Titus Andronicus

This teaching guide for higher ability students is designed as a self-contained unit which can be used to produce the AQA A GCSE Shakespeare coursework.

• The unit uses one of the lesser-known and less critically-acclaimed Shakespeare plays in order to encourage a high-quality and truly original response.
• The AQA A Shakespeare coursework is what is termed as a ‘cross-over’ piece; therefore, if you are using it for assessment for both English and English Literature GCSEs (the most common approach), you need to be able...

Read the LAST paragraph of this article FIRST, then go back to the beginning.

• Highlight or put a ring around issues which relate to the characters Mickey and Edward.

OR

• Write ten bullet points which sum up this article.

OR

• Draft a short reply to Philip Webster outlining your ideas on this topic.

The Times
January 12, 2009

Children of poorer families face as big a hill as ever

Philip Webster, Political Editor

A child’s chances of success still depend largely on the background and earnings of his or her parents despite the billions...

Click on one of the links below to download Steve Campsall’s PowerPoint on An Inspector Calls.

• An Inspector Calls.ppt
• An Inspector Calls.pptx

Associated Resources

• A Student’s Guide to ’Much Ado About Nothing’ by Mandy Lloyd
• Much Ado Guide.doc

‘Much Ado about Nothing’ in context: ‘Comedy’ vs. ‘Tragedy’

Much Ado About Nothing is technically considered to be a Shakespearean ‘comedy’ of the classical kind; indeed, it’s even frequently taught at KS3 owing to its frequent comic tone. The witty and entertaining exchanges between the main protagonists Beatrice and Benedick have been the subject of much literary criticism and are often considered to be the most...

Associated Resources

• A Guide to Much Ado About Nothing by Steph Jackson
• Much Ado About Nothing - Student’s Guide.doc

This brief study guide focuses on the themes, language and issues of the play relevant to the current A-Level Literature specification AO2 requirement of form, structure and language: ‘demonstrate detailed critical understanding in analysing the ways in which structure, form and language shape meanings in literary texts’.

The guide also explores some areas of the historical context of the play which will assist you with...

Teacher’s Note

This first part of this EnglishEdu guide is aimed at students who are studying any Shakespeare play – but they can easily and profitably be adapted to suit any play.

The second part of the guide is an analysis and commentary of Act 3 Sc. 1 of Shakespeare’s play, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, with accompanying notes that are based upon ideas discussed in the guide’s first section.

• The notes accompanying Act 3 Scene 1 of the play are designed to work towards helping students who are planning their Controlled Assessment essay,...

Macbeth

This teaching guide is designed as a self-contained unit for students of medium to high ability. It can be used to produce the AQA A GCSE Shakespeare coursework and has been designed for assessment via the EN2/Lit Oral Response Option (although it could easily also be adapted to provide a written response).

The AQA A Shakespeare coursework is what is termed as a ‘cross-over’ piece; therefore, if you are using it for assessment for both English and English Literature GCSEs (the most common approach), the student will need to be...

• Judgment against murderers on earth – the punishment.
• Image of the poisoned chalice being brought back to the lips of the perpetrator.
• Macbeth being a loyal subject of the king.
• Macbeth being the host who should protect the king.
• Duncan being a good and honourable king.
• The horror and pity caused by his death.
• Macbeth’s image of the horse as his ‘vaulting ambition’.

Macbeth Table.doc

Macbeth Soliloquy Act 1 Scene 7 Card Sort.doc

Macbeth Plot Cards.doc

Shakespeare Coursework Group Presentations on ‘Macbeth’

Question:

In your scene, how does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth’s character in order to show the changing relationship between her and Macbeth?

Make sure you:

• Discuss your analysis of the kind of language Lady Macbeth is given to use by Shakespeare.
• Discuss the effects this is likely to have on both Shakespeare’s and a modern audience.
• Link your chosen scene to other scenes and explain how Lady M’s character and her relationship with her husband changes
• Discuss how...

Macbeth Coursework Assessment.ppt

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s Relationship in Act 1 Scene 7

• In your script, you have four extracts from Act 1 Scene 7 of Macbeth. You will be acting these out in class in order to show your understanding of how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship develops and changes from Act 1 Scene 5.

Remember, in Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth has received a letter from Macbeth telling of the predictions of the Three Witches, and we see her reaction to the good news. She greets Macbeth with excitement, and tells him how he should progress with the...

Macbeth.ppt

Shakespeare Research

When you carry out your ‘Speaking and Listening’ assessment on Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, you will need to relate the key scenes to the social and cultural context at the time the play was first performed. This means you need to discuss what is in the play and how it reflects what was happening at the time of Shakespeare as well as people’s attitudes to different topics.

• Find out about Shakespeare’s life, dates, family, what he did.
• Find out about how women were treated at the time. (Lady M)
• Find out about...

