julius caesar

AI Art of Shakespeare’s Greatest Mother Characters

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Since Mothers’ Day is this weekend, I wanted to pay homage to the greatest mother characters in the Shakespearean cannon. I know I already made a list in a previous post, but I wanted to create some art to show some of the aspects of these women that I find inspiring:

Cleopatra

AI art I created via Night Cafe of Cleopatra and her son Cesareon.

Most art depicting Cleopatra emphasizes her beauty, power, or love of Marc Antony. I wanted to create an art piece that emphasizes how hard it must have been to be an Egyptian queen and a mother. Cleopatra’s family were infamous for their backstabbing in fact, Cleopatra murdered two of her own sisters to stave off threats to her throne. Even worse, her son (as his name implies), was the son of Julius Caesar, making him a direct threat to Octavian, who claimed to be Caesar’s heir. One thing many people forget about this play is that Cleopatra spends most of the play trying to protect her son.

I chose to portray Cleopatra not sitting aloof on her throne, but crouched down with her hand on her son. In front of them are some swords that he was playing with. Her pose is tender but shows great concern. Perhaps the boy grabbed the sword when she wasn’t looking and she’s gently explaining how dangerous they are and how he can hurt himself. At this moment, she is also thinking about the many swords in Rome that are unsheathed and ready to hurt her son.

Queen Elizabeth from “Richard III”

This is another mother who is trying to protect her son from danger. Again we have a queen with a son who is a threat to a violent man who wants power- the treacherous Richard of Gloucester. In the play, Elizabeth takes her son into a church to seek sanctuary after the death of their father the king. She does this because Richard is not Lord Protector of England, and Elizabeth doesn’t trust him with her children. To emphasize her fear and the danger following them, I chose to portray the scene with three deformed gargoyles behind Elizabeth and her sons.

Volumnia from “Coriolanus”

At this point in the play, Coriolanus is fighting against the Volskies, a barbarian tribe that is threatening Rome. He’s probably been away from his wife and son for a long tour of duty and it must take a toll on his family. I made this image to show how Coriolanus’ wife Virgilia must rely on her mother-in-law Volumnia for support. Meanwhile Volumnia, Coriolanus’ mother, pities Virgilia, but refuses to show any weakness towards her. I have her looking in the doorway, sneaking a peak to see if her son has returned yet. She refuses to show any fear or concern for Coriolanus, but she must worry about him deep inside.

Hermione From “The Winter’s Tale”

Hermione is another woman who, due to the painful and heartbreaking scenario she is thrust into, must suppress her emotions for the sake of her children. She has just been accused of adultery, and delivered her new baby shortly after being thrown into prison. I feel Hermione must be suppressing a huge amount of rage, fear, sadness, and confusion that she cannot express. She must be as calm as the statue she eventually becomes later on in the play.

I thought about this concept of Hermione suppressing rage and being still and strong like a statue and I thought about Medusa from Greek mythology, who was unjustly punished with ugliness and the power of petrification. Books such as Philosophy For Girls depict Medusa as a symbol of how female rage and female sexuality is punished and tabooed in our society and women like Hermione know that if they cannot express the rage they feel at injustice, their only recourse is repression, which is like metaphorically turning to stone.

With these concepts in mind, I portray Hermione holding her baby with the statue of Medusa looking down at her. The statue looks a lot like Hermione and its closeness emphasizes how Hermione is almost two people- the person she presents to the world, and the angry, hurt person she is inside.

So, what do you think? Do you like my interpretations? Let me know in the comments!

Works Cited:

https://academic.oup.com/book/33477/chapter-abstract/287767086?redirectedFrom=fulltext

New Class: Shakespeare and Star Wars!

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Course title image

Using self-paced online activities, your child(ren) will compare the plot and characters of Star Wars to Shakespeare’s plays. We will also discuss  Shakespeare writing by looking at “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars” by Ian Doescher.

