Літературний урок на тему "William Shakespeare and the Globe"

ЛІТЕРАТУРНИЙ УРОК

LEVEL A-2+ PRE-INTERMEDIATE

Topic: WILLIAM SHAKESREARE AND THE GLOBE

Objectives:

• to develop critical thinking skills;
• to improve reading, writing and speaking skills (asking questions, making dialogues, monologues);
• to broaden students’ outlook;
• to develop comprehension and speaking skills by discussing ideas in group work;

Learning  outcomes:

At  the end of the lesson learners will be able to:

• speak exchanging opinions;
• analyze  and compare the situation;
•  use their imagination in different situations.     

Equipment: pictures of W.Shakespeare, his birthplace, the picture of the Globe Theatre, slides, students’ drawings, sheets of paper with information,  IT.

PROCEDURE OF THE LESSON

I.INTRODUCTION

1.Greeting

 

2. Warming up

T: I’d like to say that the subject of today’s lesson is “William Shakespeare and the Globe”. Look at the quotation and share your opinions about it with each other. “Soul of the age! The applause! Delight! The wonder of the stage!” Damual Johnson

S1: Beyond a shadow of a doubt these words are about William Shakespeare – an outstanding English dramatist. He wrote 37 plays which continue to be read widely and produced frequently throughout the world.

S2: In all senses Shakespeare is really the wonder of the stage. His plays have the same powerful impact on audiences today as they did when they were first staged.

S3: It seems to me that there is no writer who has touched the debths and heights of characters as Shakespeare did. There is a great joy in moving through a Shakespeare play, living through the emotions of the characters while reading a play or watching it. One experiences in one’s own life the troubles, tragedies, absurdities of the creatures created by that Great Genius.

II. MAIN PART

T: Frankly speaking, William Shakespeare is generally regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist of English literature. Let’s find a word behind a definition:

1. the highest point or part of something;
2. two children born at the same time to the same mother;
3. a grass-eating animal that can run very fast;
4. to make somebody happy;
5. silly or foolish;
6. land along the side of a river;
7. a person who steals;
8. to cry out loud;
9. to do something, to take action;
10.                      a person who makes gloves;
11.                      to receive money for the work that you do;
12.                      a young person who is between 13 and 19 years old.

1. twins;
2. to please;
3. a top;
4. a dear;
5. a glove-maker;
6. a teenager;
7. stupid;
8. a bank;
9. to scream;
10. to act;
11. to earn;
12. a thief

Key: 1-c; 2-a; 3-d; 4-b; 5-g; 6-h; 7-l; 8-i; 9-j; 10-e; 11-k; 12-f.

2. Group Work

T: And now we are going to speak about William Shakespeare – a prominent English writer according to the plan (on the board).

1. His family and lifetime.
2. The Elizabethan Theatre.
3. The Globe.

 (Teacher splits students into three  groups giving each a point of the plan to speak on and chooses an expert who will listen to every group and give them marks.)

GROUP 1

HIS FAMILY AND LIFETIME

S1: Personally I would like to tell you about Shakespeare’s birthplace. On April 23, 1564, a son William was born to John and Mary Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon. His mother was the daughter of a farmer. His father was a glove-maker. William went to a grammar school in Stratford and had a quite good education. There he learned to love reading.

S2: While still a teenager, William married Anne Hathaway, a farmer’s daughter some years older than himself. We don’t know how he earned his living these early years, perhaps he helped his father in the family business. It’s interesting to know that during these years his three children were born: a daughter, the eldest, then t5wins – a son and another girl.

S1: I’d like to add that in 1587, Shakespeare went to work in London, leaving Anne and the children at home. We don’t know exactly why he did it. Some people say that the reason was his love of poetry and theatre. But there is another story which says that he had to run away from law because he killed some deer belonging to a rich man.

S2: Speaking about a popular English writer William Shakespeare I can’t but mention that his wife Anne was against his love of theatre. I’d like to quote from the book “William Shakespeare” by Jennifer Basset: “Plays! Acting! Actors are stupid, wicked people! They are all thieves and criminals! They drink all day and never go to church.” Only Shakespeare’s friend Toby supported him and helped in writing plays.

