Elizabeth's Blog Project for Taming of the Shrew

I hated this play. The characters were bawdy and the "hero" was rude and inconsiderate. Therefore, since I could not write anything good about the characters, I decided to take the one good aspect of this play... The wonderful insults it contained, and made a wordle out of them.

Elizabeth's Favorite Quote from Taming of the Shrew

"Sirrah be gone, or talk not I advise you."

Victoria's Taming of the Shrew Project

For my project, I decided to condense this play (slightly) using lines from the play. I chose quotes that give the gist of the plot line in 90 seconds (depending on how quickly your actors read it aloud). 

The Taming of the Shrew in 90 Seconds

Christopher Sly: “Am I a lord…Or do I dream? Or have I dreamed till now?” (Intro.2.66)

Messenger: “Your honor’s players…Are come to play a pleasant comedy…” (Intro.2.126)

Baptista: “Gentlemen…I firmly am resolved…not to bestow my youngest daughter before I have a husband for the elder.” (1.1.48)

Tranio: “That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.” (1.1.69)

Lucentio: “But in the other’s silence do I see maid’s mild behavior and sobriety.” (1.1.70)

Hortensio:  “…to get a husband for her sister.” (1.1.119)

Tranio: “You will be schoolmaster, and undertake the teaching of the maid.” (1.1.188)

Petruchio: “…I have thrust myself into this maze, haply to wive and thrive…” (1.2.52)

Hortensio: “Her name is Katherina Minola, renowned in Padua for her scolding tongue.” (1.2.96)

Petruchio: “…kiss me Kate, we will be married a’Sunday.” (2.1.315)

Baptista: “…lead these gentlemen to my daughters, and tell them both these are their tutors…” (2.1.107)

Bianca: “…sweet masters both…” (3.1.83)

Kate: “[Petruchio,] who wooed in haste, and means to wed at leisure.” (3.2.11)

Petruchio: “Sit down Kate, and welcome. Food, food, food, food!” (4.1.124)

“’Tis burnt, and so is all the meat.” (4.1.146)

“She eat no meat today, nor none shall eat. Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not.” (4.1.181)

Hortensio: “I…do forswear [Bianca]…I will be married to a wealthy widow…” (4.2.29,37)

Kate: “I…am starved for meat, giddy for lack of sleep…” (4.3.9)

Petruchio: “What’s this? A sleeve? ‘Tis like a demi-cannon.” (4.3.88)

“Well, come, my Kate, we will unto your father’s even in these honest mean habiliments.”

(4.3.164)

 “I say it is the moon…” (4.5.4)

Kate: “I know it is the sun…” (4.5.5)

Petruchio: “Evermore crossed and crossed, nothing but crossed!” (4.5.10)

“I say it is the moon.” (4.5.16)

Kate: “I know it is the moon.” (4.5.17)

Lucentio: “…[I] have by marriage made thy daughter mine…” (5.1.97)

Petruchio: “Let’s each one send unto his wife, and he whose wife is most obedient to come at first when he doth send for her, shall win the wager…” (5.2.66)

Lucentio: “…bid your mistress come to me.” (5.2.76)

Bianca: “Fie, what a foolish duty call you this?” (5.2.125)

Hortensio: “…go and entreat my wife to come to me forthwith.” (5.2.86)

Widow:  “Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh, til I be brought to such a silly pass!” (5.2.123)

Petruchio: “…go to your mistress, say I command her come to me.” (5.2.95)

Kate: “What is your will sir, that you send for me?” (5.2.100)

Petruchio: “Katherine, I charge thee tell these headstrong women what duty they do owe their lords and husbands.” (5.2.129)

Kate: “Such duty as the subject owes the prince, even such a woman oweth to her husband.” (5.2.155)

Hortensio: “Now go thy ways, thou hast tamed a curst shrew.” (5.2.188)

-Victoria

Victoria's Favorite Taming of the Shrew Quotes

Here are a few of my favorite quotations... 