Course Description

  1. Concept: To compare and contrast the plot, characters, themes, and language of Shakespeare’s plays with Star Wars
  2. Student Description:
    1. Epic battles, quests for revenge, pirates, funny characters, powerful warriors swinging swords. Star Wars has something for everyone. But did you know that in many ways, Star Wars is based on the ideas and writings of William Shakespeare? In this course we’ll peer beneath the veil of Shakespeare and Star Wars to find the universal stories of love, revenge, power, and growing up, using games, artwork, and dramatic readings by professional actors!
    2. Did you know that Star Wars is based on the ideas and writings of William Shakespeare? This class will teach you about writing and characters though games, interactive activities and dramatic readings of both Star Wars and Shakespeare!
  3. Course organization (the class is divided into 6 parts that students can complete at their own pace over a week-long period.
https://www.thecorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/9-10/

Outline

Unit 1: How Is Shakespeare Like Star Wars?

Class I- Setting the Scene

  1. That is the Question:
    1. What is Star Wars about?
    2. What parts of the Star Wars story are like Shakespeare’s plays?
    3. Are Shakespeare and the Star Wars movies saying anything similar about war? Families? Growing up?
  2. Lesson Objectives
    1. To teach about the characters and plot of Star Wars by comparing them to Star Wars
    2. To introduce the concept of archetypes, tropes, 
  3. Set the Scene
    1. Star Wars is about an evil empire trying to take over the galaxy. They have more ships, more soldiers, and a fearsome weapon that can blow up planets. The rebels on the other hand, though fewer in number, are faster, smarter, and have the advantage of fighting for a good cause. 
    2. In addition, the story is about growing up- Luke becomes a Jedi Knight. He takes revenge on the man who destroyed his father.
  4. The Players (slides)
    1. Luke
    2. Obi Wan/ Yoda
    3. Vader
    4. Leia
    5. Han
    6. R2D2 and C3PO
    7. The Emperor
  5. Words Words Words
    1. Epic
    2. Parody
    3. Theme
    4. Plot
    5. Archetype
    6. Character 
    7. Trope
    8. Theme

Class 2: The Journey of Han and Leia

  • Han and Leia vs. Beatrice and Benedick
    1. Show videos of Han before Leia
    2. Plot summary of Much Ado
    3. Clips of the bickering of Benedick and Beatrice
    4. Read blog and look at the writing.
    5. Activity- how would you write a love letter to Han or Leia?
    6. Play the scene from Jedi

Unit 2- The Prequels and Shakespeare’s Histories

  1. A Crash Course in Shakespeare’s Histories
  2. The Rise of Palpatine/ Richard III
    1. Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars rises to power through a combination of manipulation, intimidation, and by killing his opponents. 
    2. Bio of Richard III
    3. Slide- Richard’s rise to power
    4. Slide- Palpatine’s rise to power
  3. Quizlet

Unit 3- The Verse of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doescher

  1. What is William Shakespeare’s Star Wars
    1. Introduce the plays
    2. Explain how Shakespeare’s verse works
    3. Look at the common verse elements
      1. Sonnets
        1. Show the chorus of “Verily a New Hope”
          1.  It is a period of civil war. The spaceships of the rebels, striking swift From base unseen, have gain’d a vict’ry o’er The cruel Galactic Empire, now adrift. Amidst the battle, rebel spies prevail’d And stole the plans to a space station vast,Whose pow’rful beams will later be unveil’d And crush a planet: ’tis the DEATH STAR blast. Pursu’d by agents sinister and cold,Now Princess Leia to her home doth flee, Deliv’ring plans and a new hope they hold:Of bringing freedom to the galaxy .In time so long ago begins our play,In star-crossed galaxy far, far away
          2. Stychomichia
          3. Half lines
          4. Enjambment
          5. Title Crawl (make a gif via Canva)
  2. Side By Side Comparisons
    1. Read/ watch segments of the play
      1. To Be Or Not To Be
      2. All the World’s a Stage
      3. St. Crispin’s Day Speech
    2. Try to turn a Star Wars line into verse, and then look at the reveal.

