4/16 & 4/17

Speaker: What do we KNOW about the speaker in each poem? What do we THINK we know about the speaker?
 A Certain Lady
The Flee from Me
To a Louse
 We Real Cool

4/11 to 4/13

Tone: What techniques do poets use to create it? How do you name it precisely? When does it change?
Barbie Doll
Woodchucks
Aunt Jennifer's Tigers
After Making Love We Hear Footsteps
Those Winter Sundays
Alzheimer's

Week of 3/19

Here's the run down of the past week:

• Finished reading and discussing Hamlet.
• Took a midterm exam on Wednesday.
• Performed and/or wrote your memorized soliloquies.
• Began watching a film version of Hamlet.

HW: Over Spring Break you need to read and/or watch Death of a Salesman. (You can find it in your anthology, or on Netflix.) Think about how it is, or is not, a tragedy according to Aristotle's definition. Be ready to do a bit of writing about this when we get back.

Have a great break! Be safe.

3/16/12

This week you wrote an in-class essay and we continued working our way through Hamlet.

HW: For Monday, you need to finish reading Act 4. We'll finish up the play on Monday and Tuesday in order to be prepared for a midterm on Wednesday.

3/12/12

Here are the last of the Hamlet clips we watched.

Kenneth Branagh (1996):
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JD6gOrARk4
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uJBOAkMsSc

...and the very different "modern" interpretation
Ethan Hawke (2000):
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YHMYkUrV7A
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVbrYkxti3M

Tomorrow, you will be asked to write and in-class essay on the following prompt:

Considering the importance and purpose of Act 3, scene 1 to the development of the plot and characters of Hamlet, which stage or film adaptation that we watched is the most effective? Why? Discuss specific performance details and how the strongest performances demonstrate the important elements of this scene within the context of the play.

Feel free to bring any notes or outline you'd like to use.

HW: Finish reading Act 3 by Wednesday, and work on the study guide I handed out in class today.

3/8 & 3/9/12

If you were absent the last couple of days, we've been watching some Hamlet clips. So far, we've taken a look at the following. We'll watch a few more tomorrow in preparation for an in class essay next week in which you compare and discuss which versions are most effective.


Richard Burton (1964): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsrOXAY1arg

Derek Jacobi (1980):
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-elDeJaPWGg
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUdVVnk3m24

Kevin Kline (1990): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwd98zMxKEg

Laurence Olivier (1948):
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ks-NbCHUns&feature=BF&list=PLDE4BB547DCD67B8C&index=5
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoIS8-CQths&feature=BF&list=PLDE4BB547DCD67B8C&index=6

Mel Gibson (1990):
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl2O6_C1Ba0&feature=BF&list=PLDE4BB547DCD67B8C&index=7

2/28/12

We are well into Hamlet, now. You should be through Act 1 and should be able to answer questions on the study guide. We went over some terms in class-- blank verse, iambic pentameter, aside, soliloquy, foil, etc. These will likely show up on a mid-term or final, so be sure you know them.

HW: Read Act 2 for tomorrow. We'll work on the study guide together in class.

Finally, for you enjoyment, Blake sent me this picture. Remember our talk about Shakespeare's family and his son named Hamnet? Ha! http://ifunny.mobi/i6340001#5380251