“Come, madam wife, sit by my side and let the world slip, we shall ne’er be younger.” (Christopher Sly, Intro.2.139-140)

“No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta’en.” (Tranio, 1.1.39) 


“’Hic ibat,’ as I told you before, ‘Simois,’ I am Lucentio, ‘hic est’ son unto Vincentio of Pisa, ‘Sigeia tellus,’ disguised thus to get your love, ‘Hic steterat,’ and that Lucentio that comes a-wooing, ‘Priami,’ is my man Tranio, ‘regia,’ bearing my port, ‘celsa senis,’ that we might beguile the old pantaloon.” (Lucentio, “translating” Latin for Bianca, 3.1.31-36) 


“Now by my mother’s son, and that’s myself, it shall be moon, or star, or what I list” (Petruchio, 4.5.6-7)


-Victoria

Skyeler's Taming of the Shrew quotes

"For 'tis the mind that makes the body rich."

"Kiss me Kate"

Skyeler's Taming of the Shrew project

For this play, I put together modern outfits for the two sisters of the play, Kate and Bianca.

Bianca

 Kate

Kate, after her "transformation" by Pertruchio :)

Skyeler

The Taming of the Shrew

After the horrors of the Macbeth tragedy, we undertook another comedy, The Taming of the Shrew.  I was unfamiliar with this Shakespeare play.  Well, I had once seen on TV a movie loosely based on The Taming of the Shrew, but that was about it.  There were not many movie versions to choose from, so I went with the most popular...the 1967 Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton classic.  I enjoyed it, even if it was a bit dated.  The response to this movie was varied, and not because it was 1967!  What I didn't know was the strong reactions some of the kids would have toward Shakespeare's Kate and Petruchio!  I'm excited to read the play.  I'm also excited to delve into our Shakespeare in a Box at our next meeting, where we will act out a 45 min version of the play with a few props (found in the box).   All we did today was watch the movie as I was down with a bad case of bronchitis and had to go to the doctor.   Stay tuned for the blog projects ...

A Glimpse of the Future

Before beginning our next Shakespeare play, we had the opportunity to catch our local Shakespeare company's touring production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Our goal was to see as many Shakespeare productions on stage as possible during the year, whether we were studying them or not.  We will be studying A Midsummer Night's Dream, but not until May.  The touring production is unique.  It is the play they take to schools to perform.  Therefore, the whole play is put on by six cast members with minimal props.  It was hilarity itself!!!  Our group had front row seats and some of the cast actually interacted with us.  Aly LOVED that.  We all left the theater with aching jaws and sore stomachs from laughing so hard.  It was the best play I have ever seen. :)  I believe that many of the others felt the same.  Aly has declared it to be her favorite play.  It will certainly be hard to top this production!

32 Second Macbeth

We were excited to attend our local Shakespeare company's production of Macbeth.  Their production was immeasurably better than the movie version we watched.  With a modern, war time setting and one of our favorite actresses as Lady Macbeth, it was a hit!  ...though Lorin would have preferred a historical setting :)  It was so great to see it performed on stage while reading it!

After viewing the movie version. seeing the play on stage, and reading The Annotated Shakespeare's version of Macbeth, we met at our house to discuss it. 

There was plenty to discuss about the character of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, their motives and their madness.  And then there were the Weird Sisters.  Yes, the same Weird Sisters that the blog is named for.  The witches of Macbeth.  Did Macbeth do what he did because of his own motives?  Or did those Weird Sisters put the thought into his head because he believed they could foresee the future?  We also took time to compare the play with the movie we saw and the stage production.  In every way the stage production came up the winner!  Afterwards we shared favorite quotes and blog projects (which are already posted).  

Then I had an activity for us.  I found the 32 Second Macbeth here.  What a hoot!  It took a few tries for us to even get close to 32 seconds and us moms were the Weird Sisters :)  Macbeth is a tragedy.  The kids had so much fun "dying."  Lol!  Here they are all "alive."

And Calleigh, Tori, Skyeler, and Aly "dead" or "dying."

And only Elizabeth left standing!  I believe the "dead" were giggling a bit. :)

And for your viewing entertainment...the 32 Second Macbeth performed by The Weird Sisters and Puck.

Angel's Macbeth Quotes

"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes"  Act 4 Scene 1

"Stars, hide your fires!
Let not light see my black and deep desires."  Act 1 Scene 4

"Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day."  Act 1 Scene 3

"False face must hide what the false heart doth know."  Act 1 Scene 7

Lorin's Macbeth Quotes

Act 1 Scene 2 - "What, can the devil speak true?" - Banquo


Act 3 Scene 2 - "Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill." - Macbeth

Elizabeth's Macbeth Quotes

"Your face, my thane, is as a book."