Unit 4- Literary Devices of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars

  1. Using the educational guide, we’ll learn about the following literary devices:
    • Extended Metaphors (Luke’s green lightsaber)
    • Anaphora (Luke’s call to action in Jedi)
    • Premonatory Dreams (Calpurnia)
    • Stichomythia Richard III vs. Han and Leia

Unit5- The Hero’s Journey of Luke Skywalker

Class 1: What is a Hero’s Journey (Slides)

  1. Learn a little about Joseph Campbell’s monomyth. using the Percy Jackson post, Crash course video about monomyth
  2. Chart Luke’s monomyth journey
  3. Activity- Mad libs- write a star wars movie!
  4.  Quiz on plot elements from the monomyth (Quizzes or Quizlet)

Class 2 :  Hamlet and Luke Skywalker

  1. Plot comparison
    • (use infographic)
    • Quote from Doescher:
      • Hamlet The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is Shakespeare’s most famous play. It’s also the play I make the most references to in William Shakespeare’s Star Wars.
  2. To Be Or Not to Be
  • Use my video about the speech to explain the structure
  • Note how Doescher repurpuses every line in the Star Wars Trilogy:
    • Sometimes it expresses fear: 
    • Sometimes concern: 
    • Frustration: “The whips and scorns of time”
    • Hope: “The undiscovered galaxy” “Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.”
    • Activity: write your own paraphrase of Hamlet’s speech, using the 6 beats I provided.

Unit 6- Become a Bard Warrior (Slides and Sites)

Notes

Resources:

Web: https://americanshakespearecenter.com/2011/05/in-the-force-of-his-will-shakespeare-and-star-wars/

Close Reading: Shakespeare’s Star Wars (Empire Scene) https://shakespeareanstudent.com/2024/04/17/close-reading-william-shakespeares-star-wars/ 

The Journey of Han and Leia: https://shakespeareanstudent.com/2023/06/16/new-podcast-william-shakespeares-star-wars-part-ii-the-journey-of-han-and-leia/ 

Darth Vader Does Shakespeare

Review of Jedi:

Review: “Star Wars-  the Jedi Doth Return .” by Ian Doescher

Video

  1. William Shakespeare’s Star Wars and the Power of Iambic Pentameter – Summer of Shakespeare the First
  2. The Wampa From “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars”
  3. Han Solo Does Shakespeare
  4. Emperor Shakespeare
  5. Darth Vader does Shakespeare
  6. Dagobah Cave Vision: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0otvBA0iAA0 
  7. Duel between Luke and Vader: William Shakespeare’s Star Wars excerpt: the Duel from “The Empire Striketh Back.”
  8. Comparison:
    1. 1st 10 minutes of Jedi: Star Wars Episode VI Return Of The Jedi Opening Scene HD720p
    2. Doescher’s version: Darth Vader Reads Star Wars Shakespear The Jedi Doth Return Vader Reviews

Podcast:

  1. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5BJ6TuhFO699OxWRLZNL2U?si=_cRGo7FzQjakUuZuPT0KwA 
  2. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1E3Eh9OpcR7lpMHI8edU4o?si=p-PrlRzQStqwGnoz4Y88pA 
  3. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5SFDcMAfF14ANVIki6xxr8?si=0YWtFyWoQE2CtG8fAEK22A 

https://roomescapemaker.com/u/kuhz1234/egregree#google_vignette

Great Classes for the Month of May!

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Short, soothing summary of my online classes available in the month of May!

Great online classes in Shakespeare and science are available for students all this month at Outschool.com. These classes are Flex Schedule, which means the teacher prepares the activities in advance and allows you to do them at your own pace without direct consultation.

Class Descriptions

  1. An Interactive Guide To: “Macbeth”
https://outschool.com/classes/an-interactive-guide-to-shakespeares-macbeth-jp7TIh9B?usid=MaRDyJ13&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

2. An Immersive Guide to Shakespeare’s London

3. The Violent Rhetoric of “Julius Caesar”

4. Gravity Falls: Defeat the Cypher

Special Promo

Get $10 off my class “An Interactive Guide to Shakespeare’s London” with coupon code HTHESFIL0I10 until Jun 2, 2024. Get started at https://outschool.com/classes/an-interactive-guide-to-shakespeares-london-E6KqeBQQ and enter the coupon code at checkout.

