tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70039828151614351482024-03-13T10:02:09.194-07:00Shakespeare in YA LiteratureA close look at how Shakespeare is adapted into teen fiction.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-44247259863124721912011-04-14T17:39:00.000-07:002011-04-14T17:39:14.364-07:00Shakespeare and YA Lit: A New Genre for an Old Favorite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-XK-i6C4GM/TaeC3CGMGqI/AAAAAAAAACw/V_WIq85d5G8/s1600/wednesday+wars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-XK-i6C4GM/TaeC3CGMGqI/AAAAAAAAACw/V_WIq85d5G8/s200/wednesday+wars.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>This post ties together my focus research on Shakespeare adaptations in young adult literature. If you haven't read my blog before, you should start here!<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Research Question and Thesis</b></span><br />
I started this project with a question rather than a thesis. That question (as found in my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">Focus Project</a> post) is <b>What elements of Shakespeare can be successfully translated into the young adult experience?</b><br />
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This served me well as I researched, and I've finally come to an arguable thesis: <b>Teen lit adaptations of Shakespeare can make the Bard more accessible to young adults, adding to--rather than detracting from--Shakespeare's original texts.</b><br />
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In order to prove this thesis, I took a look at three types of sources: the Bard's original texts, specifically <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i>; several YA lit adaptations; and scholarly articles about YA Shakespeare. <br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Analyzing Original Texts</b></span><br />
I read several Shakespeare plays this semester, and I chose to look closely at <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i>. As I read, I looked for themes that would appeal to teenagers reading the play or that authors could use when adapting the play into novel form. Two themes that I found were <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/teen-themes-frustrated-love.html">frustrated love</a> and <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/teen-themes-female-friendship.html">female friendship</a>. I discovered that <b>the Bard's plays are full of ideas that teenagers can appreciate at their unique stage in life; however, because the language is difficult, teens may need help exploring Shakespeare's themes. YA literature is one way that teens can have greater access to Shakespeare's stories and themes.</b><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Exploring Young Adult Adaptations</b></span><br />
Of course, no study of YA Shakespeare adaptations would be complete without examining examples of YA Shakespeare novels. I originally planned to read multiple books based on each play, as planned in <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/02/tempest-shakespeare-and-ya-literature.html">this post</a> for <i>The Tempest</i>, but that turned out to be too overwhelming. The library here has picture books, middle grade novels, YA novels, and graphic novels for many of Shakespeare's texts, but I needed a narrower focus, so I chose to look at YA novels only. I made a list of possible books to read in my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">Focus Project</a> post.<br />
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I reviewed <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/book-review-ariel.html"><i>Ariel </i></a>and <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/04/book-review-losers-guide-to-life-and.html"><i>The Loser's Guide to Life and Love</i></a>. I also read <i>Dating Hamlet</i> and <i>The Wednesday Wars</i>, but I didn't have the time to write up reviews, and I read <a href="http://wiseishfool.blogspot.com/2011/03/book-review-romeo-and-juliet-together.html">Claire's review of a YA adaptation</a>. Reading these books and reading summaries of other books showed me the breadth of Shakespeare adaptations for teens. Some of these books take place from the perspective of minor characters; some take place during the events of the play while some extend before and after; some use a historical setting and some a modern setting; some approximate the original language or use lines from the play while others use modern language; some are based directly on the text while others adapt loosely. <br />
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In other words, Shakespeare is widely adaptable! Authors who want to write a Shakespeare YA novel can do so pretty much however they like. But all these adaptations have one thing in common: <b>they point the reader back to the original text</b>. Even though the novels (at least the good ones) stand on their own, all of them can spark readers' interest in reading the original plays. <b>Aside even from all the good they do of helping the reader understand the basic story and characters, the most important function of these books is to make Shakespeare seem appealing and manageable for teen readers to explore. </b><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Finding Scholarly Resources</b></span><br />
To back up my own conclusions, I looked at a couple of books discussing Shakespeare and YA literature, which I overviewed in <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/scholarly-resources.html">my Scholarly Resources post</a>. (You can also see the full bibliographical information for these books over at my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/p/sources.html">Sources tab</a>.) I followed up by reviewing several articles, one <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature.html">comparing <i>Hamlet</i> to <i>Bridge to Terabithia</i></a> and another about <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature-ii.html"><i>Harry Potter</i> and Shakespeare as a storyteller</a>. These articles brought me to two conclusions. First, <b>Shakespeare affects YA literature today even outside of direct adaptations</b>. Second, <b>high school teachers have used modern texts to help students explore Shakespeare for years, and such "bridge texts" help students appreciate Shakespeare better. </b><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Conclusions</b></span><br />
Although some may argue that Shakespeare adaptations are a waste of time and that young readers should dive in to reading the Bard's plays immediately, the truth is that adaptations can augment the experience of teen readers. Adaptations help teens understand Shakespeare's characters, stories, and themes in a richer, more enjoyable way than just looking up Sparknotes. These adaptations may be used in or outside of the classroom, and Shakespeare scholars should view them as a valuable resource for teens studying Shakespeare.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-76584381421447008312011-04-14T12:15:00.000-07:002011-04-14T12:17:03.305-07:00Self-Blog-EvaluationUsing the same <a href="http://shakespeareunbound.blogspot.com/p/evaluation-criteria.html">criteria from Dr. B</a> that I used when <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-review-globe.html">reviewing Caroline's blog</a>, I'm going to take a look at my own blog. I reference <a href="http://mandsandshakes.blogspot.com/2011/04/peer-evaluation-end-of-end.html">Mandy's review</a> throughout--she gave me some great feedback and I made adjustments accordingly. <br />
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<b>Posts</b><br />
Quantity: I have 33 posts, 12 of which I've tagged <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/search/label/ya%20lit">ya lit</a>, my main research focus. <br />
Content: I achieve variety in my types of posts. If you glance through my hub post you'll see that I looked at different materials and that brought out different tones. I used media more often earlier in the semester, <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/02/tomorrow-and-tomorrow-and-tomorrow.html">especially </a><a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/01/weirdest-hamlet-video-you-will-ever-see.html">Youtube </a><a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/01/to-be-or-not-to-be.html">videos</a>. I used images occasionally to help orient and draw in the reader, like when I did <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/search/label/review">book reviews</a> I posted the cover. <br />
Format: My titles are usually descriptive. As per Mandy's suggestion, I added even more jump breaks to longish posts. And I use lots of tags!<br />
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<b>Research</b><br />
Thematic focus: I definitely have a clear focus on Shakespeare and YA lit, which I dabbled in as early as February 12 with my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/02/30-post-ideas.html">30 Post Ideas</a>. <br />
Thesis and cohesion: Yes. It took me a long time to come to something arguable, but I think I do all right. I do a good job linking to my past posts.<br />
Sources: I have a sources tab and I cite sources within posts as well (<a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature.html">Legacy I</a>, <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature-ii.html">Legacy II</a>).<br />
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<b>Personal and Social</b><br />
Author identity: Mandy thinks I did a good job with this. I think most of my posts do have a distinct voice. <br />
Documentation of process: Hoo boy. Yes. I document like crazy. At times I did better at talking about doing stuff than actually posting about the stuff. Even when I posted substantive content, I tried to ease into it with process, like in the beginning of my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature.html">first legacy post</a>. Check out my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/search/label/meta">meta tag</a> for more. <br />
Interactions: I made 154 comments. A handful of these (no more than ten) are for blogs outside our class. I often responded to comments on my posts. I occasionally referred to others' blogs (<a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/future-posting.html">Future Posting</a>) although not as much as I should have. I plan to do so in my hub post. <br />
