Briana Bartle

English 112B

12/2/09

Unit of Study – Shakespeare�s A Midsummer Night�s Dream

Drama and Humor are essential elements to cover within Young Adult literature. They are fascinating in the sense that they both serve to intrigue and enlighten on imaginative and practical levels. I am choosing to cover A Midsummer Night�s Dream by William Shakespeare in order to address both humor and drama because these elements run rampant throughout the play. Drama is present because of the conflicting love triangle; humor is incorporated throughout, beginning with the introduction of Helena�s character and her problematic love life to the end saluted by the performance of Bottom and his friends.

Drama helps students to understand the concept of empathy, very necessary to life. Studying a play especially in some degree of depth allows for the student to get into �character;� to allow them the chance to look at the world through another�s eyes. Drama encourages reading between the lines. Humor gives us a chance to laugh; to not take the world so seriously. It can be a great coping mechanism so why not learn it now? Both of these elements can serve well in educating on various levels.

Launching the Unit:

Activity

Students are most likely unfamiliar with the language of Shakespeare so this activity is designed to change that. Before we delve into any text, students will arrange themselves into groups of three or four. I will pass out two index cards to each group, which will have certain lines from the play written on them. Students will have several minutes to discuss amongst themselves what the lines may mean. Students from each group will follow up by acting out their lines to the class allowing them to share their own personal interpretations. As a class, we will go over the structure and meaning of these lines.

Picture Book

To begin on a light, non-threatening note, I will introduce a picture book of A Midsummer Night�s Dream by Bruce Coville. This book was originally targeted for nine to twelve year olds but the detailed images will serve as a solid liftoff point for comprehension. Filled with easy-to-understand language, the students should be capable of grasping the general themes and conflicts within the play. I will ask the following questions as we progress through the book:

1) Why are Theseus and Hippolyta soon to be married?

2) What are Hermia and her father Egeus arguing about?

3) What options does Theseus give Hermia?

4) What does Hermia encourage Lysander to do to solve their problem?

5) Who is Helena in love with?

6) Are the feelings reciprocated?

7) Why are Oberon and Titania fighting?

8) Why are the lovers suddenly mixed up?

9) What makes Bottom and his boys entertaining?

Main Text

After finishing up the picture book version we will move on to The Sixty-Minute Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night�s Dream by Cass Foster, in which students will be assigned roles and will recite the play from their seats. This will give students a chance to get into character and contextualize the language.

Extending the Unit:

While A Midsummer Night�s Dream serves as a great source for the teaching of Drama and Humor, other young adult literature with similar themes could compliment this unit. A Raison in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry might be a great novel to explore with students as it is progressing through time to a conflict a bit more modern than what is found in A Midsummer Night�s Dream. This novel is about an African American family in the 1950�s who is about to receive an insurance check for $10,000 and each member awaits their share. Filled with different ideas, conflict suddenly arises. Another young adult novel which could target both drama and humor is Looking For Alaska by John Green, a book about a sixteen-year old boy beginning his boarding school adventure. Along the way he faces many struggles: a genius roommate, social drinking, the death of a friend and more.

Works Cited:

Coville, Bruce. A Midsummer Night�s Dream. New York: Penguin USA Inc., 1996.

Foster, Cass. A Midsummer Night�s Dream. Arizona: Five Star Publications, Inc., 1999.

Green, John. Looking For Alaska. New York: Penguin USA Inc., 2005.

Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raison in the Sun. New York: Random House, Inc., 1958.

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night�s Dream. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc., 1986.