the sonnet.  What is the effect or reason behind the use of rhyme, metaphor, and imagery in the poem?  Who do you think is the speaker and who the subject?  Why?

Sonnet XXXVII.

As a decrepit father takes delight
To see his active child do deeds of youth,
So I, made lame by fortune’s dearest spite,
Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth.
For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
Or any of these all, or all, or more,
Entitled in thy parts do crowned sit,
I make my love engrafted to this store:
So then I am not lame, poor, nor despised,
Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give
That I in thy abundance am sufficed
And by a part of all thy glory live.
Look, what is best, that best I wish in thee:
This wish I have; then ten times happy me!

So, we’ll start with a discussion of Acts 3-5. I also want to mention the spaceship scenario.

Then, I want to do one close read of Prospero’s Farewell Speech

Finally, I’ll give you time to memorize your lines for the scenes due next Friday.

You have been elected President of the Student Council during the last election, but your brother betrays you. Because you are very involved with your studies, you allow your brother, who is Vice-President of the Student Council, to take over most of your duties. He seems to enjoy the work, and this allows you to be free to really get into your multimedia and English classes.

But you also enjoy the status of being President, and you make sure that the work of the Council is being done. However, early in the Spring semester, your brother engineers your downfall. He goes to the faculty advisor with whom he is friendly and enlists his help in deposing you. At a Council meeting, the advisor charges you with dereliction of duty and kicks you out of office. He installs your brother as President. Hurt and aggrieved, you withdraw within yourself to reflect on what has happened to you.

Through reflection, meditation, and study of the classics, you develop powers that you did not know you had before. Also, you discover that an audio tape you had been using to record environmental noise for your multimedia class somehow picked up the conversation of your brother and the advisor when they plotted to force you out. When the activity bus breaks down on a field trip that the Council officers and the advisor are taking, you offer the two a ride to get help. They are stunned when you put the tape in your tape player and play back their conversation to them. You have them in your power. Now you have a choice. Do you go for vengeance, get the advisor fired and your brother publicly dishonored and maybe suspended from school? Or do you go for mercy, forgive your brother and the advisor; have the advisor reinstate you as president and your brother as vicepresident? What would have to happen before you could feel merciful to your brother?”

Afterwards, we’ll discuss your answers and Act 1 and 2.

Next, I’ll ask small groups to answer questions from Acts 3-5.

Finally, we’ll choose scenes for small groups to read through, memorize, and present to the class.

So, we start today with The Tempest, whilst I grade your Macbeth essays. First period will plan a 10 minute presentation for the Italians on Macbeth to the theme of What Macbeth tells us about the 21st century. Third period will write a 300 word blog post on this question: What is an educated person? What are the benefits of education and what are the drawbacks. Tell a short anecdote in your answer.

Then, we’ll watch the 1960 version of The Tempest.

HW: 1st period–Using the following 2 themes: 1)    Ambition is good, too much is very bad. 2)  Our current media is similar to the superstition of the witches in that both lead you to believe untrue things.  Prepare a 300 word description of how these themes relate to your lives and to current events that our friends the Italians might be aware of.

First, we take the Test/Quiz on Macbeth. If you finish early try out Macbeth Hangman or the Macbeth Quiz

Next, we’ll try a little roleplay wherein groups prepare one important member of the cast of Macbeth to answer questions about the play from a studio audience (ala Oprah/Springer/Maury).

Then, I’ll come by and check thesis statements and give you some time to write. The final papers are due next Wednesday. That’s also the day I’ll give students extra credit for having a copy of The Tempest.

Next, I want to start thinking thesis. We’ll read 2 lit crit passages and talk about what the implied thesis for each is.

Finally, I want to give you time to write thesis statements and for me to see what you come up with.

HW: Thesis statement w/ outlined/1st draft complete with quotes. Quiz/test on Macbeth on Friday.

Period 3 will read this article about a performance of Macbeth and in small groups plan how they might stage Macbeth if they had the chance. How would the costumes, sets, actors, etc. look? Why?
Then, we’ll take a look at 4.1. Acting it out in class. What are the prophesies and how do we predict they’ll work out? I’ll stop by 4.2 and 4.3 to make sure we get the major points, especially the bizarre Malcolm/Macduff test.

I want to give out the Macbeth Motif paper and explain what I’m looking for.

Finally, we’ll get a head start on Act V questions.

HW: Completed motif sheet and Act V questions.

I want to see 3.4 on the TV and then discuss it. Hopefully, we’ll get to 4.1 in the end.

HW: ACT IV questions.

Schizophrenia fans:  see this

First, in small groups prepare a reading of 1.1. How should the actors emphasize words? How fast should they speak? Pauses? How should the actors sound? How can the witches be made separate?

Then, we’ll do 1.2 in class with volunteer voices. We’ll stop to figure out what’s going on and discuss the language. What’s hard about Shakespeare and his language?

Finally, we’ll do 1.3 in small groups. You’ll read through it and answer the questions I provide.

HW: Finish Act I.  Choose 4 passages of 10+ lines and paraphrase. Due Wed