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<b>Design</b><br />
Overall: I really like my design. I like the starkness of the black/white/red color scheme along with the softness of the background swirls. Admittedly, it doesn't link directly to my research focus, but I don't think it detracts, either. And I finally changed the title of my blog from "Though This Be Madness" to "Shakespeare in YA Literature." My previous title was catchier but it didn't assist the reader at all, and I want my blog to be a resource. <br />
Side content: I've kept my side content pretty simple. I'd like to add an IntenseDebate widget but it seems to be broken. I really like the "popular posts" widget and I'm glad I added it--besides directing new readers to key posts, it helps me see what my classmates found helpful or interesting. The labels widget has been handy for tracking my focus and content. <br />
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I think I've come a long way from where I was <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/02/mid-semester-progress-report.html">mid-semester</a>. I've focused in well and learned a lot about both Shakespeare and blogging. Even though I'll probably lay this blog aside after I've wrapped up with a hub post, I'm certain that I'll use the skills learned this semester to do other blogs.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-70832991749922530002011-04-13T19:35:00.000-07:002011-04-13T19:35:47.319-07:00The Author of A Loser's Guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LNslFZcYBGA/TaZcIeROOMI/AAAAAAAAACk/XNcRENOB__Q/s1600/The+Loser%2527s+guide+to+life+and+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LNslFZcYBGA/TaZcIeROOMI/AAAAAAAAACk/XNcRENOB__Q/s200/The+Loser%2527s+guide+to+life+and+love.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>Hey, remember back when I did a <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/04/book-review-losers-guide-to-life-and.html">review of <i>The Loser's Guide to Life and Love</i></a>? Well, tonight I had the pleasure of meeting the author, Ann Cannon! She and Betsy Burton, owner of the King's English bookstore in SLC, came to Rick Walton's publishing class to talk about the children's book industry and answer our questions. She was super nice and funny.<br />
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After class, I asked her about why she decided to write a modern teen lit adaptation of <i>Midsummer Night's Dream</i>. She said that she was teaching a class where she had students write a paper bridging a YA novel with a classic (I did a similar project--we both got the idea/assignment from Chris Crowe) and she thought, hey, I should try my hand at a novel that can be bridged to Shakespeare. Voila! Just like I mentioned in my last post, this book serves as a great bridge to <i>MND</i>. It was really fun to meet the author of a book that I've read and studied so recently. And hey, maybe I'll do a Shakespeare adaptation myself someday.<br />
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(Note to Dr. B: please don't grade my blog yet! I'm working on my hub post and evaluation but I had an exhausting day today that felt something like <a href="http://acciobrain.ligermagic.com/ch5hermflail.html">this</a> and I'm going to bed right now.)Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-12182424602092271902011-04-06T21:55:00.000-07:002011-04-10T19:50:58.557-07:00Blog Review: The GlobeThis is a review of Caroline's blog, <a href="http://merryandtragical.blogspot.com/">The Globe</a>, and specifically her <a href="http://merryandtragical.blogspot.com/2011/04/making-changes-victorians-channeling.html">hub post</a> and research focus. I'm basing this review on Dr. B's <a href="http://shakespeareunbound.blogspot.com/p/evaluation-criteria.html">evaluation criteria</a>. <br />
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<b>Posts</b><br />
<ul><li>Quantity: I'm a little confused about this since the hub post links to only three other posts, which doesn't seem like much. But the posts are very detailed and definitely support Caroline's thesis adequately. There are 38 posts total, which is awesome.</li>
<li>Content: Caroline's posts are substantial and well thought-out. She uses pictures very well, both for the look of the posts and to add to her analysis.</li>
<li>Format: The titles are mostly descriptive, although some could be more informative. I particularly like the titles that tell me what's going on in the post, like "<a href="http://merryandtragical.blogspot.com/2011/03/awaiting-guide-to-victorian-shakespeare.html">awaiting a guide to Victorian Shakespeare</a>" and <a href="http://merryandtragical.blogspot.com/2011/03/hermione-as-ideal-victorian-woman.html">"Hermione as an ideal Victorian woman</a>." There are lots of tags--maybe a few too many. I find it especially baffling that the tag "shakespeare" appears to have only one post. </li>
</ul><b>Research</b><br />
<ul><li>Thematic focus: Looking through the blog, I think Caroline has had a clear focus (Victorian Shakespeare) for quite a while, but not all of her research is reflected in her hub post. </li>
<li>Thesis and cohesion: The hub post is very well done--I like that it's in paragraph form, and the links are beautiful. But it needs to include more of the research that Caroline's been doing all semester. </li>
<li>Sources: I think the sources page would benefit from links to the posts where Caroline discusses the works cited. </li>
</ul><b>Personal & Social</b><br />
<ul><li>Author identity: Caroline does a great job presenting herself, both through the information in the sidebar and through her polished writing. She always comes off as professional and invested in her research.</li>
<li>Documentation of process: Caroline has several posts that do this, like "<a href="http://merryandtragical.blogspot.com/2011/03/over-past-few-weeks-i-have-had-chance.html">pre-hub</a>," "<a href="http://merryandtragical.blogspot.com/2011/03/quite-kean.html">quite kean</a>," and "<a href="http://merryandtragical.blogspot.com/2011/03/after-being-inspired-by-several.html">new directions</a>," just to name a few. </li>
<li>Interactions: in the "<a href="http://merryandtragical.blogspot.com/2011/03/after-being-inspired-by-several.html">new directions</a>" post Caroline refers to several classmates' posts, and she's made 85 comments. </li>
</ul><b>Design</b><br />
<ul><li>Overall: I'm not a fan of the white text on a dark background, which gets tiring to read. But I do like the color scheme and the simplicity of the layout. I wonder if it might look a little more Victorian--but then again, how Victorian can a blog really get?</li>
<li>Side content: I wish the "blog archive" widget had drop-downs so I could look at post titles rather than whole months. Other than that, the sidebar content is just right--informative and in a good order, but not overwhelming.</li>
</ul>Overall, I think Caroline's done a great job with her research and her blogging process. If I ever needed to write a paper about Shakespeare in the Victorian era, I would look to her blog as a useful resource.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-9850564682447353222011-04-03T21:25:00.000-07:002011-04-03T21:26:51.319-07:00Preliminary Hub PostAs we near the end of the semester and the end of this research project, it's time to pull in all the threads of my inquiry and see what I've discovered as I've explored Shakespeare and YA literature.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Research Question and Thesis</b></span><br />
I started this project with a question rather than a thesis. That question (as found in my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">Focus Project</a> post) is "What elements of Shakespeare can be successfully translated into the young adult experience?" This served me well as I researched, and I've finally come to an actual thesis: <b>Teen lit adaptations of Shakespeare can make the Bard more accessible to young adults, adding to--rather than detracting from--Shakespeare's original texts. </b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Primary sources</b></span><br />
I wanted to read multiple books on Shakespeare, listed in my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">Focus Project</a> post.<br />
I originally planned to read multiple books based on each play as I planned in <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/02/tempest-shakespeare-and-ya-literature.html">this post</a> for <i>The Tempest</i>, but then I changed my plans to read one book for each play.<br />
I reviewed <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/book-review-ariel.html"><i>Ariel </i></a>and <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/04/book-review-losers-guide-to-life-and.html"><i>The Loser's Guide to Life and Love</i></a>. I also read <i>Dating Hamlet</i> and <i>The Wednesday Wars</i>, but I didn't have the time to write up reviews.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Textual analysis</b></span><br />
I looked in-depth at <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i> and made two posts about teen themes that could be used in YA adaptations. The first was about <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/teen-themes-frustrated-love.html">frustrated love</a> and the second was about <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/teen-themes-female-friendship.html">female friendship</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Scholarly Resources</b></span><br />
I checked out a couple of books about Shakespeare and YA literature, which I overviewed <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/scholarly-resources.html">here</a>. I followed up by reviewing several articles, one <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature.html">comparing <i>Hamlet</i> to <i>Bridge to Terabithia</i></a> and another about <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature-ii.html"><i>Harry Potter</i> and Shakespeare as a storyteller</a>.<b><br />
