Monday, July 7, 2008
Feedback on 1616 literature
Reading “The office of Christian Parents: The Ordering of Sonnes from Fourteene Yeare old and Upward”, was not only challenging for the eyes, but also was challenging to the mind. The grammar and spelling of this 1616 document was very different then how the English language is written to day. For example the (s)’s looked like (f)’s and pronounced just like an (s). And the written (v)’s looked like (u)’s. And there were extra words added in to the document like “libertie” which now is spelled with a (y) instead of (ie). Our grammar and language has been changed and altered so much from back then, and I think our language is easier to understand then theirs.
Did Shakespeare write his own plays?
In my opinion, all of Shakespeare's works are magnificent and if he didn't want to own up to his work then that is an issue that people will have to get over, because its' not like he can tell us the truth! Besides that point, there is some evidence and people who have proved that Shakespeare did do his own work and I believe there evidence is more sufficient then those who believe other people either wrote or contributed to the plays.
Some people believe that Francis Bacon, the Earl of Essex, Christopher Marlowe, the Early of Derby, the Earl of Rutland, the Earl of Oxford, and even Queen Elizabeth I was believed to have done these infamous plays. But most votes are leaning toward Bacon. “…some pretty good arguments out there supporting Oxford and Bacon, they involve far too much speculation to be considered credible.” Says Amanda Mabillard who has some evidence on this controversy. She goes on to explain, “No Elizabethan documents support the claim that Shakespeare's plays and poems were written by someone else, or that the actor Shakespeare was not the author Shakespeare. There is also no evidence to suggest that the name used by this man who crafted the plays, sonnets, and poems was a pseudonym.”
There was many theories were explored, and even the evidence against Shakespeare was pretty strong except that most of them were based on a lot of speculations and made up facts. For example, some people have used early and today kinds of cryptology to decipher who the mastermind was. All in all, I believe that leave well alone as it is. All his work was unique and different and as long as we have it today it should not matter if Shakespeare actually wrote it or not, but I guess there will always be talk and discussion on who the real Shakespeare is or might be.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
William's Life
Jade Mayfield
Mr. Rossi
7/2/08
Not a lot is known about the late William Shakespeare, but enough is known to know that this man creates incredible play writes and sonnets. He has done many plays, some are known very well, such as: Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Hamlet. And the less known ones, such as: Macbeth, were written out in books and used in today’s high school classes. William Shakespeare was born in the year 1564, but to this day people still do not known if Shakespeare actually existed.
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. No one knows when his birth date is, but there are reports that say he was baptized in perish church Holy Trinity on the 26th of April. Just three days before, on the 23rd, people believe was his actual birth date. As a child, Shakespeare lived on Henley Street, 100miles Northwest of London. He lived with his mother, father and eight brothers and sisters. His father was John Shakespeare, a Glover and a leather merchant. But his mother got a lucky break and landed as a local heiress.
When Shakespeare was young, most of his brothers and sisters died young. But he was one of the lucky ones. While he was young his education consisted of a knowledgeable tutor. Then at the age of seven, he was placed into a free school in Stratford where he learned a tiny amount of Greek and Latin. Then at age 13, he was removed from his schooling and apprenticed to a butcher for a period of time. Lastly, in 1582 at age 18, he married Anne Hathaway with his father's consent in the small village of Temple Grafton. Baptism record's suggest that this married couple had three children: the oldest Susanna and twins Judith and Hamnet.
His marrage was not that of a happy one, because for those years he worked away from home
Mr. Rossi
7/2/08
William Shakespeare Biography
Not a lot is known about the late William Shakespeare, but enough is known to know that this man creates incredible play writes and sonnets. He has done many plays, some are known very well, such as: Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Hamlet. And the less known ones, such as: Macbeth, were written out in books and used in today’s high school classes. William Shakespeare was born in the year 1564, but to this day people still do not known if Shakespeare actually existed.
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. No one knows when his birth date is, but there are reports that say he was baptized in perish church Holy Trinity on the 26th of April. Just three days before, on the 23rd, people believe was his actual birth date. As a child, Shakespeare lived on Henley Street, 100miles Northwest of London. He lived with his mother, father and eight brothers and sisters. His father was John Shakespeare, a Glover and a leather merchant. But his mother got a lucky break and landed as a local heiress.
When Shakespeare was young, most of his brothers and sisters died young. But he was one of the lucky ones. While he was young his education consisted of a knowledgeable tutor. Then at the age of seven, he was placed into a free school in Stratford where he learned a tiny amount of Greek and Latin. Then at age 13, he was removed from his schooling and apprenticed to a butcher for a period of time. Lastly, in 1582 at age 18, he married Anne Hathaway with his father's consent in the small village of Temple Grafton. Baptism record's suggest that this married couple had three children: the oldest Susanna and twins Judith and Hamnet.
His marrage was not that of a happy one, because for those years he worked away from home
Assignment 3
Finding the Fun in the Pun
Below are some lines from some of William Shakespeare's plays and sonnets. You will find a pun in each set of lines in bold print. On the lines below each quote, briefly explain the pun as you think Shakespeare might have intended for his audience. Remember, a pun can be a humorous play on words that look or sound alike, but have different meanings. Look at the hints provided and just take a minute to "think about it!"
1. "No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man." Romeo and Juliet (Act iii, S.1) Hint:
Grave=serious, dead, sad.
Grave man would mean dead man, so he is saying he will be a dead man by tomorrow.
