The Learning Outcomes fulfilled

I feel like I have learned and grown tremendously this semester through Shakespeare. I have gathered in knowledge about Shakespeare of course, but also about other things as well. Here is how!


1. Gain Shakespeare Literacy 
I have added many new plays to those that I have already read of Shakespeare's works. I would be comfortable discussing a good number of plays including The Tempest, Henry V, The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, Richard II, King Lear, Love's Labor's Lost, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Besides these I have a basic knowledge of the rang of plays that Shakespeare wrote and many of his common themes. (Quotes, Richard II and King Lear, Richard II and Hamlet)
I am very familiar with Midsummer, the play that I used in dept for the final project. (Themes and Meanings, A Fairytale) 
As Shakespeare did write plays meant for the stage I learned more and more about the many performances that people have done.
 I was very easy for me to see many references to Shakespeare in pop culture. I have also seen his legacy in our English language. (Dr. Who, Children's Book, Psych, Shakespearean words)

2. Analyze Shakespeare Critically 
I have become definitively more comfortable with Shakespeare's text and how to analyse it through the themes and language. (Henry V, Marchant, Hamlet, Richard II, Chorus, Family Theme, Christian Theme, Stock characters)
I have compared different plays to each other and found similarities and differences in Shakespeare. (Richard II and King Lear)
I have also been able to watch and analyse some performances of Shakespeare, to where I have been able to get something out of it, and really apply (or relate) the themes and concepts to my life. (Hamlet, Puck, Love's Labors, Macbeth)

3. Engage Shakespeare Creatively
Of course the final collaborative project is the most obvious display of my creativity with Shakespeare. (Writing Shakespeare, Video, The Brainstorm, Early Ideas)
I kind of had this thing for music, too bad I wasn't able to really write any of my own. (Music - Tempest, and Macbeth)

4. Share Shakespeare Meaningfully
I have practiced this readily through my blog. I have also found myself sharing my experiences with the people around me naturally because it really excited me. I shared what I was learning and also what I was creating with Shakespeare. (Dating, Sharing Shakespeare Characters)
I was also able to connect with others on the web who were all about Shakespeare too. (Another blog)


5. Gain Digital Literacy
Again the most obvious example of this is this very blog. I never blogged before this class, but I have really enjoyed it. I have plans to continue in this with other interests, so keep a look out for the next really cool blog!!
This class also gave me more opportunity to practice research skills (consuming), but also new skills on how to use technology to create projects and also how to share them (producing). (Video, Youtube)
Of course, toward the end of the semester there was a shift form individual to collaborative work. This increased the need for technology. I worked on the class wiki a lot.


Overall this was an amazing experience. I have been telling everyone I know to take this class. I learned so much, but still had so much fun. I really appreciated the freedom that I had with my learning. It was because of this that I really saw how much I could really do. I can still see so many ideas I had that I could return to and so many other things that I can improve further. 
I have to admit, I'm glad the semester is over, but I'm sad this class is ending along with it. I will keep reading Shakespeare and keep sharing my thoughts!

New and Improved

I have had some serious trouble with youtube, but here is a link to my final version of the video segment.
Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWW5oPhpqZs

Controversy/ Censoring video

Love Birds

Here is my lovey dovey scene! I'm going to post again with explanation, justification, and evidence for my choices. Sorry it's a lot of text. We will probably have to cut it for the recording of the storyboard, but I figure I'd give it what I got.

[enter Ortegia]

Puck:

Oh here we are met and a rhyme it begs

For thou hast been gone from me for so long.

Oh my fair, my sweet, apple of mine eye

It is not by chance that by this tree we meet.

For I see in thee the fruit of sweet love.

How this hath an affect on me, inside,

'Tis a red fruit plucked from this very thorn.

And like a true thorn it poisons me more.

Can I beg from thee thine pure and perfect,

True antidote for my heart's very heart?

For such an one can only come from thee

who also anointed me originally.

Then when these love potions mix, synergy

Will increase them, thine and mine, finally.

Then would it taste complete and be to us

The brightest shape and savor of we.

Ortegia:

I know not thy tongue nor thoughts nor forest.

Sayest thou that I am thine own sweetest?

Sayest thou that one can give curse and cure?

And how is it that I come to harm thee

When all my efforts are to pleas and ease thee?

Puck:

Yes, this thine scene was what hit me strongly.

And so strangely was I crippled by thee.

In deed I illustrate just that. Thy charm

Was in thine beauty that all the trees and

Spirited shadows cannot equal.

Still to me it, like a blossoming bud,

Shown as that white rose in wait, withholding

Somewhat but shaking in the dancing wind.

For fleeting was the air that would wait and 

Send forth thy sweet perfume under the moon.