</b>Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-87881832265862974182011-04-03T17:45:00.000-07:002011-04-03T21:27:01.529-07:00Book Review: The Loser's Guide to Life and Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">This book review is the second in a series of reviews of teen novels that adapt Shakespeare. As I explore <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">what adaptations can do to enhance the Shakespeare experience for teens</a>, I look at how A. E. Cannon's spinoff translates the text of <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i> into a modern setting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Please note: Book reviews will contain spoilers, so if you want to read the book you might want to do so before reading my review. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-H9Wb30hFSDQ/TY5YOK5HFLI/AAAAAAAAABs/rlPyYTVMnOY/s1600/The+Loser%2527s+guide+to+life+and+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-H9Wb30hFSDQ/TY5YOK5HFLI/AAAAAAAAABs/rlPyYTVMnOY/s320/The+Loser%2527s+guide+to+life+and+love.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Summary</span></b><br />
Ed works with his friend Scout at a video rental store where he doesn't get enough respect even to afford him his own name badge. He and Scout spend boring work hours inventing a past for "Sergio" and Ed often wishes that he could be cool like made-up Sergio rather than being a boring nerd. So when beautiful Ellie comes into the store, Ed doesn't clarify the name badge mistake. He becomes Sergio, the suave Brazilian man who loves to cook and "laughs in the face of danger...[and] never sweats."<br />
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Meanwhile, Ed's nerdy friend Quark is falling for Scout. But Ellie is nursing a heartbreak of her own, and Scout acknowledges to herself that she has feelings for Ed. All the lies are stripped away one by one, and everything comes to a head at Ali and the Warrior Queen's Midsummer Eve Celebration.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Analysis</span></b><br />
This book is the perfect illustration of what I discussed in my post about <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/teen-themes-frustrated-love.html">frustrated love</a>. Although Cannon doesn't use the same love triangle structure as the one in Midsummer Night's Dream, the triangle is just as complicated: Ed loves Ellie, Ellie's still in love with the college boy who broke her heart, Scout loves Ed, and Quark loves Scout; then, halfway through, Ellie realizes she loves "Sergio"/Ed and Ed realizes he loves Scout. Everything works out in the end since Ed and Scout end up together and Quark and Ellie discover one another, but there's some serious stress and drama before it all wraps up. It's the perfect wish-fulfillment book for teens--a teen reader can identify with the heartbreak and confusion of finding love and can be satisfied with the lovely if somewhat fantastical ending. <br />
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The modern setting was a good choice on Cannon's part. The setting makes the story immediately relatable to teens, who can picture themselves in a video store better than in an enchanted forest. I think this book would be great as a bridge in a classroom setting because it introduces characters like the original and outlines the main plot. If students read this book first, they would find it easier to navigate the original play. They could focus on the more difficult elements, like Shakespeare's language, and feel an immediate connection to the characters. <br />
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In the context of my focus project, this book supports my argument that teen lit adaptations of Shakespeare can make the Bard more accessible to young adults, adding to--rather than detracting from--Shakespeare's original texts.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-63023179940196479742011-03-29T21:49:00.000-07:002011-04-06T13:41:31.676-07:00Shakespeare's Legacy in YA Literature IIHey, so I did some scholarly research again. That was unexpected. This time I looked at a few of the articles in the book <i>Reimagining Shakespeare for Children and Youn</i>g <i>Adults</i>, mentioned in <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/scholarly-resources.html">this post</a>. You can take a look at the first Shakespeare's Legacy post <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature.html">here</a>. <br />
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The last article I looked at discussed how Shakespearean themes manifest in modern YA lit, looking particularly at <i>Bridge to Terabithia</i>. Two of the articles that I read continued that train of thought. (I read some other articles from this book, and they are interesting but don't pertain to my subject.)<br />
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The first article is "Harry Potter and the Shakespearean Allusion" by Miranda Johnson-Haddad. Woo-hoo, Harry Potter! Everything is better with Harry Potter. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A70EPBGEbhk">Even the Doctor thinks that Shakespeare needs some good ol' J. K</a>. Anyway, the article is about moments in the HP books that parallel moments in <i>Richard III </i>and <i>Titus Andronicus</i>. Unfortunately, the article was written when only four books were out, so some of the speculation is outdated and the examples could be better. However, the main point of the article is still relevant: <i>Harry Potter</i>, like Shakespeare, is concerned with "the relationship--the affinity, even--between good and evil" (168). Modern YA lit builds on themes that are explored dynamically in Shakespeare. <br />
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The second article is "Nutshells and Infinite Space" by Bruce Coville, which discusses the adaptation of Shakespeare stories into picture books. Coville also briefly discusses two of his regular middle grade novels that incorporate Shakespeare: one has actors during the California Gold Rush that perform Shakespeare, which helps the plot along, and the other is about a kid who finds a skull that makes him tell the truth--the skull happens to be Yorick's. Coville sums up nicely the reason, besides awesomeness, to include such Shakespeare references: "I was hoping that if I caught young readers with the thread of my story I could also pique their interest in the plays those stories came from" (58). He says that story is the "bait" to get kids hooked on Shakespeare because the Bard is, of course, the master storyteller. <br />
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This leads me into a loose thesis for this project: <b>Shakespearean themes should be referenced and adapted by YA writers because Shakespeare is the ultimate storyteller. YA literature adaptations should inspire readers to look back at Shakespeare's "original" texts. Doing so will lead to better modern storytelling. </b><br />
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Sources<br />
Coville, Bruce. "Nutshells and Infinite Space." <i>Reimagining Shakespeare for Children and Young Adults</i>. Ed. Naomi J. Miller. New York: Routledge, 2003. 56-66. Print.<br />
Johnson-Haddad, Miranda. "Harry Potter and the Shakespearean Allusion." <i>Reimagining Shakespeare for Children and Young Adults</i>. Ed. Naomi J. Miller. New York: Routledge, 2003. 162-170. Print.<br />
(See also my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/p/sources.html">source page</a>.)Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-4618379646439364192011-03-27T21:48:00.000-07:002011-04-06T13:43:15.089-07:00Shakespeare's Legacy in YA LiteratureIn my ongoing project about how Shakespeare has affected YA literature, I've spent a lot of time looking at direct adaptations and spinoffs in YA novels. As such, I've been using primary texts far more than scholarly materials. To rectify this inadequacy, I read through one of the chapters in <i>Heirs to Shakespeare</i> that I mentioned in <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/scholarly-resources.html">this post</a>. <br />
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The chapter I read is titled "<i>Hamlet</i>: Prince of the Schoolyard" and it discusses how <i>Hamlet </i>shows up in modern YA lit beyond direct adaptations. The chapter discusses several novels that use Shakespearean themes and character types, but what I found most interesting was the comparison between <i>Hamlet</i> and <i>Bridge to Terabithia</i>. You may be thinking, what in the world does that novel have to do with Hamlet?? Okay, that's what I thought when I started reading. But Megan Lynn Isaac actually points out some surprising parallels.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>First, Jess's relationship with his parents resembles Hamlet's; although Jess's father isn't dead, he's emotionally inaccessible, as is Jess's mother, who is too caught up in taking care of her other kids to pay much attention to Jess. Second, Jess himself resembles Hamlet with his choice of artistic activities: Hamlet writes love letters and gives dramatic speeches, and Jess draws. Finally, Leslie, Jess's Ophelia, drowns when Jess is absent, just as Ophelia dies (accidentally or suicidally) when Hamlet has left Denmark<br />
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Upon examination, Isaac's argument for the parallels between <i>Hamlet</i> and <i>Bridge to Terabithia</i> is a bit thin but interesting in its own right. <i>Bridge</i> is not supposed to be a retelling so the parallels aren't supposed to be obvious, but Shakespeare's play is still a useful tool for examining the text's themes. Isaac goes on to explain that <i>Bridge</i> is both "conservative and subversive" (67) because it examines and reevaluates gender roles but reverts to the sacrifice of a female character to restore "patriarchal paradigms" (69), referencing how Leslie's death reconciles Jess and his father.<br />
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What I learned from this chapter is that Shakespeare can be used to interpret many facets of YA literature beyond direct adaptations and spinoffs. I will apply this idea to my future research when I read <i>Henry V</i>; I can't find any YA retellings of that play, but maybe I can find similar themes in YA books that I've read.<br />
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ETA: See a second post for another scholarly article response <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakespeares-legacy-in-ya-literature-ii.html">here</a>.<br />