Click the link below to get started:

https://outschool.com/teachers/The-Shakespearean-Student?usid=MaRDyJ13&signup=true&authTrigger=follow_teacher&utm_campaign=share_leader_link

Review: “Star Wars-  the Jedi Doth Return .” by Ian Doescher

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Introduction

What Is William Shakespeare’s Star Wars?

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars is a series of parody plays written by Ian Doescher that takes the prose screenplays of the Star Wars story and transforms them into Elizabethan verse. Last time I mentioned how much I loved the cheeky references to Shakespeare and Star Wars, and how Doescher adapts the cinematic quality into Elizabethan drama very well. In my podcast, I also emphasized the way Doescher gives each character verbose Shakespearean language that works very well for radio and theater:

My podcast episode where I do dramatic readings of “Verily A New Hope.”

I must confess, Return of the Jedi is my favorite Star Wars movie. I’ve seen all 9 films and it’s still my favorite. I adore the effects, the tight storytelling, the emotional farewells, and the dramatic victories. What I want to do with this post, (and the accompanying podcast), is to see whether this edition captures what I love about Jedi. The short answer is- no. It doesn’t capture it, IT EXPANDS IT! In many ways this play is Doescher’s triumph- he manages to capture the tone and characters of Star Wars perfectly, and makes the Shakespearean style his own!

Notes about the play

  1. The first play in the series, “Verily, A New Hope,” took plot and structure inspiration from Henry V; it tells the story as an epic heroic story of Luke’s heroic deeds, much like how Henry V is about a king who grows from boy to man.
  2. The second play “The Empire Striketh Back,” takes inspiration from Hamlet and Macbeth to explore Luke’s temptation by the Dark Side of the Force. It also uses Much Ado About Nothing as an inspiration for the burgeoning relationship between Han and Leia
  3. I would argue that “Jedi Doth Return” is a mixture of all the other plays Doescher took inspiration from. Unlike the previous plays, this feels less like a parody, and more like an adaptation. I feel that Doescher has finally become so comfortable writing in the Shakespearean style, that he rarely needs to flat out parody lines and speeches, and simply uses Shakespearean dialogue to tell the story.

Moments to Watch for:

The Language

I’ll discuss the language of Jedi in greater detail in my podcast, but I’d like to highlight one or two here.

Extended metaphors:


Vader: It is the role I play, my destiny—
The grand performance for which I am made. 
Come, author of the dark side of the Force,
Make me the servant of thy quill and write 
The tale wherein my son and I are seal’d As one. 
Come, take mine ev’ry doubt from me,
 And fashion from my heart of flesh and wires 
A perfect actor: callous, cold, and harsh.
Let this, the second Death Star, be the stage,
And all the galaxy be setting to 
The greatest moment of my narrative:

The scene in which the Empire’s fight is won 
Whilst I decide the Fate of mine own son - The Jedi Doth Return Act I, Scene i

3. Parody Lines

The biggest appeal of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars is the fact that it is a parody, and I’ve said for many years that parody and gentle riffing on Shakespeare is a great way to get students to overcome their fear of Shakespeare and engage with him. Students who know Star Wars but don’t know Shakespeare will recognize the familiar characters and plots of the movies and then see how Shakespeare’s language tells the story anew. Similarly, people who know Shakespeare will recognize the way Doescher re-tools famous Shakespeare quotes to give to characters in the Star Wars Universe, like here, where he spoofs the famous “All the World’s A Stage” speech:

In the Educator’s guide, which I’ve attached below, Doescher tells you exactly which lines he has parodied and the plots of the original plays so the students can learn about Shakespeare through these famous speeches. Orson Wells once said: “We sit through Shakespeare to recognize the quotations,” and this edition gives us thrilling space battle, wonderful characters, and witty dialogue to keep us entertained while we wait.

Characterizations

What I love the most about the movie and the play is that it’s a very character-driven story. Instead of long trench runs with pilots we’ve never met, we get duels to the death between characters we’ve known for years. At its heart, Jedi is the story of the Skywalker family reuniting after Darth Vader ripped it apart. It’s also the culmination of Luke growing from a boy to a man. Doescher does an incredible job voicing these characters through the verse, and his use of the language helps highlight each character’s struggle and journey.