"False face must hide what the false heart doth know."

"Take thy face hence."

I greatly enjoyed this play, one of my favorites.

Elizabeth

Skyeler's Macbeth Project

For my Macbeth project, I decided to make a soundtrack for the play.  I combined several audio clips together, then put some lines from the play into this video.

Skyeler

Riley's fav quotes

"Out damn spot" Lady Macbeth

"The king is dead!" Lady Macbeth

Murder in the castle

It was raining when I was first called to the castle, it was dark, and I was tired, but as a detective, you don’t get to choose when you get called out. The door was answered by a drunken porter. Who invited me in after saying something about equivocate, ignoring him I walked into the murder scene. Three bodies assaulted my eyes as a bloody monstrosity, two things stood out to me, a bloody hand print on the wall, and that the knives that clearly had killed these two guards and Duncan, the other body, were missing. Suddenly knocking resounded throughout the castle; someone else was at the door. I ran out of the room, to see who else would be coming in at a night like this, suddenly a man ran through the halls sounding the alarm of murder, I had arrived, and was ready to solve, who really killed Duncan, it was not the guards, for they did not have their knives.

I arrived down stairs, to find a meeting, Macbeth just admitted to killing the guards, “out of rage for what they had done.” Or so he claimed, maybe because they saw what he had done, therefore he was forced to kill them in order to hide what he had done. His wife fainted when she found out that I had been hired for the case. Mrs. MacDuff, when the argument had concluded, asked me over. Whispering, she said. “I fear for my family’s life, Already the Malcolm and Donalbain have fled, fearing for their lives as well.”

“I’ll do what I can to find the killer, as soon as possible.”

“Watch your back, or you might end up with a knife in it as well.”

While everybody else retired to their bedchambers, I returned to the scene of the crime, upon my arrival I ran into Lord Macbeth, Who quickly shoved his hands into his pockets, and continued on by without even an apology. The bodies had been covered over with sheets of white, but slowly red blotches began to appear on them. I took the sheets off to examine the bodies of the two guards. The knives had been returned to their sheaths. Walking into the bed chamber I removed the sheet over Duncan’s body, his skin was as white as the sheet I had just removed. Looking over I observed that the hand print had been scrubbed off the wall, and with it, my chances of removing the finger prints left in blood. Walking back out I removed one of the knives and pocketed it for further examination. I decided to retire for the night, and the next morning I sent the knife back to England for examination. I waited for days but never got the results back, finally I decided to go back to England for the results myself. When I stepped off the train I bought a newspaper and was horrified to see the front page picture, my client’s and her children’s dead body. I read quickly the location of this massacre and went there immediately. I arrived and once again found a bloody hand print on the wall, were we dealing with a serial killer, whose calling card was a bloody hand print? Or was this just the work of Scotland’s new, sick, and twisted king, still trying to cover up his lust for power. I took a Taxi to the lab where I had sent the knife. The Secretary said she had sent the results back to the sending address. I asked if I could see those results immediately. She nodded and turned and rummaged through a cabinet and swiveled back around and handed me a folder, there were two different sets of finger prints. One belonging to the guard; and one belonging to another man. The one I had suspected from the beginning, Macbeth. I caught the next boat back to Scotland, when we docked I got in the nearest taxi, but the driver refused to take me to the castle of Macbeth. “That’s a war zone now.” He said. Hopping out, I ran to a stable and rented a horse. I hoped I would get there in time. I arrived and found men in ghillie suites, near the edge of the forest. They invited me to charge the castle with them. But I politely declined; I would wait till after the castle was taken to enter. As I waited I went over the evidence, until the blue firework popped in the sky, my signal to come. I eventually caught up with the prince to be, but he told me that MacDuff was still missing. I had to find him before something happened. I opened each door. Looking and listening for any signs of Macbeth or MacDuff. Finally I opened a door, but instead of the men I was hoping for, I was met by three women, dressed in odd appeal. They spoke to me saying “You shall not stop our work oh wise man.” Another spoke up “Although it was a brilliant plan.” Then the last one. “Macbeth must die, by MacDuff’s vengeful hand.”

“But Macbeth can’t die; he should be put behind bars where he belongs.”

“Macbeth!”

“Macbeth!”