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Source<br />
Isaac, Megan Lynn. "<i>Hamlet</i>: Prince of the Schoolyard." <i>Heirs to Shakespeare: Reinventing the Bard in Young Adult Literature</i>. Portsmouth: Boynton, 2000. Print.<br />
See also my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/p/sources.html">source page</a>.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-53471245922257763272011-03-25T18:06:00.000-07:002011-03-25T18:06:38.465-07:00Mark Zuckerberg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qK-WwOC_6KE/TY07mH10BxI/AAAAAAAAABo/X0clvSHTqto/s1600/Mark-Zuckerberg-Facebook-Founder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qK-WwOC_6KE/TY07mH10BxI/AAAAAAAAABo/X0clvSHTqto/s200/Mark-Zuckerberg-Facebook-Founder.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Just a quick post to say that I attended the Mark Zuckerberg technology forum. It was interesting and an enormous privilege to have him come to BYU, especially since he's never done such a big university presentation before. I wish it had been a little more organized and that he'd had time to answer more questions, but it was still cool. I liked his discussion of the interconnectivity of technology and sociology, that at the end of the day all problems are human problems. I think Shakespeare would agree.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-61911376991474807972011-03-24T22:00:00.000-07:002011-04-03T21:27:49.239-07:00Teen Themes: Female Friendship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F9UPCUWpeSA/TYuXjo5YuiI/AAAAAAAAABk/j2QpWsWiNEA/s1600/friendship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F9UPCUWpeSA/TYuXjo5YuiI/AAAAAAAAABk/j2QpWsWiNEA/s320/friendship.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>This post is the second of two posts on themes in <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i> that appeal to teenagers, part of my ongoing project about YA lit adaptations of Shakespeare. You can see the first pos<span style="background-color: white;">t <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/teen-themes-frustrated-love.html">here</a>. </span><br />
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The second theme that I found in <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i> that I thought a YA author could take advantage of is the friendship between Hermia and Helena. Most YA lit readers are female (male teenagers read less in general, and those who do read gravitate towards non-fiction) and friendship is hugely important to teenage girls.<br />
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I was surprised that Hermia and Helena are close friends. It's not unheard of that the two girls in a love triangle are friends, but it's not the usual trope. In III.ii, when Helena thinks that Lysander and Demetrius are making fun of her and that Hermia is in on the joke, Helena reminds Hermia of their history:<br />
<blockquote>Is all the counsel that we two have shared,<br />
The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,<br />
When we have chid the hasty-footed time<br />
For parting us,--<b>O, is it all forgot?</b><b><br />
All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence?</b><br />
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,<br />
Have with our needles created both one flower,<br />
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,<br />
Both warbling of one song, both in one key,<br />
As if our hands, our sides, voices and minds,<br />
Had been incorporate. So we grow together,<br />
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,<br />
But yet an union in partition;<br />
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem;<br />
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;<br />
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,<br />
Due but to one and crowned with one crest.<br />
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,<br />
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?<br />
<b>It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:</b><br />
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,<br />
Though I alone do feel the injury.</blockquote>Their friendship adds a level of despair to the love triangle/dodecahedron because the love problems aren't just messing with the characters' opposite-sex relations, they're ruining same-sex friendships as well. It makes their little catfight in III.ii extra sad because these are two girls who like one another and support one another who have come to the breaking point of their friendship. (That scene is still funny, though. I would love to watch a staged version of <i>MND</i> just to see Hermia freak out at all the short jokes.)<br />
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Helena and Hermia's friendship makes me think of Elphaba and Galinda. I believe the main reason that <i>Wicked </i>was successful was not the great songs or sets but the portrayal of a strong, complicated female friendship. Like Helena and Hermia, Elphaba and Galinda are friends in a love triangle, but their friendship is more important than Fiyero. Helena points out that turning on friends for the sake of men "is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly: Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it." Female readers will agree with Helena because, as important as it is to have a relationship with a man, nothing is quite as powerful as female friendship.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-36364674264117142862011-03-20T22:00:00.000-07:002011-04-03T21:28:01.133-07:00Teen Themes: Frustrated LoveThis post is the first of two about themes in <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i> that appeal to teenagers. <br />
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When adapting Shakespeare, it's important to consider what themes the target audience will appreciate. This means that authors who <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">adapt Shakespeare for a teen audience</a> need to find themes in the original texts that apply to teen experience. The themes that the authors of YA Shakespeare spinoffs choose to explore may or may not be the main themes of the original plays. For example, <i>Ariel </i>by Grace Tiffany (see my <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/book-review-ariel.html">book review</a>) explores the ideas that imagination is powerful, that the search for power can ruin people's lives, and that friendly love trumps spontaneous romance. Some of these themes align with <i>The Tempest</i> but others do not.<br />
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As I read <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i>, I looked for themes that would appeal to teen readers, especially themes that I would capitalize on if I were writing a YA adaptation. One theme I thought would translate well is frustrated love.<br />
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In the play, Lysander and Hermia are in love, but Hermia is engaged to Demetrius, who Helena is in love with. (So everyone loves Hermia and no one loves Helena.) Then, due to fairy shenanigans, Demetrius and Lysander both abandon Hermia in favor of Helena. Then we've got Theseus and Hippolyta, who may or may not be metaphorically represented by Titania and Oberon, who are having serious marital issues because Titania keeps this fine Indian boy around and Oberon's jealous, so to solve this problem he makes her fall in love with a peasant who, due to more fairy shenanigans, has the head of a donkey. This play is the ultimate <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LoveDodecahedron">Love Dodecahedron</a>. <br />
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Less complicated versions of this scenario happen in YA lit <i>all the time</i>. <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LoveTriangle">Love triangles</a> are inescapable: think <i>Hunger Games</i>, think <i>Twilight</i>. Even where love triangles don't exist, readers like to create them--tons of <i>Harry Potter</i> fans paired up Harry and Hermione even once it was clear that Hermione would end up with Ron.<br />
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So why is this trope so popular? Short answer: feelings are complicated and communication is hard. Longer answer: Most people spend their teenage years figuring out who they are, what they want, and how they want to act upon the world. Part of this discovery process involves finding another person to fall in love with. But teenagers, already super self-conscious, often can't come out and say how they really feel about other people, especially when it comes to The One and Only. (Some grownups also have trouble with this.)<br />
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One of the most important functions that YA lit serves is holding up a mirror to the teenage experience, and love triangles are usually a simplification of what actually goes on in high school. Complicated love stories help the reader relate to and sympathize with the characters. And, frankly, complications are interesting! Readers don't want characters to get everything they want right away; they want a struggle so that the characters deserve their happy ending. As Hermia points out, "For aught that I could ever read, could ever hear by tale or history, the course of true love never did run smooth" (I.i.134-6). Teen readers will enjoy and understand the complications of love found in <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i>, and any YA lit adaptation should take advantage of this theme from the original text.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-85343316842198813132011-03-15T20:10:00.000-07:002011-04-03T21:28:24.384-07:00Future PostingThis doesn't mean I'm posting from the future, ha ha. But as the semester winds down, I need to make sure that I know when I'm going to be posting on which topics. I've been shedding motivation like a snake sheds skin, and I didn't have much of it to start with.<br />
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<b>To Read</b><br />
<i>Loser's Guide to Love and Life</i><br />
<i>Henry V </i><br />
<a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/scholarly-resources.html">Scholarly research </a><br />