Luke/ Vader

Left- production photo of Mark Hamil holding a skull Yorrick-style. Right- AI art I created of Luke as Hamlet.

Luke has more of a duality in this story- sometimes his speeches are hopeful, positive, and full of decisive language, while other times he is bitter, angry, and mournful. This is a perfect characterization for a young man whom the Emperor hopes to turn to the Dark Side, and these speeches excellently bring out his character. Sometimes Luke even repeats lines spoken by Vader and the Emperor just to drive this point home.

Emperor

A speech from “Jedi Doth Return.” Notice how the ideas run on past the ends of lines and how long each sentence is

As for Emperor Palpatine, his speech is similar to Claudius in Hamlet in the sense that he has many run-on lines that only get to the point at the very end. This man knows he has the ea of the entire galaxy, so he can afford to make people wait for him to finish talking. As Luke himself says: “Your overconfidence is your weakness,” and Doescher does a great job conveying that weakness through the language.

Leia/ Han

My favorite part of The Empire Striketh Back was how Doescher conveys the love between Han and Leia. In that play/ movie, it was done through irritating each other in public, and soliloquizing in private. In Jedi, Han and Leia are more of a couple, supporting each other in their fights and the language has more of a romantic tone.

Han (Hal Jourdan) and Leia (Janine Ashley) finally confess their love in this scene.

My Criticism

To sum up, Jedi is a milestone in the William Shakespeare’s Star Wars Series where Ian Doescher learned how to make the language his own, rather than borrowing lines and phrases from Shakespeare. It’s a pity there aren’t more books in this series…. right?

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars Prequel Series
Doescher’s official website.

The Education Guide

Support My podcast

If you enjoyed the accompanying podcast episode to this post, please consider subscribing and donating to help me continue making fun and educational content like this!

Donate

Happy Birthday Shakespeare!

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Today, April 23 is the established birthday of William Shakespeare! Today I’ll share some of my favorite posts, videos, podcasts, and quirky recipes related to Shakespeare!

Happy Birthday Shakespeare
https://shakespeareanstudent.com/2022/04/19/did-shakespeare-eat-birthday-cake-%F0%9F%8E%82/#:~:text=Sadly%2C%20the%20research%20I’ve,Christmas%2C%20and%20Twelfth%20Night).
2024 Shakespeare Celebrations in Stratford Upon Avon, England (Shakespeare’s Birthplace)

Special Promo!

Shakespeare Week March 21-27
Some of my Shakespeare classes on Outschool.com

Get $10 off all my classes with coupon code HTHES871H110 until Apr 26, 2024. Look through my classes at https://outschool.com/teachers/The-Shakespearean-Student and enter the coupon code at checkout.

New Class: The Violent Rhetoric Of “Julius Caesar” (Flex Schedule Edition)

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Course Description

  1. Concept: To explore the plot, characters, and themes of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar while also gaining an insight into Ancient Roman history and culture.
  2. Student Description: Delve into the passionate speeches of Brutus and Antony in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, which led a whole country to revolution.
  3. Parent Description  Using self-paced online activities, and a helpful handout, your child(ren) will analyze the rhetoric and persuasive power in two speeches from Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” The course will also cover the culture of Ancient Rome, and the circumstances that led to Julius Caesar’s assasination, which inadvertently led to the birth of the Roman Empire.
  4. Course Organizaiton (the class is divided into 4 parts that students can complete at their own pace over a week-long period
    1. Each lesson will have:
      1. “That Is the Question” (Essential Question)
      2. Lesson Objectives
      3. Set the Scene (Background and context)- 1-3 slides
      4. The Players (biography) 1-3 slides
      5. Go Deeper (Webquest)
        1. Explore military life and the lives of women in Rome using my blog and other websites as a guide.
        2. Post 3 things you learned to the Outschool page or send a photo of your completed handout.
      6. Words, Words Words (Vocabulary, famous lines) 
      7. A Taste of Your Quality (Independant Project)
      8. Show us your mettle (Test)
    2. So each class should be 14-15 slides long.

