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Shakespeare: Character Debate
Student Outcome Statement: Arts in Society - Level 4 – Understands the contributions that the arts and artists make to societies, cultures and times and uses this understanding in own arts works.
Teaching/Learning Purposes/Objectives: To enable the student to:
 | Identify unique aspects and events within Elizabethan England |
| Discuss and compare with similar issues in today’s society |
| Enhance an understanding of the multiple positions in a debate |
Background planning and requirements
Major Purpose: To discuss an issue important to Shakespeare’s time
Key Questions: How would a Shakespearean character react towards today’s issues?
The Hook: Imagine you’re writing a play in Elizabethan England
- What’s happening? The theatres are being closed by the Puritans as you write
- Who’s it happening to? Yourself as Shakespeare
- Where is it happening? At the Globe, London
- When is it happening? As you write your new play
- What’s at stake? Your play must appeal to the viewing audience by appearing to write about the issues of the day, yet remain unbiased. If it seems your play is propaganda, it will de shut down.
Resources:
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| A variety of different topics to debate |
Lesson(s) description
- Space Jumps – Begin the class(es) by having the student’s act in Space Jumps, however only using identifiable occupations for each character shown.
- Class Discussion – Brainstorm and identify a variety of different characters in Shakespeare’s plays. Identify how they would react to different issues within today’s society. Who would like war? Who would defend the movie industry?
- Space Jumps – With the whole class, act in Space Jumps, however each actor must enter and remain in that Shakespearean character.
- Introduce ‘the Hook’ – Towards the whole group, discuss issues of Puritans and the closing of theatre. How would you react? How would a Shakespearean character react?
- Class Debate – Construct a debate with opposite positions on a chosen topic. Students, as Shakespearean characters, must debate the modern issues raised.
- Conclusion – This activity would be conducted over a small number of classes. This could be one of the first classes in mounting a school production, or just to develop a better understanding. A coinciding reflective journal could allow student’s to justify their choices in characterisation and their character’s point-of-view.
Lesson Evaluation:
Some parts modelled upon ‘The Giant who threw Tantrums’ in John O’Toole and Julie Dunn (2002) Pretending to Learn: Helping Children learn through Drama, Longman French’s Forrest.
View other lessons plans... MacBeth: Graphic Novel Twelfth Night: Theatre Promotions
Twelfth Night: Women's Day Henry the Fifth: Swearing Shakespeare The Globe Theatre
Antony and Cleopatra: Construct a Character Character Debate Titus Andronicus: See the Emotion
The Tempest: Adaptation Shakespeare TV
...or view other 'Performing Shakespeare in the Classroom' journal entries...
Week One - Week Four Study Break One - Week Eight
Week Nine - Week Twelve Week Thirteen - Week Fourteen
...or view other journals...
Semiotics and Performance: The role of the Actor (2005) Performing Shakespeare in the Classroom (2005)
Drama and The Curriculum (Summer, 2005) Children's Theatre (2004) Acting (2004)
... or view... Photo Gallery and Lesson Plans
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Contact Andrew @ thechaseison@optusnet.com.au
This page last updated: 17th February 2006