<a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">Two other YA adaptations</a>, probably <i>The Wednesday Wars </i>and either <i>Dating Hamlet</i> or <i>Ophelia</i><br />
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<b>To Post</b><br />
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This week<br />
<ul><li>Analysis of themes from <i>Midsummer Night's Dream</i> that can be adapted into teen novels (breadth)</li>
</ul><br />
Next week<br />
<ul><li>Book review of <i>Loser's Guide</i>, with perhaps an additional post on the difference between adaptations and spinoffs comparing <i>Loser's Guide </i>to <i>Ariel</i></li>
<li>Discuss a scholarly article (literary theory, legacy?)</li>
<li>Adapt a passage of <i>Henry V</i> in YA-novel style (breadth, creative imitation)</li>
</ul><br />
March 27 - April 2<br />
<ul><li>Compare a passage in a Shakespeare play to a scene in a YA novel (textual analysis, contextual analysis)</li>
<li>Book review of <i>Ophelia</i> or <i>Dating Hamlet</i> (or both!) (depth--I've looked most closely at <i>Hamlet</i> this semester)</li>
<li>Something involving digital mediation? SUGGESTIONS PLEASE.</li>
</ul><br />
April 3 - 9<br />
<ul><li>Book review of <i>The Wednesday Wars</i>, discuss how Shakespeare can apply to the life of today's teens</li>
<li>Transcript of interview with my little brother about reading <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> (connecting)</li>
<li>Hub post</li>
</ul><br />
One of the things I'm really struggling with is gathering in the threads of everything I'm supposed to be doing--in other words, I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off as I try to remember what the learning outcomes are and what they mean to my practical work. Then, on top of that, I'm trying to say something meaningful about Shakespeare and YA literature adaptations beyond "YA literature exists and there's some Shakespeare in there." <br />
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My blog isn't as focused as <a href="http://maximumshakespeare.blogspot.com/">Max's</a> or as scholarly as <a href="http://shakespearebyanyothername.blogspot.com/">Laura's</a>, so I guess I'm feeling self-conscious. The threat of public humiliation if I fail at the task of keeping up this blog makes me anxious rather than pumped up. <br />
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How do you think I'm doing, reader? Does this plan look like I'll fulfill class requirements and say something worthwhile or interesting? Is there an aspect of YA lit and Shakespeare that I haven't explored that you would be interested in reading about?Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-74787237140200053552011-03-10T18:23:00.000-08:002011-04-03T21:28:24.385-07:00Scholarly Resources<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fta6rGuu3Xs/TXmFiSGsB2I/AAAAAAAAABg/4POJRg818vQ/s1600/Hofer-Trinity-library.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fta6rGuu3Xs/TXmFiSGsB2I/AAAAAAAAABg/4POJRg818vQ/s200/Hofer-Trinity-library.jpg" width="200" /></a>In my search to understand <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">how Shakespeare is adapted for young adults</a>, I need to focus more on the scholarly side of things, so I went to the library and checked out a couple cool books that I plan to peruse. <br />
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The first book analyzes how Shakespeare appears in young adult literature today, giving lists of books that have Shakespearean themes as well as making direct comparisons of YA texts to the original plays.<br />
<blockquote>Isaac, Megan Lynn. <i>Heirs to Shakespeare: Reinventing the Bard in Young Adult Literature</i>. Portsmouth: Boynton, 2000. </blockquote>The second book discusses children and young adults as a new audience for Shakespeare and how Shakespeare has been modified to help children understand and appreciate the Bard. I'm especially excited for the chapters "Playing with Shakespeare: Making Worlds from Words" and "Harry Potter and the Shakespearean Allusion."<br />
<blockquote>Miller, Naomi J. <i>Reimagining Shakespeare for Children and Young Adults</i>. New York: Routledge, 2003. </blockquote>Also, I didn't check this book out, but it looked like it might be useful to Claire. It has multiple articles about different aspects of teaching Shakespeare; the article that caught my eye was about using Robert Cormier's <i>The Chocolate War</i> to ease teenagers into a critical approach of <i>Macbeth</i>. <br />
<blockquote>Davis, James E. <i>Teaching Shakespeare Today: Practical Approaches and Productive Strategies.</i> 1993. Library Catalog: PR 2987 .T37</blockquote>Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-4717508471839883242011-03-09T08:30:00.000-08:002011-03-09T08:30:36.573-08:00And Now For Something Completely DifferentJust a quick fun post in case there are people out there who haven't seen this yet. It never fails to make me giggle. (Warning for language at the end.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/lwnFE_NpMsE/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lwnFE_NpMsE&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lwnFE_NpMsE&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-8218691042664189222011-03-08T20:23:00.000-08:002011-04-03T21:28:24.385-07:00Book Review: Ariel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">This book review is the first in a series of reviews of teen novels that adapt Shakespeare. As I explore <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/03/focus-project.html">what adaptations can do to enchance the Shakespeare experience for teens</a>, I look at how Grace Tiffany's adaptation interprets the characters of <i>The Tempest</i>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Please note: Book reviews will contain spoilers, so if you want to read the book you might want to do so before reading my review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yze3F-BKJXY/TXWIVEYGwbI/AAAAAAAAABc/ZtgTD5iZWxU/s320/ariel.jpg" width="220" /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Summary</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ariel is born out of the mind of a dying sailor in the first century AD. A spirit of whimsy and magic, she dominates her island and creates other spirits whose names reflect her nature: Madness, Mind, and Fantasy.<b> </b>She thrives for centuries on the power that the sailor gave her, but when she realizes that she cannot cross a barrier onto the other half of the island, she becomes determined to find new people who will strengthen her with their belief in her power.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She latches hope onto a human girl who lands on her island, but Sycorax is practical and has no use for the fantasies that Ariel creates in the air, and when Ariel refuses to help Sycorax through her difficult childbirth, Sycorax traps Ariel in the form of an ant and imprisons her in a tree. Ariel's only hope is that she can convince Sycorax's son, Caliban, to believe in her power and let her go. She tricks Caliban into murdering his mother, hoping that with Sycorax gone the spell will be broken. When Caliban realizes what Ariel has done, he turns on her and leaves her helpless--until yet another man shipwrecks on her shore. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
Prospero releases her and his imagination makes her stronger than ever. She wipes away all the mundane details of his former life and formulates for him a romantic past. In return, he promises that if he returns to Milan, he will take her along and they will conquer and rule it together. As the years pass, Miranda and Caliban, who Prospero has adopted/enslaved, begin to fall in love. Ariel, in her hatred, twists Prospero's vision and he drives Caliban away.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A year later, <i>The Tempest</i> begins. As the events unfold, however, we see that Prospero's revenge is driven by Ariel's desire for power. She blinds Miranda and Ferdinand into loving one another and fuels Prospero's hate. But when he sees his brother again, he remembers the truth: he left of his own free will, and he has no reason to hate Antonio. He forgives him, and they prepare to return to Milan. Disappointed, Ariel rages against him, but he lulls her to rest until she can find what she is looking for. All her spells fall away; Ferdinand does not remember Miranda, Prospero forgives Caliban, and Miranda and Caliban are free to fall in love.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Centuries pass, and Ariel sleeps, until she is awoken by the man she has been waiting for, the man whose belief and fire and imagination give her the power she needs to conquer the world: Christopher Columbus.</div><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Comparisons to <i>The Tempest</i></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The purpose of adaptations and spinoffs is to enrich and enlarge the world of the original text, giving new insight into situations and characters. <i>Ariel </i>does so admirably. Its interpretation of the characters isn't the only valid one, but much of it works seamlessly with Shakespeare's <i>The Tempest</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Ariel</i>'s greatest strength is the portrayal of the title character. Grace Tiffany presents us with a character who is not human and does not have human morality, who is both endearing and frustrating. As in the original text, Ariel delights in spectacular displays:</span><br />
<blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak,</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I flamed amazement:</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">...</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Jove's lightnings, the precursors</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">O' the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"> And sight-outrunning were not; the fire and cracks</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"> Of sulphurous roaring the most mighty Neptune</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"> Seem to besiege and make his bold waves tremble,</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"> Yea, his dread trident shake. (I.ii)</span></blockquote><blockquote style="color: red; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She dove into the sea and cavorted with striped and golden dragon-fish. When it pleased her, she made more fish, flying things of fantastic colors and shapes....They swam races, which she always won, and for this she was applauded and cheered by the golden and purple and orange fish, who clapped fantastically with their fins and yelled impossibly, with watery voices. When she tired of playing with the fish, she blinked, and they disappeared. (p.6)</blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As fantastical as she is, she is also dark and manipulative. Since she exists entirely to please herself, she has no qualms about destroying people to get what she wants: namely, more power. I always thought that Prospero's lines about Ariel's nature were beautiful:</span><br />
