Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Richard III
Students are to read Act IV, scenes 1 & 2 and respond to the following questions for HW:
How does Anne react when she learns she will be queen? Why? How do the others present react?
What alternative to Richard’s tyranny is introduced in this scene?
What roles do these royal women play in the political struggles?
What is a “cockatrice” or a “basilisk”?
What’s unusual about the way Elizabeth bids farewell to her sons in the Tower?
Why does Anne think her husband will kill her? What is the real reason he will arrange for her to die?
What is Richard’s first request when he becomes king? How many times does Buckingham avoid or ignore this request?
With whom does Richard replace Buckingham?
How does Richard propose to neutralize the daughter of Edward? How does he deal with the son and daughter of Clarence?
What does Buckingham request, and how many times does Richard ignore him?
How does Anne react when she learns she will be queen? Why? How do the others present react?
What alternative to Richard’s tyranny is introduced in this scene?
What roles do these royal women play in the political struggles?
What is a “cockatrice” or a “basilisk”?
What’s unusual about the way Elizabeth bids farewell to her sons in the Tower?
Why does Anne think her husband will kill her? What is the real reason he will arrange for her to die?
What is Richard’s first request when he becomes king? How many times does Buckingham avoid or ignore this request?
With whom does Richard replace Buckingham?
How does Richard propose to neutralize the daughter of Edward? How does he deal with the son and daughter of Clarence?
What does Buckingham request, and how many times does Richard ignore him?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Richard III
Students are to read through Act III, scene 2 for tomorrow and respond to the following:
How many warning signs does Hastings ignore or miss in this scene?
Monday, February 8, 2010
Essay
Students were given a packet of information, including sample essays, based on the essay they wrote on Friday. Students are to read their own essays, score them, and write a rationale for the score.
This is the essay task.
In the following passage from the short story "The Dead," James Joyce presents an insight into the character of Gabriel. Write a well-organized essay in which you discuss how Joyce reveals aspects of Gabriel's character to the reader and to Gabriel himself. Refer to such techniques as imagery, point of view, motif, diction, and syntax.
She was fast asleep.
Gabriel, leaning on his elbow, looked for a few moments unresentfully on her tangled hair and half-open mouth, listening to her deep-drawn breath. So she had had that romance in her life: a man had died for her sake. It hardly pained him now to think how poor a part he, her husband, had played in her life. He watched her while she slept, as though he and she had never lived together as man and wife. His curious eyes rested long upon her face and on her hair: and, as he thought of what she must have been then, in that time of her first girlish beauty, a strange, friendly pity for her entered his soul. He did not like to say even to himself that her face was no longer beautiful, but he knew that it was no longer the face for which Michael Furey had braved death.
Perhaps she had not told him all the story. His eyes moved to the chair over which she had thrown some of her clothes. A petticoat string dangled to the floor. One boot stood upright, its limp upper fallen down: the fellow of it lay upon its side. He wondered at his riot of emotions of an hour before. From what had it proceeded? From his aunt's supper, from his own foolish speech, from the wine and dancing, the merry-making when saying good-night in the hall, the pleasure of the walk along the river in the snow. Poor Aunt Julia! She, too, would soon be a shade with the shade of Patrick Morkan and his horse. He had caught that haggard look upon her face for a moment when she was singing Arrayed for the Bridal. Soon, perhaps, he would be sitting in that same drawing-room, dressed in black, his silk hat on his knees. The blinds would be drawn down and Aunt Kate would be sitting beside him, crying and blowing her nose and telling him how Julia had died. He would cast about in his mind for some words that might console her, and would find only lame and useless ones. Yes, yes: that would happen very soon.
This is the essay task.
In the following passage from the short story "The Dead," James Joyce presents an insight into the character of Gabriel. Write a well-organized essay in which you discuss how Joyce reveals aspects of Gabriel's character to the reader and to Gabriel himself. Refer to such techniques as imagery, point of view, motif, diction, and syntax.