“Macbeth! His head this way comes.” Then to my horror they all held hands and chanted. “Fair is foul and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air.” With a puff of smoke they vanished, and when the smoke cleared MacDuff appeared holding onto Macbeth’s head by his hair, he was covered in blood, at this sight I promptly screamed. But calmed down eventually. My client’s family had been avenged. And I was paid for my services to the crown. Another case solved, but it weighed heavy on me that I was unable to save MacDuff’s family in time.

Calleigh's Macbeth Project and quotes

Here are some of my favourite quotes:

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”
"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."
“The instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles.”
“Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires.”
"Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble." 

And for my project I did marked a map of Scotland with all the places mentioned in the play.

~ Calleigh

Skyeler's Favorite Macbeth Quote

I only had one favorite quote for Macbeth.  A rather funny one at that.

"Take thy face hence."

Skyeler

Victoria's Favorite Macbeth Quotes

Here are a few good lines out of a chilling play...

"Present fears

Are less than horrible imaginings." (Macbeth, 1.3.137)

"Come what come may,

Time and hour runs through the roughest day." (Macbeth, 1.3.146)

"My plenteous joys,

Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves

In drops of sorrow." (Duncan, weeping, 1.4.33)

"False face must hide what the false heart doth know." (Macbeth, 1.7.82)

"Where we are, there's daggers in men's smiles.

The near in blood, the nearer bloody." (Donalbain, 2.3.141)

"Nought's had, all's spent,

Where our desire is got without content.

'Tis safer to be that which we destroy

Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy." (Lady Macbeth, 3.2.4)

"You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting,

With most admired disorder." (Lady Macbeth, 3.4.112)

"I am in blood

Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,

Returning were as tedious as go o'er." (Macbeth, 3.4.139)

"The night is long that never finds the day." (Malcolm, 4.3.240)

-Victoria

Victoria's Macbeth Project

For my Macbeth project, I decided to describe the special effects I would use if I were the director of a production of this play. I did my best to get the images in my head down on paper, so I hope it all makes sense. :)

Macbeth's special effects as directed by Victoria Brook

Act 1, Scene 1 – Witches’ first scene; planning to meet with Macbeth

Directions in the book: Lightning and thunder. Enter Three Witches.

My specific special effects: Light comes up on the witches already standing on stage. Thunder and lightning special effects. At the end when they all say, “Fair is foul…” strobe lights and a fog machine kick in and their voices are auto-tuned really low and gravely. For their exit, as they say, “Hover through the fog…” they all step up onto a small box (in front of them) and lift their arms. The strobe lights turn off and leave the theater in total blackness, their words echoing.

Act 1, Scene 3 – Witches talking with Macbeth and Banquo

Directions in the book: Thunder. Enter the Three Witches. Drum within.

My specific special effects: Thunder and flashes of lighting. Once the drum begins, it needs to be rapid, loud, and an overbearing drumbeat, rising in volume and rapidity until it suddenly stops when Macbeth and Banquo enter, the last note of the drum resonating. At line 1.3.49 (when they begin their “All hail’s), the part of the line, “All hail,” should be warped into a very deep masculine voice while the rest of the line the actress’s normal feminine voice.

At 1.3.63, the first “Hail” ought to be feminine, the second less so, and the third not at all.

For 1.3.69-70 the “All hails” should be in the scary voice as well.

Directions in the book: Witches vanish.

My specific special effects: The witches begin to laugh in very high-pitched, typical witch laughter. The laughter continues to morph into a very deep creepy laugh. They all throw their heads back as a strong wind blows their hair and skirts. Fog machine begins and strobe lights start. They “disappear” in the flickering light and fog. The strobe lights turn off and the lights come up on a foggy stage with Macbeth and Banquo in the fog.

Act 3, Scene 3 – The murder of Banquo

Directions in book: They set upon Banquo. Banquo dies. Fleance escapes.

My specific special effects: Slow motion is good, but strobe lights would make the scene creepier and jumpier. At line 3.3.18, the stage is totally pitch black.

Act 3, Scene 4 – Banquo’s ghost haunts Macbeth

Directions in book: Banquo’s Ghost enters and – unnoticed by Macbeth or his guests – sits in Macbeth’s place. Macbeth sees Banquo’s Ghost.

My specific special effects: Banquo should be VERY bloody, arms and face very red and dripping wet. He should be dressed in absolute white, except for the many and obvious stains. Once he is noticed by Macbeth, normal lights switch off and a black light switches on. Macbeth should be followed by a spotlight.

