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Friday, January 14, 2011

Lucky Number 7

So I've got to get some goals set in stone before I continue on, but they will most likely evolve throughout the semester as I find certain sources I get more out of than others.

  • Read the ENTIRE play or work we're assigned and underline passages. This may seem like a really simple goal, but I have a feeling I might get too caught up in other sources that I don't enjoy and take time with the primary work.
  • Watch 2 performances of each play that we read. I've got to be realistic here for times sake, but I am not limiting myself to only two performances. I can think of about three Hamlet performances I reeeeally want to watch: Mel Gibson's (again), Kenneth Branagh's, David Tennant's (BBC, I saw the clip of his "To be, or not to be" speech and think it is better than Mel & Kenneth's)
  • Memorize a passage....no specifics yet.
  • Sarah has inspired me to really put myself out there and make a goal to be in an actual Shakespeare performance. I don't know if this will actually be fulfilled during the semester but I am determined to do it some time, however nervous it makes me just writing it...ehh.
  • I'd like to have a good sense of what Shakespeare's popular plays are about. I hear them cited so often but I don't know them all. This would be more of a breadth goal, but a goal I think is useful in life. I'll write short summaries on this blog of each play we read and other popular plays that we aren't assigned.
  • Going along with the theme of "quotidian Shakespeare" I want to find out more about Shakespeare's life. If I remember right, he's one mysterious guy, but I think as I search for information about his life and what parallels it has to what he wrote and when that I can find some interesting stuff. I'd love for comments of interesting tidbits people know about Shakespeare.
  • I've always heard Shakespeare was a plagiarist, but never really believed it. Now there's proof of it in the back of my Shakespeare textbook, so I plan to read that about each play so I can get a better sense of what source they come from.
Seven too much? Isn't that supposed to be a lucky number? Wish me luck.

To end on:

Okay, the stares a little creepy. But the elocution? THE BEST!

Comments (6)

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I really liked your first goal because it reminded me that it's probably a good idea to lay a solid foundation before diving into other creative ideas; I think I'm going to add that goal to my list :) Also you mentioned that you might like to join me in getting a group together to discuss readings and ideas and stuff; Maybe you could email me and we'll see if we can get a time worked out? Thanks!
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Just a little tip for you, if you or your parents have a netflix account, it might be useful to look up performances you can watch on their online section. That way you wouldn't have to rent them!
Also, I think it's a great idea to do a performance of a play. Would you want to do it at a theatre or just a private performance? You could always do something like Reduced Shakespeare. If you do comedy, it's more likely to build your confidence and energy. Just sayin!
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Hooray David Tennant! He's my favorite.

I appreciate your first goal. I need to remember to do that as well. As much fun as I've been having with Hamlet, I still haven't actually finished it.
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Basics are good. sometimes I get so carried away in Homework I forget what all of this is really about. I get so carried away in education that I forget I'm supposed to be learning.
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Ann Bosler's avatar

Ann Bosler · 741 weeks ago

I loved the clip!!!
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Laura, I loved your comment "I get so carried away in education that I forget I'm supposed to be learning." That's why I encourage students to be thinking about the larger picture of life-long learning and self-directed learning. The structure of education goes away one day, and then what sorts of habits do you have?
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