<blockquote style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thou, my slave,<br />
As thou report'st thyself, wast then her servant;<br />
And, for thou wast a spirit too delicate<br />
To act her earthy and abhorr'd commands,<br />
Refusing her grand hests, she did confine thee,<br />
By help of her more potent ministers<br />
And in her most unmitigable rage,<br />
Into a cloven pine. (I.ii)</blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I interpreted "too delicate" and "abhorr'd commands" to mean that Sycorax wanted Ariel to perform terrible deeds. Tiffany disagrees. In this version, Sycorax isn't wicked at all: she only desires only that Ariel will help her through childbirth. Ariel refuses, both unwilling and incapable of the task. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Much that goes on in the original play is revealed as Ariel's manipulation, not reality. For example, Prospero accuses Caliban of trying to rape Miranda:</span><br />
<blockquote><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7003982815161435148&postID=821869104266418922" name="1.2.405" style="color: blue;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have used thee,</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7003982815161435148&postID=821869104266418922" name="1.2.406" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Filth as thou art, with human care, and lodged thee</a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7003982815161435148&postID=821869104266418922" name="1.2.407" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate</a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7003982815161435148&postID=821869104266418922" name="1.2.408" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The honour of my child.</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> (I.ii)</span></span></blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In <i>Ariel</i>, Prospero is deceived by Ariel into believing that this is what has occurred because Ariel wants Caliban to go away:</div><blockquote style="color: red; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Miranda was laughing up at Caliban, who looked slightly abashed. Suddenly the girl took his chin her fingers and kissed him. No tomorrows danced in Miranda's eyes. She saw only this minute, wanted only this kiss. He raised his own hands to take her by the elbows, either to steady her or to push her away. For a moment, uncertainly, he held her.As he touched her, Ariel cast her spell.</blockquote><blockquote style="color: red; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Bestial</i>, she whispered in Prospero's ear. <i>Twisted, stooped, and dark</i>.</blockquote><blockquote><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And suddenly Prospero saw a monstrous, ravening, half-naked beast, seizing his darling fourteen-year-old daughter with the clear intent to ravish her. (p. 136-7)</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It would be easy to hate this Ariel, the Ariel who ruins lives without a thought, who causes shipwrecks and separates families to aid a man's revenge. But this is also an Ariel who doesn't understand humanity. This Ariel does not know what death is. When Caliban visits his mother's grave, she believes he will be able to bring her back (133). Although she plays freely with Prospero's imagination, she is barred from understanding his grief (108-9). This Ariel can be no more than what she is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And this Ariel needs more than Prospero. Because Shakespeare made Ariel an immortal spirit, her story stretches beyond her experiences with him, and <i>Ariel</i> describes her relationship with Prospero as short of her ultimate destiny. Her power is not limited to creating a tempest; she is capable of terrible, marvelous, grand adventures. </span><br />
<blockquote><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Save me, she whispered urgently as she slept. Come, my champion from the east! Together we will cross the mountains, and none will stand in our way. Come, my champion from the east!</span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And he came.</span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On a night in autumn--though the island knows nothing of seasons--the boats sailed into her cove.</span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...</span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She awoke. </span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From the tree where she sat she could see him clearly. His eyes were as blue as the eyes of Sycorax, and his head held a thousand dreams.</span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...</span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When his blue gaze met her purple one, she hung their shared visions in the air. For an instant the placid sky was filled with dark demons and pale gods, with burning mountainsides and exploding trees. Swords shone and guns flared...And above the musical fray this blue-eyed man stood triumphant, holding aloft his silver-hilted blade.</span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The vision faded. She smiled and leaned close to the wide, wondering eyes of Cristobal Colon.</span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Come, my lord," she hummed in his ear. "Let's march inland." (p. 231-2)</span></blockquote>Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-73996128070991517242011-03-02T15:06:00.000-08:002011-04-03T21:28:24.386-07:00Focus Project: Shakespeare and YA Literature<b>Main Research Question</b><br />
What elements of Shakespeare can be successfully translated into the young adult experience?<br />
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<b>YA Books</b><br />
<i>Ariel</i> by Grace Tiffany (<i>The Tempest</i>)<br />
<i>The Loser's Guide to Life and Love</i> by A. E. Cannon (<i>Midsummer Night's Dream</i>)<br />
<i>Lady Macbeth's Daughter</i> by Lisa Klein (<i>Macbeth</i>)<br />
<i>Enter Three Witches</i> by Caroline B. Cooney (<i>Macbeth</i>)<br />
<i>Ophelia</i> by Lisa Klein (<i>Hamlet</i>)<br />
<i>Dating Hamlet</i> by Lisa Fiedler (<i>Hamlet</i>)<br />
<i>Shylock's Daughter</i> by Mirjam Pressler (<i>Merchant of Venice</i>) <br />
<i>Romeo and Juliet Together (And Alive!) At Last</i> by Avi (<i>Romeo and Juliet</i>)<br />
<i>Romiette and Julio </i>by Sharon Draper (<i>Romeo and Juliet</i>)<br />
<i>The Wednesday Wars</i> by Gary Schmidt (multiple plays) <br />
<i>King of Shadows </i>by Susan Cooper (historical)<br />
<i>Swan Town</i> by Michael Ortiz (historical)<br />
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I won't be able to read every single one of these books, but I plan to read at least five. <br />
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<b><a name='more'></a>Questions to Answer as I Read</b><br />
<ul><li>What elements (themes, characters, direct quotations) of the original text did the author choose to explore in the spinoff story? What elements were downplayed or omitted?</li>
<li>What would teens find appealing about this book?</li>
<li>Would teen readers want to read the original text after reading this book?</li>
<li>How could this book be used in a classroom setting to enhance the study of the original text?</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Fulfilling the Learning Outcomes</b><br />
<i>Gain Shakespeare Literacy</i><br />
<ol><li>Breadth: Since I didn't finish the comedy or the history, I'll need to read one of each. I'll read <i>Midsummer</i> as I read <i>Loser's Guide</i>. I'll also finish <i>Henry V</i>, and since there don't seem to be any teen spinoffs, I'll discuss what elements an author could use to adapt the play into a successful YA novel.</li>
<li>Depth: Some of these books have ties to specific textual passages. I'll do a close analysis of one part of the original text to the parallel part in the adaptation.</li>
<li>Performance: I've already done well at fulfilling this requirement, so beyond trying to go see <i>Much Ado</i> I won't focus on this. </li>
<li>Legacy: That's what this project is all about, Charlie Brown!</li>
</ol><br />
<i>Analyze Shakespeare Critically</i><br />
This is the section where I will deviate most from the outcomes, because much of my analysis will be of secondary texts rather than the original plays.<br />
<ol><li>Textual analysis: Maybe when I'm reading <i>Henry V</i> or <i>Midsummer</i> I'll do a close reading, regardless of if it applies to my focus.</li>
<li>Contextual analysis: Maybe some of the historical books will address historical issues related to specific plays, or maybe some of the themes will change explicitly because of historical/cultural context, so I can discuss that.</li>
<li>Application of literary theories: I'll look at some books/articles that discuss adaptation or translation theory and apply what I find to YA adaptations.</li>
<li>Analysis of digital mediations: Maybe after I review a book I'll look at the SparkNotes for that play and see if the author chose the same themes that SparkNotes emphasizes. Any other suggestions?</li>
</ol><br />
<i>Engage Shakespeare Creatively</i><br />
<ol><li>Performance: Check.</li>
<li>Literary imitation: I will adapt a scene from <i>Henry V</i> into a scene that would work in a YA novel. </li>
</ol><br />
<i>Share Shakespeare Meaningfully</i><br />
<ol><li>Formal writing: I intend to post reviews of each book, which will be formal.<i></i><i></i> </li>
<li>Informal writing: My comments to others will be more informal than my posts. </li>
