Shakespeare: King Henry V: Day 2

Take a minute to consider the theme of war. Write a 1-sentence premise about what you believe about war.

• Is war ever justified? 
• Why do people go to war with each other?
• Are there any benefits to war?, etc.

What other viewpoints can you identify as opposing views of yours? Write these counterpoints down.

Please take 4-5 minutes to share your ideas and positions with a neighbor. How might you write a play about these ideas? Discuss.

Today, as we continue to watch King Henry V, the theme of war should be foremost in your mind. As you watch the film, please examine the theme(s) and motifs in this play (see handout).

HOMEWORK: None.

Shakespeare: King Henry V

During period one, please review the advice about your play projects (see post below). Then complete the following activities:

1. Review the notes/advice about playwriting. See the post below! Actually read these notes and consider how to improve your playwriting skills.

2. Take the pre-quiz (true or false) to determine what you think is true. Hand this quiz in before you move on to the research portion of our class today.

3. Using the letter you selected, research information about this topic at the links provided below:

• GROUP A: Biographies of Henry IV, Henry V
• http://britannia.com/history/h6f.html
• GROUP B: Description of the Siege of Harfleur and the Battle of Agincourt (with diagram of battle lines)
• http://www.familychronicle.com/agincort.htm
• GROUP C: Other descriptions of the Battle of Agincourt
• http://www.paladins-of-chivalry.org.uk/azincourt.htm
• http://web.raex.com/~agincort/gag.html
• GROUP D: Brief history of the Hundred Years War between England and France (1337-1453)
• http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0824538.html

After completing your research, please find members of each of the other 3 groups you did not research and share notes/details about what information you found. Please turn in your notes for participation credit by the end of period 1.

During period 2, please go next door to begin watching William Shakespeare's King Henry V (directed by Kenneth Branagh, 1989).

Please answer the questions either during the film, or after the film (to be collected next class). Please read the questions beforehand and think about them as you watch the film. They are due next class period. If you missed anything you can read the script here: King Henry V.

HOMEWORK: See paragraph above.

Field Trip to MCC

For those of you not going on our field trip, please complete this REQUIRED assignment:

Research a problem in American education and write a scene (at least 3 pages in length) with a definite beginning, middle, and end. The script should be turned in by the end of class today. If you are NOT finished, you should TURN IN what you have written to my sub and complete your scene to turn in next class.

This is a required assignment for those students NOT going on the field trip.

Play Script Advice

Thank you for those of you who turned in your required play scripts. The following is some advice about strengthening your plays:

• If you are having trouble with PLOTTING: remember that all plays should have: an inciting incident, major decision, various complications, conflicts, and crises, a dark moment, an enlightenment and a climax, followed by a resolution or denouement (conclusion). If you can't point these parts out in your script, you have work to do on plotting! 
• The development of plays are broken down into Acts, Scenes, and Beats in a script. 
• Acts are LONG. We're talking at least 20-30 pages of script (and that's pretty short, all told). If you only have one main plot (being deported, coming out as gay, dealing with abuse, etc.), you only have a one-act play--especially if you have written only 10 pages or so. If you only have one act, you do not need to indicate it. Act One in the script is only important if there is an Act Two (or Three or Four or Five).
• Scenes are shorter than acts, but should:
• Flow easily into one another through various staging techniques and conventions: lighting, monologue, or by character's lines or the use of props
• Move the PLOT along
• Be removed if the action and time of the scene can be combined with other scenes--if we don't need a commercial break, we don't need a scene break. 
• Limit your scenes to ONLY the essential scenes in a story. Usually, in a one-act or 10 minute play, this is about 1 important scene. In longer plays, there may be 2-3 scenes. The more cinematic you want the action of the play, the more scenes you may have, but be careful--this is a stage play, not a film script!
• Beats are mini scenes within a scene. They are described as a short exchange of dialogue concerning a single topic. There can be many beats within a scene as characters shift from one topic of conversation to another. Beats should build on each other to create the beginning, middle, and end of a scene.
• Practical advice: If it's 10-minutes or less, only write 1 scene (with various beats); If it's over 10 pages, you have time and room for two scenes. Each scene should end with a climactic moment and build your story. You need a beginning, middle, and end to every scene or act.
• To develop character you must know WHO your protagonist is. If you don't know who your main character is or who the audience is interested in following, you don't have a main character!
• Give your protagonist at least one monologue to develop his/her character.
• If you don't have any monologues (speeches that are at least 10 sentences in length) you probably need to work on character development. 
• Give all your characters a reason to enter the scene. Why are they appearing at this moment? If you don't know, you need to figure that out.
• Remove any unnecessary characters from your list. If they don't speak, remove them. If they have fewer than 10 lines in a 10 minute play, remove them.
• Characters need to wear their thoughts on their sleeves, so to speak. In other words, they need to talk to each other. Plays use dialogue to develop characters!
• If it's important enough to mention in a stage direction, you need to have a character SAY it so the audience knows about it. Hair color, costume, things that happened in the past, etc. need to be TALKED ABOUT during the scene. Otherwise, cut.
• Have characters who are on stage alone talk to someone else on stage. The soliloquy or aside only works for memory plays (like Tennessee Williams' Glass Menagerie) and Shakespeare. Characters who speak to themselves sound like they're crazy! To correct this, bring a character on stage to listen to (and perhaps comment on) the speech.
• If you have unnamed characters, you probably have undeveloped characters. Who are these people?
• Stage directions: if you are changing location or having anyone drive anywhere or move from room to room or go from inside to outside within 10 pages of script you should adhere to the unities. Keep characters in the same location. Don't change location unless you absolutely have to.
• Keep stage directions short, concise, and to the point. If you have more than 1-3 blocked staging descriptions in a 10-minute play, cut, cut, cut.
• Don't be the director. It is better to have no stage directions than too many. Tell the story through dialogue! Characters can help out by asking questions: "Hey, you seem sad today. What's wrong?" or "Put that gun down, Charley!" work a lot better than a stage direction.
• For stage plays: read more plays. Watch less TV or film. Much of your content is cliche or sentimental. Try to be as creative and original as possible. People today do not simply throw their children out on the street without a good reason, or when coming out as gay, throw away years of friendship. Be original with your characters: do not copy what you see on tv or on Jerry Springer, for example. People do not act that way in realistic situations. 
• Decide how realistic you really want your play. If you want a very realistic story, consider writing a film script instead. Plays are representative. They are unusual. They are dramatic--they are not always realistic. There are, of course, exceptions: 'Night Mother for example. But think about what you've been reading: Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, The Baltimore Waltz, The Mystery of Irma Vep, The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year, For Colored Girls, Monster, Spic-o-Rama, The Mousetrap, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), Talking With, etc. were NOT staged realistically or, if they were, they took place in the past (such as Wait Until Dark or The Crucible). 
• Pay attention to grammar. A sentence ends with a period. Look here for how to write effective sentences. Several of you didn't use periods at the end of your sentences, or joined two or three thoughts together into one sentence using commas instead of periods when necessary. 
• Watch formatting for play scripts: never double-space your work. Use the TAB key and indent 5 tabs to reach 2.5" where you should put your character's name. When using the Word program, change the line spacing options to 1.0 (without adding spaces between paragraphs or hard returns). You have to do this manually, as the default setting is wrong for our purposes.

End of Marking Period; End of Complete Works of W. Shakespeare (abridged); Education & Field Trip

Today we will be completing the Reduced Shakespeare Company's The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged).

Please turn in your homework. See previous post for details.

Next class we will be leaving on our field trip (at 8:05--please be in the Commons at that time--do NOT be late) to MCC. Once there we will attend a college class, discuss issues in education, and take a tour of the campus. Lunch is provided. Please hand in your permission slip.

HOMEWORK: None.

The Complete Plays of Shakespeare: Abridged; Tudor England

This morning let's begin our examination of theatrical history with the Elizabethans. For a bit of background, please watch and take notes.

England's Kings & Queens (song)
Cos We're The Tudors
Henry VIII, Wives
Mary Tudor Song
The Catholic Report
Queen Elizabeth Dating
William Shakespeare song
Elizabethan Theatre (video)
England Civil War

Likely the most influential writer in all of English literature, and certainly the most important playwright of the English Renaissance, William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England.