Outline

Class I- Background on Caesar and Roman Culture

  1. That is the Question: 
    1. Why did Brutus feel Julius Caesar had to die?
    2. What was the aftermath?
    3. Can one person’s speech effect an entire nation?
  2. Lesson Objectives
    1. To provide historical and political context to explain why Julius Caesar was assassinated, and how his death inadvertantly created the Roman Empire.
    2. To explain the Rhetorical Triangle, the building blocks of persuasive speech.
    3. To go through the story of Julius Caesar focusing on the effect of the speeches.
    4. To study the  famous “Friends, Romans Countrymen” speech.
    5. To contrast this speech with some more recent political speeches and you think critically about:
      1. What does the speaker want?
      2. What tactics does he use?
      3. How effective is it?
  3. Set the Scene
    1. History
      1. Government
        1. Horrible History
      2. Military
        1. https://www.livescience.com/ancient-roman-spike-defenses-made-famous-by-julius-caesar-found-in-germany 
        2. Caesar Cipher
        3. https://kids.kiddle.co/Julian_calendar 
    2. Culture
      1. Fashion: https://shakespeareanstudent.com/2022/03/11/the-fashion-is-the-fashion-ancient-roman-fashion-and-beauty/ 
      2. Role of Women: https://shakespeareanstudent.com/2021/03/29/i-lift-the-veil-on-shakespeares-celebrated-roman-female-characters-and-discuss-the-social-norms-they-embodied-and-challenged/ 
      3. The Lupercal- https://wordpress.com/post/shakespeareanstudent.com/4545 
  4. The Players (slides)
    1. Julius Caesar Julius Caesar – Greatest Conqueror Ever?
    2. Cassius Longinus
    3. Marcus Brutus
    4. Marc Antony
  5. Go Deeper- 
    1. Go to Google Arts and Culture and find 3 facts and 3 pictures of Caesar
    2. Answer the following Questions:
      1. Name 3 jobs Caesar had in the Roman Republic
      2. Was Caesar Deaf? Was he epileptic? 
      3. Name 3 things Caesar accomplished during his career.

Go to opensourceshakespeare.com and look at Caesar’s lines- how does Caesar view himself? Write 3 examples.

  1. Words Words Words
    1. Republic
    2. Dictator
    3. Lupercal
    4. Assassinate
    5. Senate
  2. A Taste Of Your Quality
    1. Make a news headline about Caesar’s triumph. How would you report on it? Would you be allowed to say anything bad about Caesar?
  3. Show Us Your Mettle
    1. Quizlet for the terms

Class 2- Cassius Manipulates Brutus

HC Selous Illustration, "Brutus and Cassius" 1830

That Is the Question- 

How does Cassius convince his brother-in-law Brutus to betray and assassinate Caesar, his friend and colleague?

Learning Objectives-

  1. To give historical context as to why the Senate in general, (and Cassius in particular), feared and hated Caesar.
  2. To examine Brutus’ character
  3. To demonstrate how Cassius uses persuasive speech 

Setting the Scene- The Plot

The Players-

Cassius- slide/ https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone/julius-caesar/character/whos-who 

Write 3 facts we learn about Cassius at the start of the play:

Brutus:  

https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone/julius-caesar/character/whos-who

Go Deeper- 

Brutus- Podcast episode. I posit in this episode that Brutus is 

Words, Words, Words- 

  1. Traitor
  2. Republic
  3. Dictator
  4. Revolution
  5. Ethos
  6. Pathos
  7. Logos
  8. Rhetoric
  9. Colossus
  10.  Aeneus

A Taste Of Your Quality: 

(Independent work): We’ll examine a painting of Brutus’ ancestor Lucius and learn why Brutus values Rome more than even family.

Show Us Your Mettle: 

Quizzes on Brutus

Class 3- Antony and Brutus’ Dueling Speeches

George Ed Robertson Antony
(c) Hartlepool Museums and Heritage Service; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

That Is the Question

  1. After Caesar’s Death, his friend Marc Antony held a funeral for him where he gives the famous “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” speech. How did Antony’s speech affect the crowd?
  2. Brutus has a speech where he explains why he killed Caesar. What does he say, and how effectively does he say it?
  3. Antony was secretly plotting to take power for himself, and get Brutus and Cassius killed. How did he do it?
  4. Do speeches have the power to change a nation?