<li>Connecting: I will interview my 13-year-old brother about his experience reading <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> to further examine what teens can get out of Shakespeare. </li>
</ol>Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-37684489238827037422011-02-28T22:11:00.000-08:002011-02-28T22:11:27.705-08:00Excuses, excusesEep! I haven't posted since the self-reflection last Monday, and I haven't posted anything substantial for two weeks. I don't have time to post at the moment, but I can report that I've finished <i>The Tempest</i> and a graphic novel version of that play, plus I'm halfway through <i>Ariel</i> by Tiffany Grace. In the next couple days, I will be posting a review of the YA books along with a big planning post that will define my research focus and explain how I intend to fulfill the learning requirements from now on.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-69659354152230118922011-02-21T15:27:00.000-08:002011-02-28T09:03:19.389-08:00Mid-semester Progress ReportTime for a little self-reflection.<br />
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<b><a name='more'></a>Learning Outcomes</b><br />
I didn't make super specific goals about what I would learn this semester. <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/01/plan.html">This post</a> was my original plan, but I really need to write a new one, since I've done things differently from how I intended. The only thing that I've managed to do from that post is to "stay away from scholarly research"--I've looked at only one scholarly article so far, and it was so boring that I both didn't finish it and didn't post about it. Oh, and I posted about <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/01/calling-all-whovians.html">Doctor Who</a>, but I don't plan to do any more of that because evidently no one cares. Actually, that might be a lie, but if I do end up writing a review of <i>The Shakespeare Code</i> then I guess it'll be for my own amusement.<br />
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Luckily, I'm doing a better job fulfilling the general learning outcomes. I've already fulfilled my performance requirement, and I haven't done badly with the breadth requirement. According to my tags, I seem to really like focusing on performance analysis (1c). I've yet to do anything to engage Shakespeare creatively besides my recitation--I should focus on that.<br />
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<b>Reading and Research</b><br />
Okay, this is embarrassing. For my reading this semester I've read three acts of Hamlet, one act of Henry V, one act of Taming of the Shrew, and all of Macbeth. (I'm still in the middle of The Tempest.) Obviously I haven't done a great job with the original material, and I've avoided scholarly research on purpose. Clearly I'm doing a better job at <a href="http://method-int.blogspot.com/2011/02/30-post-ideas.html">thinking about what to post</a> than actually reading or posting about it. This area needs the most improvement.<br />
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On the other hand, I'm doing pretty well at engaging with other class members' posting. I've made 78 comments this semester. Maybe my enthusiasm about reading other people's posts and my reluctance to make my own posts stems from how I'm used to lurking rather than contributing to online communities. <br />
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<b>Peer Influence</b><br />
Again, I really enjoy reading everyone else's blogs. I'm constantly impressed by <a href="http://oseshakespeare.blogspot.com/">David T's </a>sheer output and by the depth of research that <a href="http://callshakespeare.blogspot.com/">Cara</a> puts into her posts. <br />
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<b>Personal Impact</b><br />
As I wrote before, I like evaluating and analyzing performance, and I'm also interested in adaptations, especially for kids and teens.<b> </b>I am not interested in literary and scholarly interpretation because I do not expect ever to use it again when I graduate, and thus it does not contribute to my lifelong learning. I have been beaten over the head with literary criticism for far too long and I have senioritis, okay? Using a blog and evaluating performance, on the other hand, absolutely contributes to lifelong learning. I will have access to a library and to film long after I lose my access to scholarly databases. <br />
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<b>Evaluation</b><br />
I have done a good job (1) commenting, (2) thinking/worrying about this class all the time, (3) filling my performance requirement, and (4) analyzing performance.<b> </b><br />
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I really need to improve on (1) posting more frequently, (2) posting in more depth, (3) actually finishing the plays, and (4) learning from the Bard himself.<br />
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For the rest of the semester, I plan on focusing on adaptations of Shakespeare for children and teens.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-72396263253536858982011-02-21T14:39:00.000-08:002011-02-21T14:39:13.113-08:00Blog Review: Thine Own AdventureThis is a review of Chris W's blog, <a href="http://christopherwelcker.blogspot.com/">Thine Own Adventure</a>. <br />
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<b>Number of Posts</b>: 11<br />
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<b>Quality of Posts</b>: The blog doesn't have quite two posts a week, but Chris's posts are well researched and detailed. <br />
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<b>Strengths</b>: Chris does a great job at looking at genre conventions, like in his posts about <a href="http://christopherwelcker.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-i-sit-in-scorners-seat-little-cloudy.html">history </a>and <a href="http://christopherwelcker.blogspot.com/2011/02/comedies-some-big-questions.html">comedy</a>. I like that he posts his questions as well as his thoughts after reading a play. His <a href="http://christopherwelcker.blogspot.com/2011/02/one-that-loved-too-well-perfect.html">latest post</a> does a great job of using Shakespeare to interpret modern events. <br />
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<b>Suggestions for Improvement</b>: Most posts could benefit from the use of paragraphs and careful proofreading. (Don't hate me, I'm an editor.)Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-52464462897585329722011-02-14T18:12:00.000-08:002011-04-03T21:28:24.387-07:00The Tempest: Shakespeare and YA LiteratureBecause this is the last week of assigned genre reading, I'm going to take a bit longer for <i>The Tempest</i>. (Also, I have all my midterms this week. Whee!) I've decided that for this play I'm going to focus on <b>how Shakespeare has been adapted for children and young adults</b>. This week, I'll read the original play, and then next week I'll read adaptations and do reviews about each book's effectiveness and appeal.<br />
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Here's what I'm planning to read:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xWg1jioobAE/TVneMyVw-5I/AAAAAAAAABQ/U7bbhqwGILA/s1600/ariel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xWg1jioobAE/TVneMyVw-5I/AAAAAAAAABQ/U7bbhqwGILA/s200/ariel.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238120.Ariel"><i>Ariel</i></a> by Grace Tiffany. A novel about Ariel's side of the story.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GFqyXGjfyqg/TVne39hQSXI/AAAAAAAAABU/-kTIxmBBWIE/s1600/wednesday+wars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GFqyXGjfyqg/TVne39hQSXI/AAAAAAAAABU/-kTIxmBBWIE/s200/wednesday+wars.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/556136.The_Wednesday_Wars">The Wednesday Wars</a></i> by Gary Schmidt. An eighth-grade boy is forced to study Shakespeare with a teacher he hates but learns to appreciate the Bard in the context of his tumultuous friendships, his uneasy family life, and the Vietnam War. I read this book last semester, so I'll review just the parts about <i>The Tempest</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnSb4Ea5kZg/TVnflXmIGYI/AAAAAAAAABY/cajlJjPeY3o/s1600/lizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnSb4Ea5kZg/TVnflXmIGYI/AAAAAAAAABY/cajlJjPeY3o/s200/lizard.jpg" width="118" /></a></div><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/128595.Lizard">Lizard</a></i> by Dennis Covington. A young boy runs away from an institution for mentally handicapped boys and at some point is part of a production of <i>The Tempest</i>.<br />
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<i>The Tempest</i> (Graphic Shakespeare) by Daniel Connor and Cynthia Martin. A comic-book style version of <i>The Tempest</i> that uses the original words of the play.<br />
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I'll also read several picture books that the library has. Since I've been in several classes for children's and adolescent literature, I'm going to enjoy seeing how authors adapt the Bard's work to appeal to a younger audience and make them want to tackle the real deal.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-68081830735923428202011-02-14T08:31:00.000-08:002011-02-14T18:14:00.718-08:00Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and TomorrowYay! I finished <i>Macbeth</i> on Wednesday but I haven't had time to post about it until now. The best part of the play for me is Macbeth's speech after his wife has died:<br />
<blockquote><div style="color: red;">Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,</div><div style="color: red;">Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,</div><div style="color: red;">To the last syllable of recorded time;</div><div style="color: red;">And all our yesterdays have lighted fools</div><div style="color: red;">The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!</div><div style="color: red;">Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,</div><div style="color: red;">That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,</div><div style="color: red;">And then is heard no more. It is a tale</div><div style="color: red;">Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,</div><span style="color: red;">Signifying nothing.</span></blockquote><br />