Expert: Taking into consideration your answers I should admit there’s no much information in literature about Shakespeare’s lifetime. But it is known that when he lived in Stratford he and his friend Toby very often watched the plays performed by the companies of players. In 1587, five different companies came to town and Will went to see them all. He loved to talk to the actors and listen to all their stories of London.

 In my opinion, your answers were complete and my mark is “11”.

GROUP 2

THE ELIZABETHAN THEATRE

 S1: I’d like to start by saying that during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603), English drama came into full bloom and rich people employed companies of actors. The first permanent theatre was built by James Burbage. It was simply called the theatre and he financed it himself.

 S2: What is more, Burbage’s theatre proved a success. Its design set the pattern for the theatres that followed, including the famous Globe Theatre.

 S1: I’d like to add that the Elizabethan theatre was usually a round building with the stage in the center. It’s interesting to know that playwrights turned away from religious subjects and began writing more complex and sophisticated plays. They used rich language, filled with vivid imagery.

 S2: Before the reign of Elizabeth I, theatre companies travelled about the country putting on plays wherever they could find the audience. They often performed in open country-yards of inns, but they had a number of disadvantages.

 Expert: The Elizabethan theatre was developed during a cultural movement known as the Renaissance, during which education, science and the arts were supported. But unfortunately, the English Renaissance Theatre declined after the death of Shakespeare.

 To my mind, you have opened the topic and get a high mark – “11”.

GROUP 3

THE GLOBE

 S1: To continue my friends’ narration about a well-known English author William Shakespeare I’d like to mention that most of his plays were performed in the new Globe Theatre built on the banks of the river Thames in 1599. It was an octagonal structure with an unroofed yard in the centre.

 S2: Although the Globe was not a large theatre, it could accommodate more than two thousand spectators, about eight hundred of whom stood in the yard. Performances were given in the afternoon, the stage being lit by daylight.

 S1: I think costumes were colourful and often expensive, but sets were simple. Scenery was hardly used at all.

 S2: Women’s roles in the plays were acted by men or more commonly by boys. Actors spoke their lines more rapidly than they do today. A good voice and excellent diction were imperative.

 S1: What is more, Elizabethan audiences spoke of hearing plays rather than seeing them. The plays had to have dramatic power to hold a popular and sometimes unruly audience. Shakespeare’s plays certainly had that power as they still do today.

 Expert: One more thing you should add – the Globe Theatre was wooden and consisted of three tiers of seats, the galleries. At the back of the stage there were two doors that led to a dressing room and were used for most of the actors’ entrances and exits. Unfortunately, the Globe was burnt down in 1613, rebuilt in 1614 and remained in use until 1644.

 I guess your answers were not full and contained some mistakes. That’s why S1’s mark is “10”, S2’s mark is “9”.

 T: I’d like to add that Shakespeare was master at creating a certain atmosphere of a play, its general mood and feeling. It could be melancholic or cheerful, lively or scared, tragic or mystical. All in all he wrote 37 plays, among them: “Romeo and Juliet”, “Twelfth Night”, “King Lear” etc. His genius was for producing dramatic effects. W. Shakespeare was not only a playwright. He also wrote good poetry. Many of his sonnets are considered to be masterpieces in literature. Sonnets are fourteen-line poems. They were extremely popular in the Elizabethan era. William Shakespeare’s sonnets include 154 short poems. The topic of most sonnets is love. Shakespeare’s genius lay in the ability to understand human nature which is the same today, tomorrow and forever. He was able to reveal life in its full richness and movement.