Directions in book: Banquo’s Ghost vanishes.

My specific special effects: There should be a momentary pause between the black light

turning off and the regular lights turning on, during which Banquo steps behind a barrier or through a doorway. When he comes back he can simply step back on stage.

Act 3, Scene 5 – The witches talk to Hecat

Directions in book: Thunder. Enter the Three Witches, meeting Hecat.

My specific special effects: Hecat should be standing on a box or stool, wearing dark clothes and having long white hair, keeping her back to the audience. She should say her lines in a low, fast, passionate chanting. Music and lighting should create an eery environment.

Act 4, Scene 1 – Macbeth goes to see the witches at their house and receives further prophecy

Directions in book: Thunder. Enter the Three Witches.

My specific special effects: Constant dripping sound effect, as if in a cave. Possibly rodent noises. Dark and foggy air—a cold feeling. The witches and a cauldron are behind a very large white sheet, backlit as to create perfect and dark shadows of everything the witches throw into the cauldron. Every time the witches say “Double double…” the color of the light shone on the sheet changes from white to a red light. When Macbeth arrives the witches come out from behind the sheet. The apparitions arise from the cauldron, and from behind the sheet the shadows and clearly visible. The second apparition (the bloody child), may be accompanied by sound effects of a crying baby to indicate how young the child is or further sound effects to give clues that the child was taken by C-section. Before disappearing, he should run his hand down across the sheet, allowing “blood” to soak through the sheet to show the audience he is bloody. For the line of kings, actors wearing obvious crowns should line up behind the sheet, except for Banquo.

Directions in book: Music. The Witches dance and then vanish.

My specific special effects: The witches again disappear in fog and possibly strobe lights. A departing witch scream may be called for to increase the creepy factor J.

Act 4, Scene 2 – Murder of Macduff’s family

Directions in book: Exit Lady Macduff, crying “murder!” exuent Murderers, follower her

My specific special effects: When Lady Macduff’s son is stabbed, line 4.2.82 (“He has killed me, mother”) should repeat and echo eerily. When Lady Macduff exits, she screams off stage, but the scream is cut off mid-way into a few soft gasps followed by silence.

-Victoria

Elizabeth's Macbeth Blog Project

I found this song to fit very well with how I felt Macbeth's character progressing throughout the play.

(At the moment, I can not get the youtube video to post, that will be coming later.)

Tonight I'm so alone
This sorrow takes a hold
Don't leave me here so cold
(Never want to be so cold)

Your touch used to be so kind
Your touch used to give me life
I've waited all this time,
I've wasted so much time

Don't leave me alone
Cause I barely see at all
Don't leave me alone, I'm

[Chorus:]
Falling in the black
Slipping through the cracks
Falling to the depths can I ever go back
Dreaming of the way it used to be
Can you hear me?
Falling in the black
Slipping through the cracks
Falling to the depths can I ever go back
Falling inside the black
Falling inside, falling inside the black

You were my source of strength
I've traded everything
That I love for this one thing
(Stranded in the offering)
Don't leave me here like this
Can't hear me scream from the abyss
And now I wish for you my desire

Don't leave me alone
Cause I barely see at all
Don't leave me alone, I'm

[Chorus:]

Macbeth

"Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble."

October.  The perfect month for a gruesome, scary tragedy.  Yes, I planned it that way :)  Our second Shakespeare play would be Macbeth.  I knew that we would cover a couple tragedies, and I debated which ones they would be.  When I saw that our local Shakespeare company was putting on a performance of Macbeth in October, well, I knew we would have to do it. We met for our movie day at Sharon's to watch Patrick Stewart play Macbeth.  I love Patrick Stewart (aka Jean-Luc Picard). But "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."  Gruesome and scary was this version of Macbeth.  EEK!!   To be honest, Skyeler, Robin, and I had a hard time with a couple of the scenes.  Because the movie was three hours long (it becomes longer when you stop to talk about it and go to the bathroom) we had no extra activities today.  

I am looking forward to reading the play and seeing a live stage production.  Exciting!!


~Angel

Angel's Favorite Much Ado Quotes

I hope to remember to post my favorite quotes from each of the plays we read.  Here were a few from Much Ado About Nothing...

"Friendship is constant in all other things save in the office and affairs of love:"

"There was a star danced, and under that was I born."

