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.