Around 1590 he left his family behind and traveled to London to work as an actor and playwright. Public and critical success quickly followed, and Shakespeare eventually became the most popular playwright in England and part owner of the Globe Theater.

His career bridged the reigns of Elizabeth I (ruled 1558-1603) and James I (ruled 1603-1625). Wealthy and renowned, Shakespeare retired to Stratford, and died in 1616 at the age of fifty-two.

Shakespeare's works were collected and printed in various editions in the century following his death, and by the early eighteenth century his reputation as the greatest poet ever to write in English was well established.

A contemporary example of Theater of the Ridiculous is the smash hit The Reduced Shakespeare Company Presents The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). 

As we watch this play, note:

• Elements of ridiculous theater
• Premise, Inciting Incident, MDQ, Complications, Conflict, Conflict, etc.

HOMEWORK: Please read two of the following three articles (you may read all three if you'd like) and take Cornell notes on two of the articles. We will discuss and turn in our notes for credit next class:

1. Daily Life in Elizabethan England
2. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
3. Shakespeare's Influence

Play Project Due!

Your projects are due today!

Before you turn in your plays, please make sure:

• Your play is written in the proper play script format (see handouts and previous links to double-check!)
• Refer to today's handout about punctuation and format...
• Your play draft should have a title and a character list. 

4 = Exemplary (A/A+): Play is written in correct (standard) playwriting format for actors/directors. Title is intriguing, symbolic, and/or original. Plot structure adheres to and enhances Aristotelian elements; Cause and effect is well done, logical and creative; conflict is intriguing and creative; the playwrights' message is universal and comments thoughtfully on the human condition; play has intriguing, original characters; setting is original and interesting, but also practical for theatrical space; stage directions are specific, producible, enhance the action of the play and do not get in the actor/reader's way; dialogue is original, compelling, appropriate for characters; characters have clear and appropriate motivation; there is a clear progression of conflict/events, leading to a dark moment (crisis), enlightenment, and climax for the protagonist; dialogue sounds natural; play follows the three unities of time, place, action (when appropriate); scenes are well developed, each ending with a climactic moment, constantly moving the plot forward; staging is creative, appropriate and play is clever and producible. Few or very minor grammar errors.

3 = Accomplished (B/B+): Play is written in standard publishing playwriting format, or format for actors/directors has a few mistakes. Title is appropriate, but may not be as clever or creative as 4 above. Plot is appropriate and uses several Aristotelian elements, but not to the same level as 4. Cause and effect is more or less appropriate for the situation; playwright has a message, but may not be as original or creative as 4. Setting is appropriate and practical, but not as clever or interesting as 4. Stage directions are used appropriately; dialogue is appropriate for verisimilitude of characters and setting; dialogue mostly sounds natural; play mostly follows unities, but may rely on one more than another; main characters have appropriate motivation, with some errors or lack of development; scenes are developed, but may not always progress the plot; staging is appropriate and producible, but not as clever as 4. Some grammar errors.

2 = Promising (C/C+): Play attempts standard playwriting format, but may have several errors. Title is present, but does not necessarily support theme, tone, or symbol. Plot borders on cliche or sentimentality; plot may lack some Aristotelian elements. Cause occurs without effect or there are errors in plotting; playwrights' message may be trite or melodramatic or over done; characters may be unoriginal, lacking motivation or development; setting is standard and largely uninteresting; dialogue sounds stilted or melodramatic, unreal; play does not always follow the unities; characters may lack motivation or play includes too many minor characters; scenes are sketchy or undeveloped, conflict is too easily resolved; scenes may not advance the plot; staging is awkward or expensive or cinematic; grammar errors distract the reader/actor.

1 = Beginning (D): Play is not in playwriting format. Title is absent or untitled. Play may be incomplete, plot and characters flat or undeveloped, or as a "2" but may also be late. Dialogue is awkward, unnatural, or non-specific. Work is not up to 11th grade level or standards. Grammar mistakes and writing errors make reading difficult.