"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."

Elizabeth's Favorite Much Ado About Nothing Quotes

DOGBERRY
Marry, sir, they have committed false report;
moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily,
they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have
belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust
things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.
PRINCE
First, I ask thee what they have done; thirdly, I
ask thee what's their offence; sixth and lastly,
why they are committed; and, to conclude, what
you lay to their charge.
CLAUDIO
Rightly reasoned, and in his own division:


"...You have such a February face, so full of frost, of storm and cloudiness."

I loved this book, sweet romance and amazing comedy!
Elizabeth

Wordplay

After reading Much Ado About Nothing, we met for discussion.  Everyone was supposed to write down two vocabulary words that the footnotes didn't define.  Riley said he didn't find any that he didn't know, lol.  Victoria and I couldn't resist asking him about those on our list.  We got a sheepish grin :)  It is interesting some of the words that the footnotes choose to define and the ones they choose not to.  We discussed favorite scenes and favorite characters.  Shakespeare's Dogberry character provided us with much discussion.  He is such a ridiculous character with ridiculous logic.  Tori, especially, found him humorous.  Some time was spent reading some of his scenes out loud.  We also spent some time discussing Hero and those who were so ready to accuse her of wrong doing, and her ability to quickly forgive them.  Skyeler really likes Hero.  Calleigh really likes Kate Beckinsale who plays Hero in the movie version we watched :)   Beatrice and Benedick's feisty banter really leapt off the page, so to speak, and we all enjoyed reading it.  We all, also, lamented the fact that we missed the opportunity to go to London and see David Tennant and Catherine Tate perform Much Ado About Nothing on stage as Benedick and Beatrice.

After they shared their favorite quotes and their blog projects (which are already posted), I had an activity for them to do.  The Wordplay activity (found here) is based on the characters in the play and the witty remarks that are bantered between them.  Nine compliments and nine insults, quoted straight from Much Ado, were written on separate pieces of paper.  The kids had to choose a strip of paper and then say their lines to one another with feeling.  First we did it with all compliments, then with all insults, then we mixed them up so you didn't know which phrase would be coming back at you.  We ended up doing it several times because it was hilarious!  Samples are provided under the pictures...

Compliments

"Speak low if you speak love."

"I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes."

Insults

"Scratching could not make it worse an ‘twere such a face as yours were."

"Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher."

Both

"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."

"I wonder that you will still be talking, nobody marks you."

Shakespeare - fun - who knew?  Next up, right on time for Halloween:  "Double, double, toil and trouble...Something wicked this way comes!"  Macbeth!

~~Angel

Much Ado About Nothing Blog project (Hero's adjectives)

Too Brown for Fair Praise

Such a Jewel

The sweetest lady that ever I looked upon

Leonato's Short daughter

Fair Hero is won

Give not this rotten orange to your friend

Surely I am a maid

Riley's favorite quotes from much ado about nothing (sorry if this isn't how you guy's do this, haven't done this before)

1.That a woman conceived me, I thank her. That she brought me up, I likewise give her the most humble thanks.
2. You are thought to be here the most senseless, and fit man, for the constable watch

Calleigh's Much Blog Project and Quotes

I decided to make outfits for a modern day cast, instead making the two princes the leaders of different gangs in NYC. :) http://www.polyvore.com/much_ado_about_nothing/collection?id=1158892

My favourite quotes:

"Speak low if you speak love."

“Friendship is constant in all other things
Save in the office and affairs of love.”

"There was a star danced, and under that was I born."

"Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps."

"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."

~ Calleigh

Elizabeth's Much Ado About Nothing Blog Project

I decided to write a script of Margret's point of view. How Borachio convinced her to put on Hero's clothes and why she wasn't upset by him calling her Hero. I also included her thoughts and Leonato's response. This is not written in Shakespearean language, but more like Jane Austin English.

Borachio- Margaret my love, tonight. We shall meet in Hero’s chambers.

Margaret- but Borachio, why there?

Borachio- For tonight you shall be my Hero; I shall even woo you by that name. You are as fair a gem to me as Hero to Claudio.

Margaret- We should meet at midnight; my mistress will surely be in a deep sleep at that time, dreaming about her wedding.

Borachio- I shall see you then, my love.

