It’s hard to appreciate how much meter affects writing without trying it yourself. So for this post, get ready to roll up your sleeves and write some poetry!

In a reply on the Discussion Board, please write a four line stanza (quatrain) in one of the three meters listed below (all of which appear in A Midsummer Night’s Dream).  Please label your poem with its meter. Finally, briefly describe your experience writing it. What surprised you most? What was the most challenging aspect? Does it change your view of Shakespeare’s writing. If it doesn’t, explain why, too.

Continue reading “Write some verse! (Due 2/26)”

You have two options for the discussion board this time:

Identify a monologue of at least ten lines, in Act I or II that you think is particularly representative of a character (e.g. what’s something that Helena says that’s just so Helen?). In a post in that character’s discussion board thread, carefully explain why, drawing attention to critical words and phrases and how they evoke the character’s personality in your chosen lines. If the thread doesn’t exist yet, create the topic with the character’s name and with appropriate tage.

OR

Identify several key themes that stand out to you in Ovid’s telling of Pyramus and Thisbe. Compare those themes to the key themes you see emerging in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For instance, do the two works share sympathetic or critical views of the young lovers? Are there similarities of imagery or plot? Do they share similar morals? Use line numbers and pages for references.

For this discussion board assignment, choose a character and briefly compare the three different “versions” of the character (your own, and the two productions). How do the different interpretations stack against your reading? Is there one that’s perfect, or totally wrong? Where does your differ and what in the text leads you there? You’re encouraged to cite lines to help support your ideas (see below for how).

Continue reading “Discussion Board (due 2/14)”

Follow the link below to a Google form to sign the contract. The contract is always available here on the website and is copied onto the form for easy reference.

Sign the contract.

This is our first discussion board post of the semester, so I expect some questions will arise. When it happens, please send me an email.

This first week you will reply to a question I’ve already posted in the discussion board. Sometimes that’s how it will be, sometimes I’ll give you more freedom ask you to create topics/reply etc., similar to an in-class discussion. You should also quickly check the “Discussion Board” section of the About page for details on length/tone of discussion board assignments.

Continue reading “Discussion Board (due 2/5)”