Sandra J Carrera

                                                                                                            English 112B

                                                                                                            May 3, 2006

 

 

 

                                  Bringing Shakespeare into the 21st Century

 

 

The biggest complaint that students make about reading classic literature is that it is boring. They don�t understand the language and don�t think that the characters resemble today�s teens at all. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers make the connections between the themes of classic literature and the issues of today.  Students will gain a greater understanding of and have a more intense response to literature that feel they can relate to.

Shakespeare�s work can be quite intimidating to students without sufficient classroom support. Romeo and Juliet is a canonical work that almost all students will be expected to read during high school. Family rivalry, violence and forbidden love are major themes in Romeo and Juliet. Discussing the themes with students and encouraging them to make the comparisons to their lives can make Shakespeare more accessible. Pairing Romeo and Juliet with West Side Story will also expose students to the genre musicals. When asking students what they think about musicals, most will laugh and say that they are �dorky.� What students may not realize is that musicals influenced something that most teens can�t live without, the music video. The Jets and The Sharks singing and dancing out their story line are no different than some of the music videos on television today. The issues of race relations, turf wars, inter-racial dating and intolerance are major themes in West Side Story. Again, these are also the same issues that teens face today. When students see that these works are not outdated and that the characters in these works are experiencing the same things that they are, it may pique their interest and help them to gain a better understanding of the stories.

Encouraging an appreciation of and taste for the dramatic arts is becoming increasingly important in today�s struggling educational system. Most schools do not offer drama classes in their curriculum due to budget constraints. It is necessary then, to include drama in the classroom when at all possible. 

 

 

 

Launching the Unit

           

 

�      Before the students read Romeo and Juliet ask them what their impression of Shakespeare is. Are they intimidated? Have they read his work before and what was that experience like?

�      Give the students an introduction to the form of iambic pentameter. Using a recorded version of someone reading Shakespeare will be helpful as the students will get to hear what iambic pentameter �sounds� like as opposed to just a description.

�      Divide the play into parts and read in class. Stop at the end of each section and ask the students to discuss what they think is happening in the play. Guide their discussion by asking who the important characters are, what conflicts arose and what resolutions, if any.

�      Assign parts and ask the students to take turns reading aloud. This will encourage students to remain attentive.

�      As an out of class assignment, ask students to take one part of the play and put it into �their� language. Encourage some students to read their creation aloud to the class.

�      Introduce West Side Story by playing one of the songs from the musical. �America� is a good choice because the tune is upbeat and the lyrics are humorous.

�      Ask the students to make comparisons between Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. In what ways are they the same and in what ways are they different?

�      For both plays, discuss with the students the issues of gangs and violence. How did those elements add to the tragedy of these plays? Discuss potential alternate endings.

�      Discuss the issue of tolerance and intolerance. How do the prejudices affect the way the characters interact? Are Romeo, Juliet, Tony and Maria wrong for dating someone their family disapproves of?

 

Extending the Unit

 

            Utilizing a film version of Romeo and Juliet and/or West Side Story is an effective way to complete this unit. Plays and musicals are meant to be seen and the students can enhance their experience by seeing the play performed.  

 

 

Additional resources:

 

 

This novel is loosely based on Shakespeare�s Romeo and Juliet which is obvious from the cleverly rearranged title. Set in the 21st Century in Ohio, the novel involves an inter-racial couple that must deal with intolerance. Instead of meeting at a masked ball, they meet online in a chat room. Their parents do not feel comfortable with their relationship, but their primary concern is the school gang that has targeted them. The crux of the story is when they are kidnapped by the gang and their lives are in danger. This book could have had a tragic ending just like to original, however, no one dies on this contemporary version of Romeo and Juliet.

�      �On the Sidewalk Bleeding� by Evan Hunter

This short story also deals with gang violence and the tragic consequences of being involved in a gang. Andy, the main character, has been stabbed and lays dying on the sidewalk. He is wearing his gang jacket and because of that, no one who passes him is willing to stop and help. This story provides an excellent opportunity to discuss one�s self perception versus the way they are perceived by society.

 

 

Shakespeare's famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona while still retaining its original dialogue. The gun-toting members of the families wage a vicious war on the streets as the star-crossed lovers meet their tragic destiny. (Description courtesy of Amazon.com)