(Borachio leaves)

Margaret- Could it be that my Lord means to marry me? What other reason would there be for likening me to Hero? For I am as far from that maid as one can be from another. Tonight; I shall even dress in her clothes. I shall be his Hero.

(After the Wedding)

Margaret- What infamies have I been misused for. I have brought about the death of the character of my mistress. If I speak, I shall be severely punished. No, if the truth is to come out, it must find a better messenger than me.

(After Leonato finds out)

Leonato- Margaret, you have defamed the name of my Daughter with your immorality. By my honor, if she were dead you should join her.

Margaret- But she shall marry Claudio tomorrow, so all is well and set to rights. So I shall once again be her maid servant, and the only difference is she shall be married.

Leonato- God must have given you a mind, only fit to be a servant. Therefore go about your tasks.

Victoria's Favorite Much Ado About Nothing Quotes

Here are a few quotes that caught my attention while reading Much Ado About Nothing.

“There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping!” (Leonato, 1.1.26)

“Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick?” (Beatrice, 1.1.118)

“Scratching could not make it worse an ‘twere such a face as yours were.” (Beatrice, 1.1.134)

“Friendship is constant in all other things save in the office and affairs of love. Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues. Let ever eye negotiate for itself and trust no agent, for beauty is a witch against whose charms faith melteth into blood.” (Claudio, 2.1.173)

“Then down upon her knees she falls, weeps, sobs, beats her heart, tears her hair, prays, curses: ‘O sweet Benedick, God give me patience!’” (Claudio, 2.3.154)

“Shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain awe a man from the career of his humor? No! The world must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married.” (Benedick, 2.3.242)

“As strange as the think I know not. It were as possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you, but believe me not, and yet I lie not, I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing.” (Beatrice, 4.1.283)

“And when I lived, I was your other wife, and when you loved, you were my other husband.” (Hero, 5.4.61)

“A miracle! Here’s our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will have thee, but by this light I take thee for pity.” (Benedick, 5.4.96)

-Victoria

Victoria's Much Ado About Nothing Project

For my project, I wrote an essay about how a case could be made to claim that Dogberry (the ridiculous constable) could be intelligent and know what he is doing all along. I'm not saying I support this posistion, but I wanted to see if I could make an argument for it. :) Sorry it's so long in a blog post...

Dogberry's Intelligence

In Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” the character Dogberry is often viewed as the honest fool who manages to set all the deceptions to rights. However, if one takes a careful look at Dogberry, there are several signs of his intelligence. For example, many of Dogberry’s malapropisms use the exact antonym of the word he supposedly intends. In the real world, Shakespeare most likely wrote this intentionally just for humor’s sake. However, if we look at Dogberry as a person rather than a figment of Shakespeare’s imagination, a case can be made for him actually possessing superior intelligence and knowing exactly what he is doing all along.

First, we should ask why he would pretend to be foolish if he really were clever. Perhaps this man was simply hiding behind a foolish persona in order to unmask the constant deception around him. Maybe if he actually behaved as intelligent as he really was, people would have been more on guard around him. For example, if Dogberry had been a typical, sensible constable with vigilant, sensible watchmen, Borachio may have not been so loose-tongued in disclosing his crime in the open night air.

Moreover, let us consider specific examples of his intelligence. Dogberry uses wordplays of puns, analogies, and metaphors in ways just as intelligent as any other character in the play. For example, Dogberry tells the Watch, “…if you do take a thief…let him show himself what he is and steal out of your company” (3.3.57-59). This is a play on words that could just have easily come out of the quick witted Benedick’s mouth. Soon after that speech, Dogberry uses a clever analogy using an ewe and a lamb (3.3.68-71). This analogy not only represents clarity of thought, but also an understanding of human nature.

Sixth and lastly, we should look closer at his malapropisms. I already mentioned his ability to pick the perfect “wrong” word when speaking, but some of his word mix-ups could be interpreted to have a deeper meaning. If, in some instances, Dogberry actually meant to use the word he chose, the entire meaning of some of his sentences are different. For example, when Dogberry speaks to Leonato about his companion Verges, he says, “…his wits are not so blunt as, God help, I would desire they were…” (3.5.10-11). We assume that Dogberry misspoke, and meant to say “sharp.” However, let us consider the possibility that he intentionally used the word “blunt” to show another aspect of human nature and society. At first, we believe that we wish everyone were smarter. However, there are some people who we would almost wish they were less clever. For example, I am sure nobody minded a simple-minded servant or slave. In “Much Ado About Nothing,” Margaret the gentlewoman was more sharp of wit and tongue than Beatrice approved; Beatrice wished Margaret were more blunt of wit. So, was Dogberry being very foolish or very wise in this sentence?