2. I'll make a ghost of him that lets me!" Hamlet (Act i, S.4) Hint: In Shakespeare's day, "let"
meant "hinder," and today means the opposite, "allow."
The pun is that let and hinder are opposite of each other.
3. "If reasons were as plentiful as blackberries, I would give no man a reason upon compulsion, I." Henry IV, Part On (Act ii, S.4) Hint: "Reason" was pronounced "raisin" in Shakespeare's day.
He is speaking of fruit in a serious matter.
4. "Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling; Being but heavy, I will bear the light." Romeo and Juliet (Act i, S.4) Hint: Heavy = in a bad mood; Light = not weighing much; a torch.
Ambling means to go in a slow pace and speaking of moving along while being heavy.
Finding the Fun in the Pun
Below are some lines from some of William Shakespeare's plays and sonnets. You will find a pun in each set of lines in bold print. On the lines below each quote, briefly explain the pun as you think Shakespeare might have intended for his audience. Remember, a pun can be a humorous play on words that look or sound alike, but have different meanings. Look at the hints provided and just take a minute to "think about it!"
1. "No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man." Romeo and Juliet (Act iii, S.1) Hint:
Grave=serious, dead, sad.
Grave man would mean dead man, so he is saying he will be a dead man by tomorrow.
2. I'll make a ghost of him that lets me!" Hamlet (Act i, S.4) Hint: In Shakespeare's day, "let"
meant "hinder," and today means the opposite, "allow."
The pun is that let and hinder are opposite of each other.
3. "If reasons were as plentiful as blackberries, I would give no man a reason upon compulsion, I." Henry IV, Part On (Act ii, S.4) Hint: "Reason" was pronounced "raisin" in Shakespeare's day.
He is speaking of fruit in a serious matter.
4. "Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling; Being but heavy, I will bear the light." Romeo and Juliet (Act i, S.4) Hint: Heavy = in a bad mood; Light = not weighing much; a torch.
Ambling means to go in a slow pace and speaking of moving along while being heavy.
Assignment 2
Everything Old is New Again!
Translating Early Modern English into Modern English
Below are some lines from some of William Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, written in Early
Modern English. On the lines below each quote, translate each sentence into Modern English, as we might speak it today.
"To thine own self be true; and it must follow, as the night the day, thou can'st not then be false to any man." Hamlet, Act i, Sc.3
I think he is trying to say don't be afraid to be yourself, because it is only natural to be only you.
"What is best, that best I wish in thee." Troilus & C, Act ii, Sc.2
He's saying learn what makes you unique, then use that uniqueness to shine through and show who you truly are.
"Safe may'st thou wander, safe return again!" Cymbeline, Act iii, Sc.5
Have a safe interesting trip and return home safely.
"Give me thy hand, 'tis late; farewell, good night." Rom & Jul, Act iii, Sc.3
"Let me walk you to your room and put you to bed, it is late, goodnight."
"Have more than though showest; speak less than thou knowest; lend less than thou owest." K Lear, Act i, Sc.4
Think before you talk, walk, think before any action and understand the consequences.
"Thy glass will show thee how thy beauties wear, thy dial how thy precious minutes waste."
Sonnet 77
________________________________________________________________________
"This above all: to thine own self be true." Hamlet, Act i, Sc.3
Be true to who you are, that is all that matters.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Word order in Shakespearean Writing
When Shakespeare wrote his prose, he often used a slightly different word order than we are used to. The subject, verb, and object did not always follow in a 1, 2, 3 order. Look at the following sentence. Rewrite the sentence four times, changing the word order each time. Put one word on each blank provided below the original sentence.
Original Sentence: I lost my homework.
Rewrite #1: My homework I lost .
Rewrite #2: Homework I lost my.
Rewrite #3: I my homework lost.
Rewrite #4: Lost my homework I.
Look at each of your rewritten sentences above. Has the meaning of the original sentence changed?
No matter how you word it...you're toast if your homework is lost!
Now, think about how Yoda speaks in the Star Wars Movies. We understood exactly what he was saying, even though the word order was slightly different than what we are used to hearing. It's your turn to makeup a short sentence like the one above and rewrite it several different ways. Does the meaning change with the rewrites? Share your sentences.
Original Sentence: They are going to the store.
Rewrite #1: To the store they are going.
Rewrite #2: Going to the store they are.
Rewrite #3: The store they are going to.
Rewrite #4: They to the store are going.
When Shakespeare wrote his prose, he often used a slightly different word order than we are used to. The subject, verb, and object did not always follow in a 1, 2, 3 order. Look at the following sentence. Rewrite the sentence four times, changing the word order each time. Put one word on each blank provided below the original sentence.
Original Sentence: I lost my homework.
Rewrite #1: My homework I lost .
Rewrite #2: Homework I lost my.
Rewrite #3: I my homework lost.
Rewrite #4: Lost my homework I.
Look at each of your rewritten sentences above. Has the meaning of the original sentence changed?
No matter how you word it...you're toast if your homework is lost!
Now, think about how Yoda speaks in the Star Wars Movies. We understood exactly what he was saying, even though the word order was slightly different than what we are used to hearing. It's your turn to makeup a short sentence like the one above and rewrite it several different ways. Does the meaning change with the rewrites? Share your sentences.
Original Sentence: They are going to the store.
Rewrite #1: To the store they are going.
Rewrite #2: Going to the store they are.
Rewrite #3: The store they are going to.
Rewrite #4: They to the store are going.
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