Question to be answered in your presentation:

Explore how and why the character of Titus changes between Act 1 scene 1 and Act 5 scene 3 of Titus Andronicus. Consider:

• The language Shakespeare gives to certain characters in these scenes, the techniques he uses and the effects they have on the audience
• The structure of these scenes
• How Shakespeare’s writing may have been influenced by his social, cultural and historical context

How to prepare your paired presentation

1. Re-read your two sets of typed notes on Titus’s character in Act 1...

Titus’s Character

• One theory is that Titus’s character changes from Act 1 scene 1 as Titus’s power may have gone to his head – he has an aggressive entry as opposed to the previous scene. Compare the way Titus uses questions and violent language – why is this?
• Repetition of imperative (order) ‘Witness’ – he describes the physical scars then progresses to emotional. Why is this?
• On page 2 of 7, he asks constant questions (what does this suggest?) and uses the simile ‘black as jet’ (why? What’s the effect?)
• He calls...

Read the following extract from the review of the film ‘Titus’ from the Independent newspaper (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/dont-put-your-slaughter-on-the-stage-697339.html).

Consider the views expressed here and makes notes on the critical opinions explored, in preparation for a class discussion on whether the aspects mentioned make Titus Andronicus worthy of academic study. In addition, having read this review, try to develop your own viewpoint on the play and be prepared to defend it.

In 1995, Antony...

Titus’s Character

• This is sometimes seen as a revenge tragedy – why do you think this would be important, given what was going on in society at the time? Why might Elizabethans want to see violence at the theatre?
• Research the myth of Procne and Philomela on which parts of this play are based
• ‘Hail’ – think of the formality and power this implies (general)
• Focuses on deaths of sons – self-centred at times, personally affected by war
• Talks about himself in 3rd person – ‘Titus’, ‘Andronicus’, ‘defender’ – as if to...

In your group of 4 or 5, you will be performing and improvised scene based on Titus Andronicus. Imagine you are a modern version of one of the characters from the play. Choose from the following two groups:

1. Titus Andronicus
Lavinia (before she has her tongue cut out!)
Marcus Andronicus (Titus’s brother)
Lucius (Titus’s son)
Young Lucius (Lucius’s son)

2. Tamora
Chiron
Demetrius
Aaron
Saturninus

If you choose Group 1, improvise a scene lasting 3-4 minutes where you discuss the problems caused by the election of the new emperor and...

Mrs Lyons: (Singing) Each day I look out from this window
I see him with his friends, I hear him call,
I rush down but as I fold my arms around him
He’s gone. Was he ever there at all?
I’ve dreamed of all the places I would take him
The games we’d play the stories I would tell
The jokes we’d share, the clothing I would make him
I reach out. But as I do, he fades away.

(The melody shifts into that of Mrs Johnstone who is looking at Mrs Lyons, feeling for her. Mrs Lyons gives her a half smile and a shrug, slightly embarrassed at what she...

The Importance of Being Earnest was the last play written by Oscar Wilde. Its first performance in London on 14 February 1895 also saw the start of what proved to be a massively destructive end to Wilde’s writing career and, ultimately, his life.

Characters:

• Jack Worthing
• Algernon
• Cecily
• Gwendolen
• Lady Bracknell
• Lane
• Merriman
• Miss Prism
• Dr Chasuble

1. ‘Measure for Measure’ has plenty of examples of comedic character, plot and action - but the elements that lead to this are precisely those aspects of the play that gesture towards the important questions of judgement. The Duke’s cleverness is what elicits the comic procession of people kneeling to be forgiven at the end, and yet this scene is pathetic as well as comedic, because it reflects the sinful nature of all of the characters hitherto involved. Isabella’s decision to ‘side’ with Mariana in pleading for Angelo’s life...

What does Lady Macbeth do to help her husband kill King Duncan?

To sum up, what does she do/say?

Reads letter.
Rejoices in the news.
Worries about his nature.  (Why?)
Prays to the devil. (Why does she need to?)
Welcomes him home.
Chastises him. (How?)
Takes over.
Uses euphemisms to describe the regicide. (Why can’t she call a spade a spade? What does this reveal about her?)
Insults his masculinity. (How? Why?)
Talks of killing her own child.  (Why?)
Issues orders. (Where? How? What are they?)
Drugs guards.
Leaves out daggers for him....[ read full article ] »

AQA GCSE English

An A Grade GCSE Response to Shakespeare

An Alternative Coursework Assignment for GCSE English Language and/or Literature?

It fulfils the requirements of GCSE Language and/or Literature as a inventive and enterprising personal response to a Shakespeare play. It would be an excellent example of coursework.

Egghead Productions

Dear Ms Holden,

Congratulations!

We are delighted to inform you that you have successfully made it through the auditions and have been chosen to portray the role of Lady Macbeth in the forthcoming...