With these changing drafts and weather, thy bloom

Withered. I found thee fainting in my arms.

Ortegia:

Oh good man can you tell me this effect,

With a whirling tale as sweetly whispered?

If this flow'r was meant to fruit, did it so?

Was it the head and tail, the fixed issue.

Puck:

My fair fairy friend, thou dost understand.

Fall did  ripen the effect of the start.

It's a gift that was readied for reaping.

It's the form by which union is formed.

The fruition of the sweetest figure.

It's my song of one joining one more and

the two becoming such an one as would

Confound all other changing cords seeking

Strikes and hiss' that pull away affection.

Ortegia:

And to thine will I add a spell, my song.

The notes will strike, the bells go chiming so.

Music will rise and undo the fallen

Coupled with noises will heal the stricken.

We will the lords and ladies be charming.

Celebration of the end result

Ending the flirts of what was first, those times

Of sweetness to be more deepened in love.

Such will be the rarest state of spirit

And mind that was touched by the highest taste.

Deeper disposition of affection

Will yet be yielded from my flower's fruit.

Puck:

Oh dear Ortegia, how I love thee so.

Ortegia:

My forest fairy, Robin Goodfellow,

Will thou wait for me?

The affected time will fly by for us both

Due to the rare state of spirit and mind.

Then with timing and season we can be

Soring as love birds through eternity.

Puck:

For my flitting will time be fleeing me,

They cannot abide my mind and heart

For these have been tweaked by a sweet poison.

I will wait for thee.

For then wilt thou see my winged love for thee

As I have perceived thy sweet love for me.

Ortegia:

I will return because of thee and we.

Animated Shakespeare

I came across something that might be good for us to look into.
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (1992–1994)
It is a BBC series of animated shakespeares. The voices were done by the Royal Shakespeare Co. and the animation was done by very accomplished Russian artists.
This might be good for our group to look into for more story boarding ideas.

Here are some images from Midsummer:

And this is from Romeo and Juliet.

Love's Actions Analyzed

I was reading Andrew's post and it got me thinking. I actually started to comment when I realized that it was turning into a really long awkward blob of text, so I decided to put it here instead.
I'd have to agree that Love's Labours Lost was a little heavy in the gushy romance department. But this kind of thing is common even now-a-days in chick-flicks and what not because, and you're right Andrew: It speaks to girls. And franckly it is commenting on how people act when they are in love. These actions, or labors, must be the focus of the play because it's in the title, clearly.
So I say that with this one Shakespeare is addressing the age-long question of what a girl wants and what actions speak loudest of love. The technical "right answer" is everything the men do in Love's Labour's Lost along with anything else you see guys do in the typical chick-flick; namely, poetry, favors or gifts, flowers, chocolates, and what have you. But actually, I think it comes down to a lot more. These sort of actions that are categorized as romantic are a big part of media and entertainment because I believe they actually happen in real life. But I believe they happen in real life as a natural result of love. If you love someone (even unromantic love) you want to spend time with them, you want to make them happy, and you truly have their best interest at heart. In romantic love you find yourself saying things that are cute to the other person naturally, because you like them, you actually think they are pretty, etc. I guess it is the sincerity that we are all looking for. We are all looking for a person that is compatible, but also a person that we can love sincerely and be loved sincerely in return.
Because we are so emotionally driven, we find ourselves acting like "fools" to everyone else, because we are driven to do things that we wouldn't if we didn't have someone to do it for, someone we sincerely loved.
We see a lot of this in poetry, gifts, the spending time together. Though these actions are natural, I think that sometimes they are forced because we put such pressure and precedence on them. When this is the case, you end up with a really awkward situation where one person is trying a little too hard. I have experienced such smotherings.
I guess this is my take-home-message. Love's labours are not something to worry about. They are not the center of relationships; love is. And these actions come naturally if you find yourself really liking someone. In other words: the guys won't wait for Valentines day to show their affection if they actually have any. ;)

"Real" Characters

I just wanted to revisit one of the discussion topics from this week's class; being invested in characters. I am real a sucker for fantasy and I am prone to getting very invested in characters. At one point during this semester, I was watching Once Upon A Time, I realized that I was holding my breath when the commercials came on. It was out of excitement and suspense, because I was so invested in the characters and the plot. My roommate put it this way, "there is liking a show, and then there's not breathing." Hahaha.
I've also been known to cry in a good book. This is another manifestation of loving the fictional characters.
I have to admit that I cried in Harry Potter, when I was reading the 7th book. I couldn't believe that Hedwig was gone. How could she die? She had always been right there with Harry. And how could I have cried over an owl dying in a random book? But that is the power of being invested in a character.
What about you? What character(s) do you love? Any Hunger Game fans out there? It comes out in about 27 hours!