Learning Objectives

  1. To explain the Rhetorical Triangle, the building blocks of persuasive speech.
  2. To study the famous “Friends, Romans Countrymen” speech, as well 
  3. To look at these speeches and get you to think critically about:
    1. What does the speaker want?
    2. What tactics does he use?
    3. How effective is it?

Setting the Scene

RSC Learning Zone- Act III, Scene 2 https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone/julius-caesar/story/scene-by-scene

The Players (use the videos from the RSC)

Brutus- Man of Honour VS Man of Action | Julius Caesar | Royal Shakespeare Company

Antony Julius Caesar, Act 3 Scene 2 | 2012 | Royal Shakespeare Company

Go Deeper

Words, Words, Words

  • Irony
  • Antimetabole
  • Rhetoric
  • Countrymen
  • Lend
  • Interred
  • Noble
  • Hath
  • Grievous
  • Coffer
  • Honorable
  • Lupercal
  • Cause
  • Mourn

A Taste Of Your Quality

  • Watch the video of Antony’s speech:

Quizzes

Class 4- After Caesar-

We’ll talk about the consequences of violent revolutions and how Julius Caesar has inspired some of the greatest speeches in political history.

-Patrick Henry

– Gettysburg Address

– Mean Girls

That Is the Question

  1. How have people interpreted the play “Julius Caesar” in America?
  2. Does this play promote violence?
  3. What kind of violent speech do we deal with in politics today?

Learning Objectives

  1. To show the link between American History and Julius Caesar
  2. To address the controversy and the misconception that the play promotes violent assassination.
  3. To end on a cautionary note people must think critically about what they hear in politics and not make rash decisions based on appeals to fear.

Setting the Scene- US History

  • America was founded using the principles of republican government that Ancient Rome used- with a senate, and a series of checks and balances to ensure no one has too much power.
  • America was founded in a violent revolution, and some of our country’s early leaders used Brutus as an inspiration- to overcome a tyrannical king.
  • In later years, however, some people have forgotten what happened to Brutus
  •  Today, we are often bombarded with speech that encourages fear and anger and we must think critically when we hear such speech in whatever forum- Roman, or Reddit.

The Players (use my JC lecture?)

  • Patrick Henry
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • John Wilkes Booth
  • Donald Trump

Go Deeper

-Watch the Caesar Video

– How does the play promote nonviolence?

– How did Brutus’ assassination fail to save the Roman Republic?

Words, Words, Words

Four-score

Dedicate

proposition

Civil War

Endure

Consecrate

Devotion

A Taste Of Your Quality (Night Cafe)

  • Use AI to create your own image for Julius Caesar
    • What time and place would you set the play in?
    • how do you see him- is he a hero, or a tyrant? 

https://outschool.com/classes/the-violent-rhetoric-of-julius-caesar-flex-schedule-edition-fwB3cwQM?refuid=MaRDyJ13

Great Classes Available for April!

| astronut1

I’m teaching lots of cool classes online via Outschool.com during April. All the ones below are asynchronous, which means that, rather than interacting live with a teacher, you will interact with websites, videos, digital escape rooms, and other fun activities at your own pace. When you sign up, I’ll send you the materials and give you a handout, and be available via chat if you or your child needs help. Check out some of these amazing activities!

https://outschool.com/teachers/The-Shakespearean-Student?usid=MaRDyJ13&signup=true&authTrigger=follow_teacher&utm_campaign=share_leader_link

1. “Macbeth Digital Escape Room”

In this virtual version of my popular “Macbeth” course, you will engage with William Shakespeare himself and learn about his play in a fun, spooky, and interactive way!

2. “An Interactive Guide to Shakespeare’s London”:

A virtual tour of Shakespeare’s London will get kids to interact with the culture of Elizabethan England.