3. Shakespeare Quiz

T: How much do you know about William Shakespeare? Try this quiz to find out:

HO1

William Shakespeare 1) When was William Shakespeare born? a) 1498 b) 1564 c) 1895 2) In which period of English history was Shakespeare alive? a) Elizabethan b) Georgian c) Victorian 3) Which of these plays was not written by Shakespeare? a) Hamlet b) Romeo and Juliet c) The Taming of the Rat 4) Where was Shakespeare born? a) Stratford Upon Avon b) Cambridge c) Oxford 5) How many plays did Shakespeare write? a) 8 b) 38 c) 108 6) Which type of plays did Shakespeare not write? a) Tragedies b) Comedies c) Musicals 7) What’s the name of the “Shakespeare theatre’ in London? a) The World Theatre b) The Globe Theatre c) The Old Shakespeare Theatre 8) Who played Romeo in the 1996 film version of “Romeo and Juliet’’? a) Leonardo DiCaprio b) Johnny Depp c) Brad Pitt

 

4.Game “Snowball”

T: And now, students, I suggest we relax a bit and play a game. Let’s see whether you remember the titles of Shakespeare’s plays. So, one student names the title of the play, the next one mentions this play and names his own one and so on.

E.g.S1: “Romeo and Juliet”.

S2: “Romeo and Juliet”, “Othello”.

S3: “Romeo and Juliet”, “Othello”, “King Lear”.

5.Role-play

T: Work in pairs and role-play the following situation. Imagine you’d like to buy two tickets for Sunday night play “Romeo and Juliet”.

S1: Are there any seats for Saturday night?

S2: There isn’t a performance on Saturday.

S1: Isn’t there? Oh, sorry. My mistake. Then, I’d like to have two seats for Sunday play “Romeo and Juliet”.

S2: Would you like them in the stalls?

S1: Haven’t you got anything cheaper?

S2: Certainly. I’ve got some free seats in the dress circle and two seats in the gallery which are even cheaper.

S1: Fine. How much are the seats in the dress circle?

S2: Would you like the third row? The seats are $10 each.

S1: OK. I’ll take them. Here you are. Thank you very much.

T: You have bought the tickets for the play. Call your friend and invite him to join you.

S1: Hello?

S2: Serhiy, it’s Bohdana.

S1: Hi! What’s up?

S2: What are you doing tomorrow?

S1: Probably I’ll go to the computer club. Why are you asking?

S2: Well, I’ve bought two seats for Sunday performance “Romeo and Juliet”. Will you join me?

S1: Oh, you know, Shakespeare is my favourite writer and I won’t miss a chance to watch the play for all the money of the world. When and where shall we meet?

S2: Let’s meet at 6.00 p.m. near my house, the play begins at 7.00 sharp.

S1: Sounds good. See you.

6. Speaking

T: I’m sure there’s hardly a person who isn’t keen on Shakespeare’s plays. Everyone knows what Stratford-upon-Avon is popular for. Look at the pictures of Stratford, use the information about the places you see in them and act a guide.

S1: William Shakespeare was born in this house and grew up here with his parents and siblings. He also spent the first five years of his marriage living here with his wife Anne Hathaway. John and Mary Shakespeare were wealthy enough to own the largest house on Henley Street.

S2: John Shakespeare lived and worked in this house for fifty years. When he married Mary Arden she came to live with him and they had a total of eight children, William was the third to be born. In 1568 John became the Mayor of Stratford, which was the highest elective office in the town. On Sunday, dressed in his fine red robes, he would have been escorted to Holy Trinity church to attend mass. It was because of his father’s status as Mayor that William was privileged enough to have attended the local grammar school to begin his education.

S3: John Shakespeare died in 1601 and as the eldest surviving child, William inherited the house. He leased part of the property and it became an inn called the Maidenhead (and later the Swan and Maidenhead). The inn remained until 1847. When Shakespeare died he left the house to his eldest daughter Susanna, and when she died she left it to her only child, Elizabeth. Although she married twice Elizabeth had no children, so when she died the house fell to a descendant of Joan Hart, one of Shakespeare’s sisters. The house was owned by the Hart family until the late 18th century, until it went up for sale and was purchased by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1847. We have cared for it ever since.

III. SUMMING-UP AND HOME ASSIGMENT

T: The lesson is coming to the end. Remember the information learnt in the lesson and write an essay about an outstanding English writer – William Shakespeare using the quotation “Soul of the age! The applause! Delight! The wonder of the stage.” By Samuel Johnson as an epigraph.