<i>Macbeth </i>doesn't have the sophistication of <i>Hamlet</i>, and it's hard to imagine the savage, rough Macbeth saying anything like Hamlet's To Be or Not To Be soliloquy, but this moment is just as tragic. Macbeth has lost his wife and the one person who understands him, who stood by him in all his scheming and aided him to the throne. As awful as his bloody ascent was, we have to feel sympathy for Macbeth as his world falls apart. <br />
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I remembered hearing an interview with Patrick Stewart about this speech, so I found it on Youtube. He tells some of the advice that he got from Ian McKellan as Stewart was beginning his run of <i>Macbeth</i>: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/9YGf_goOoDk/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9YGf_goOoDk&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9YGf_goOoDk&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
I watched both <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaLBfH3o1TU">his</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LDdyafsR7g&feature=related">Ian McKellan's</a> versions of the speech, and I can definitely see the influence there. However, I don't really like either version! Blasphemy, I know. But I think this speech is more beautiful on the page than read aloud. Aloud, it needs to be read with apathy or bitterness or desperation, and the shape of the words lose some of their beauty. What do you think--can you find a better version of the speech, or have I missed something of value in these two renditions?Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-40597830099548621502011-02-12T15:59:00.000-08:002011-02-28T09:03:37.441-08:0030 Post IdeasMost of my class notes are ideas for posts and approaches to the plays, so I thought I'd gather them all here for easy reference.<br />
<ol><li>Post class notes and continue the class conversation.</li>
<li>Make connections between the text and my life.</li>
<li>Take photographs and add Shakespeare quotes in InDesign.</li>
<li>Watch Reduced Shakespeare and comment.</li>
<li>Write notes summarizing each scene.</li>
<li>Write from the perspective of an actor or director. </li>
<li>Compare multiple cinematic versions.</li>
<li>Read children's adaptations or YA spinoff novels (<i>A Loser's Guide to Love and Life</i>, <i>Lady Macbeth's Daughter</i>, <i>Romiette and Julio</i>). </li>
<li>Research historical and cultural contexts, especially censors, relations with France, and the monarchy.</li>
<li>Watch the BBC animated versions.</li>
<li>Look at interpretations in other cultures or time periods.</li>
<li>Write an adaptation or parody.</li>
<li>Read two editions that have different footnotes.</li>
<li>Write creatively from the perspective of a minor character.</li>
<li>Make an analytical argument.</li>
<li>Interview someone.</li>
<li>Compare the usefulness of different resources.</li>
<li>Discuss how reductions and parodies affect Shakespeare literacy.</li>
<li>Reply to classmates' blog posts.</li>
<li>Find and attend a local performance.</li>
<li>Reference the learning outcomes.</li>
<li>Post webcomics.</li>
<li>Search Twitter.</li>
<li>Copy the post formats of blogs I enjoy, like <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/">Hyperbole and a Half</a> or <a href="http://markreads.net/">Mark Reads</a>/<a href="http://markwatches.net/">Mark Watches</a>.</li>
<li>Compare two plays, like Macbeth to Hamlet.</li>
<li>Use literary theory! Campbell would be fun.</li>
<li>Look at maps.</li>
<li>Do a theoretical teaching plan.</li>
<li>Propose a production--"fantasy Shakespeare."</li>
<li>Compare Shakespeare to modern playwrights and examine how Shakespeare might treat their stories, or vice versa: How would Shakespeare stage <i>Phantom of the Opera</i>, and how would ALW do <i>Othello</i>? </li>
</ol>Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-29715349356917232772011-02-07T18:07:00.000-08:002011-02-07T20:54:17.959-08:00Macbeth Act I<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7eXXBkIIarg/TVB8NNnBo-I/AAAAAAAAABM/O-a1VjTSLPY/s1600/map_of_scotland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7eXXBkIIarg/TVB8NNnBo-I/AAAAAAAAABM/O-a1VjTSLPY/s320/map_of_scotland.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A place map for "the Scottish play."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Diving into Macbeth! I've never read this play before, although I did see it over the summer in Cedar City. I didn't like it at all. It dragged and didn't make much sense. So I decided, heck, I should read it!<br />
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It is possible that I'm a masochist.<br />
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Just kidding. Actually, I'm reading because it occurred to me as I was watching the production in Cedar City that the set, which was minimal, was not carrying the weight that it should be. There are lots of lines in Macbeth that help the audience see the setting, especially of the house where the murders take place, but the set didn't look at all like what I imagined the setting should be.<br />
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Now, I'm in my English capstone class right now, and we're discussing the Gothic in literature and film. Much of the Gothic is connected with setting, especially of "haunted" houses. Therefore, I want to direct my reading of Macbeth by looking at what elements could contribute to a Gothic adaptation of the play.<br />
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All I've read so far is Act I, but there are already things that a director could use to make Macbeth into a Gothic story.<br />
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<ul><li>The witches in the beginning. I can picture them appearing slowly in a dying field, saying their crazy lines, and then fading away into the swirling fog. </li>
<li>Scene two doesn't have anything particularly Gothic in it, but setting makes all the difference. If it takes place outside, fog would work well, or it could take place inside a creepy, dark room. The wounds of the Captain and Ross would provide the brightest color. </li>
<li>Macbeth and Banquo are trying to get back but are lost and meet the witches--this would work well in a foggy field or a "dead marshes" kind of setting. The witches are supposed to be supernatural, "So withered and so wild in their attire, That look not like th' inhabitants o' th' Earth, And yet are on ’t?" (I.iii.40-42) and I can picture them dressed in wispy clothes, appearing neither male nor female, with eyes that faintly glow. </li>
<li>Is Macbeth already a little off his rocker? As soon as he hears that he will be king, he immediately starts thinking about murdering King Duncan. A Gothic portrayal of Macbeth might have him be crazy from the beginning. </li>
<li>Scene 4 would probably be staged inside. It can't be too far from the battlefield, though. Where was the battle? Is it close to where all the characters live? Maybe the king has a tent set up. This scene is probably warmer than the others, but there could still be something in the setting and the music that foreshadows Duncan's murder. </li>
<li>Unlike most Gothic films, a Gothic Macbeth would not deal with repressed females. Lady Macbeth is far from repressed--in fact, it would have done everyone good if Macbeth had reined her in. However, the "unsex me" speech is about Lady Macbeth repressing her own femininity, so that could fit with the Gothic conventions. </li>
<li>Macbeth's home at Inverness would definitely be one of those huge, drafty, stereotypical Gothic castles. The first lines of scene 6, remarking on the warmth of Macbeth's house, could be played ironically, or in an awkward attempt to be polite. Birds are nesting in Macbeth's castle, which could point to neglect, draftiness, and disrepair. </li>
</ul>This is probably coming through a lot better in my head than it is in this post, but it's a lot of fun! I'm not a visual reader, so it takes some slowing down to imagine a detailed setting, but it adds a new dimension to the text.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-13548914206756413472011-02-04T10:11:00.000-08:002011-02-28T09:03:48.475-08:00Macbeth: PlanningSchedule for next week:<br />
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M: Act 1<br />
T: Act 2 and 3<br />
Th: Act 4 and 5<br />
F: Look at criticism <br />
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Posts:<br />
Thought posts for each day/act<br />
Explore the possibilities of a Gothic production of Macbeth (I'm in a Gothic lit&film class)<br />
Review a critical articleJessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003982815161435148.post-15410547962384443652011-02-03T18:54:00.000-08:002011-02-04T10:13:27.335-08:00Taming Things I Hate About ShrewYeah, so, I'm alternating reading the text of <i>Taming </i>and watching <i>10 Things</i>. They have almost nothing in common besides basic plot...ish. Certainly the frame story is left out. I think I like the frame. It doesn't make much sense as a practical joke, but it does put up red flags about the meaning of the play. If it's framed as a trick, does that mean the story of the shrew is a trick?<br />
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I'm already appreciating how different the comedies are from the tragedies, in that they are <i>funny</i>. Hamlet has some funny bits, but Polonius is no Grumio. It's too bad Whitney's doing <i>As You Like It</i>--I'd love to hear what she has to say about the humor in <i>Taming</i>.<br />
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It's interesting how the characters use the words "shrewd" to mean "shrewish." Today, "shrewd" means "clever, cunning, mischievous, savvy." Indeed, according to the OED the word has had many meanings: it can be used as a simple intensifier or to mean "harsh," "unsatisfactory," "irksome," or "piercing." Lots of versatility there! Most of these meanings were around in Shakespeare's time--I wonder if he played around with the meaning at all. (Psh, of course he did. It's Shakey.) <br />
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Finally, I think I'll use the line "Tis a very excellent piece of work. Would 'twere done." in my everyday life now. Brilliance.Jessica Vavrinechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970730186413751357noreply@blogger.com0