She was fast asleep.
Gabriel, leaning on his elbow, looked for a few moments unresentfully on her tangled hair and half-open mouth, listening to her deep-drawn breath. So she had had that romance in her life: a man had died for her sake. It hardly pained him now to think how poor a part he, her husband, had played in her life. He watched her while she slept, as though he and she had never lived together as man and wife. His curious eyes rested long upon her face and on her hair: and, as he thought of what she must have been then, in that time of her first girlish beauty, a strange, friendly pity for her entered his soul. He did not like to say even to himself that her face was no longer beautiful, but he knew that it was no longer the face for which Michael Furey had braved death.
Perhaps she had not told him all the story. His eyes moved to the chair over which she had thrown some of her clothes. A petticoat string dangled to the floor. One boot stood upright, its limp upper fallen down: the fellow of it lay upon its side. He wondered at his riot of emotions of an hour before. From what had it proceeded? From his aunt's supper, from his own foolish speech, from the wine and dancing, the merry-making when saying good-night in the hall, the pleasure of the walk along the river in the snow. Poor Aunt Julia! She, too, would soon be a shade with the shade of Patrick Morkan and his horse. He had caught that haggard look upon her face for a moment when she was singing Arrayed for the Bridal. Soon, perhaps, he would be sitting in that same drawing-room, dressed in black, his silk hat on his knees. The blinds would be drawn down and Aunt Kate would be sitting beside him, crying and blowing her nose and telling him how Julia had died. He would cast about in his mind for some words that might console her, and would find only lame and useless ones. Yes, yes: that would happen very soon.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Richard III HW
Today we completed a prose passage essay. Students are to bring the passage in on Monday.
Students should also read through Act II of Richard III and respond to the following questions:
Act II, Scene 1
How is Richard able to undermine the peace accord King Edward has brought about among the members of the court?
Whom does Richard blame for Clarence’s death? Why?
Act II, Scene 2
Why does Richard go to the trouble of manipulating the children of Clarence?
Who is the first person in the play to recognize the full extent of Richard’s evil?
Following the death of King Edward, what is Richard’s first political priority? Who helps him achieve it? Why?
Act II, Scene 3
What is the purpose of this scene in the overall scheme of the play?
Act II, Scene 4
Explain the comic relief in this scene, and explain its purpose?
What event prompts the Queen to seek sanctuary? Who else joins her and why?
Students should also read through Act II of Richard III and respond to the following questions:
Act II, Scene 1
How is Richard able to undermine the peace accord King Edward has brought about among the members of the court?
Whom does Richard blame for Clarence’s death? Why?
Act II, Scene 2
Why does Richard go to the trouble of manipulating the children of Clarence?
Who is the first person in the play to recognize the full extent of Richard’s evil?
Following the death of King Edward, what is Richard’s first political priority? Who helps him achieve it? Why?
Act II, Scene 3
What is the purpose of this scene in the overall scheme of the play?
Act II, Scene 4
Explain the comic relief in this scene, and explain its purpose?
What event prompts the Queen to seek sanctuary? Who else joins her and why?
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Richard III
Students are to read all of Act II by Monday. I will post some discussion questions tomorrow for you to respond to in writing.
We have a passage analysis essay in class tomorrow.
We have a passage analysis essay in class tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Richard III (The Man)
Students are to finish reading Act I, scene 3 and respond to the following questions:
-How does Richard picture himself in his argument with the Queen’s relatives? Why?
-Who is Richard trying to sway throughout this scene? Why?
-What is the dramatic function of Queen Margaret throughout the scene?
-Why does Shakespeare have Richard openly admit his evil designs in the soliloquy at the end of the scene?
-How does Richard picture himself in his argument with the Queen’s relatives? Why?
-Who is Richard trying to sway throughout this scene? Why?
-What is the dramatic function of Queen Margaret throughout the scene?
-Why does Shakespeare have Richard openly admit his evil designs in the soliloquy at the end of the scene?
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