Here is what I hope to get from this class this semester:
1. Gain Shakespeare Literacy. I am planning on reading 7 plays this semester: Hamlet, Henry V, Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. This will help me get a good feel for some Shakespeare works. To help me gain a deep understanding of one play, I will study Taming of the Shrew in great detail. I also want to watch the modern renditions of these plays (where available) and see how Shakespeare is visible in today's world.
2. Analyze Shakespeare Critically. I'm going to read, read, and read about these plays: their context in history, how they have impacted society since that time, and how they have seeped into media in the world today. I will have my feelers out in the internet trying to pull in as much information as I can and finding as much Shakespeare stuff as I can. These studies will lead me to a well-thought out research project on Taming of the Shrew specifically.
3. Engage Shakespeare Creatively. I will record a personal performance of a Shakespeare scene and post it on my blog. It's gonna be awesome. I will also volunteer in class for recitations.
4. Share Shakespeare Meaningfully. My formal writing, as discussed above, will be designed around all of these texts, and most deeply around Taming of the Shrew. My informal writing will be based on my blog posts, and they will be more frequent and meaningful than they have been thus far in the semester. I am already enjoying reading others' blogs about Shakespeare, and I will do so more thoroughly and engage in lively conversations multiple times each week about this beautiful stuff.