Thirdly, we should consider the way in which all the deceptions come to light. It appears as though Dogberry simply “stumbles” across the truth in a haphazard way. In the context of the real world, however, this does not add up. There are several very bright minds in the play who fail to figure out the actual truth. Is it very likely that Dogberry the bumbling idiot would be able to discover and unravel the evil plots? Probably not, and this again points to the likelihood of Dogberry being a very clever man.

To conclude, Dogberry’s character was most likely intended by Shakespeare to be a very foolish and humorous character who somehow manages to save the day. However, Shakespeare’s intelligence creeps into Dogberry’s lines and actions, giving enough evidence to make a reasonable argument that Dogberry is much more intelligent than he appears.

-Victoria

Skyeler's Favorite Much Ado About Nothing Quotes

"methinks she's too low for a high praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise."

"Silence is the perfectest herald of joy.  I were but little happy if I could say how much."

"Well, everyone can master a grief but he that has it."

Skyeler

Skyeler's Much Ado About Nothing Project

My project for this play was to find pictures and/or word phrases that Claudio used to describe Hero.  I put them into a simple Photoshop project.

Skyeler 

Much Ado About Nothing

Conquering Shakespeare called for a plan!  Contrary to popular belief, not all my Shakespeare students were eager to begin our study.  I knew that we needed to prepare them for success.  After many hours reading and browsing those who know Shakespeare better than I, I had a course of action.  We will approach each of our eight plays in the following way.  First, we will read a children's version of the play.  This will introduce the story and characters in a "friendly" manner.  Next we will watch a movie version.  Shakespeare was an entertainer.  The words were made to be performed.  Then we will tackle the Bard head on.  By the time we are reading Shakespeare, it will be familiar and not scary or intimidating.  That is the plan!  

I decided to start us off with the comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.  A comedy would be a fun start, light and happy (unlike the dark tragedies we will be delving into later).  Also, quite a few of the kids are already familiar with the movie version.  They were assigned the children's version (Lamb's or Nesbit is always good) to read and then we met for our first meeting to watch the Kenneth Branagh/Emma Thompson version of Much Ado About Nothing.  How fun!  

After watching the movie, we had a small activity that summed up the play in 15 minutes.  The Folger Shakespeare Library's A 15 Minute Much Ado had a narrator reading a summary that was interspersed with quotes from the play.  The kids were supposed to read and dramatize the quotes when it was their turn.   We all had some fun with this.

 

 Calleigh, Skyeler, Riley, Elizabeth, Tori, and Aly

All in all it was a great start to our new study.  Those of you familiar with our Jane Austen Lit Study from last year will remember that for each book there was a blog project assigned.  We will be doing the same with Shakespeare.  Each play will give the kids the opportunity to get creative with Shakespeare.  I look forward to seeing what cool ideas they come up with this year.

~Angel

Stepping into Shakespeare

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." "To be, or not to be: that is the question." "All the world 's a stage." "But, for my own part, it was Greek to me." "Double, double toil and trouble." "Beware the ides of March." "Out of the jaws of death." "The game is up."

All famous quotes. All William Shakespeare.

Why study Shakespeare? Many believe there is no need for it. I beg to differ. Shakespeare is found every day in each of our lives. Maybe it's a reference in a book. Maybe it's a quote like one of the above. Maybe you used in a sentence one of over 1,700 words that Shakespeare invented. There is a huge possibility that you are using Shakespeare daily without even knowing it!

Our study will not only include reading the plays, it will include seeing as many productions on stage as we possibly can. After all, Shakespeare was meant to be performed. Part of understanding and enjoying Shakespeare is in the performance!

This year we will be traveling through eight of Shakespeare's plays. As we travel, I hope to dispel the myth that Shakespeare is "boring" or "difficult." And I hope to instill, if not a love, a respect for Shakespeare's beautiful words.

As we begin our travels, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes that I memorized in 9th grade Honor's English with Mr. Barge.

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father, and refuse thy name.
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love
And I'll no longer be a Capulet."

~Angel