To teach kids about the Elizabethan era and the background of Romeo and Juliet, The Instructor will interact with the class (via pre-recorded videos), pretending to be Shakespeare. The class, pretending to be actors in Romeo and Juliet, will get a virtual tour of The Globe Theater, Hampton Court Palace, and a virtual visit to an Elizabethan doctor's office. This activity is an immersive way for them to learn about the period, how it relates to the world of the play, and how Shakespeare changed theater.
Intro image for my “Immersive Guide to Shakespeare’s London.”

3. “Shakespeare: The Lost Play:”

You must find the lost play of William Shakespeare before a mystery thief destroys it! Solve the clues and learn about Shakespeare’s writing and theater to uncover a historical mystery!

4. “Gravity Falls-Inspired Escape Room:”

Save the Mystery Shack from Bill Cypher, and learn about secret codes!

5. THe Violent Rhetoric of Julius Caesar:

Scan the QR code to see my list of classes.

Digital business card for my online classes with a QR code if you want to know more

https://outschool.com/teachers/The-Shakespearean-Student?usid=MaRDyJ13u0026amp;signup=trueu0026amp;authTrigger=follow_teacheru0026amp;utm_campaign=share_leader_link

Special Discount!

Get $5 off all these classes with coupon code HTHESED9SM5 until April 30th, 2024. Get started at https://outschool.com/classes/gravity-falls-inspired-game-crack-the-codes-and-beat-the-cypher-IvpT5sea and enter the coupon code at checkout.

Great Classes Available for April!

| astronut1

Exciting, fully immersive, fully online classes for you and your children to enjoy in April 2024. Go down to Gravity Falls and solve codes and ciphers. Travel to Ancient Rome to learn about Julius Caesar, and visit Shakespeare’s Globe with a fully virtual tour!

Screenshot of my April schedule of classes, 2024

All the ones below are asynchronous, which means that, rather than interacting live with a teacher, you will interact with websites, videos, digital escape rooms, and other fun activities at your own pace. When you sign up, I’ll send you the materials and give you a handout, and be available via chat if you or your child needs help. Check out some of these amazing activities!

1. “Macbeth Digital Escape Room”

In this virtual version of my popular “Macbeth” course, you will engage with William Shakespeare himself and learn about his play in a fun, spooky, and interactive way!

2. “An Interactive Guide to Shakespeare’s London”:

A virtual tour of Shakespeare’s London will get kids to interact with the culture of Elizabethan England.

To teach kids about the Elizabethan era and the background of Romeo and Juliet, The Instructor will interact with the class (via pre-recorded videos), pretending to be Shakespeare. The class, pretending to be actors in Romeo and Juliet, will get a virtual tour of The Globe Theater, Hampton Court Palace, and a virtual visit to an Elizabethan doctor's office. This activity is an immersive way for them to learn about the period, how it relates to the world of the play, and how Shakespeare changed theater.
Intro image for my “Immersive Guide to Shakespeare’s London.”

3. “Shakespeare: The Lost Play:”

You must find the lost play of William Shakespeare before a mystery thief destroys it! Solve the clues and learn about Shakespeare’s writing and theater to uncover a historical mystery!

4. “Gravity Falls-Inspired Escape Room:”

Save the Mystery Shack from Bill Cypher, and learn about secret codes!

5. THe Violent Rhetoric of Julius Caesar (Asynchronous Edition)

Using self-paced online activities, and a helpful handout, your child(ren) will analyze the rhetoric and persuasive power in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” The course will also cover the history and culture of ancient Rome.

Scan the QR code to see my list of classes.
Digital business card for my online classes with a QR code if you want to know more
https://outschool.com/teachers/The-Shakespearean-Student?usid=MaRDyJ13&signup=true&authTrigger=follow_teacher&utm_campaign=share_leader_link

Special Discount!

Funny Stuff for The Ides of March

| astronut1
Julius Caesar Immortal Longings
Stewart as Cassius in “Julius Caesar”
Patterson Joseph in “Julius Caesar”
Trailer for “Donald Trump is Julius Caesar” from the YouTube Channel “Never Caesar.”

Funny Sketches from “Horrible Histories”

Live Tweeting Caesar’s Funeral

This is an activity I’m doing with my Shakespeare Club. The idea is to paraphrase the lines of the Roman crowd in the language of social media. For example, I changed this:

Julius Caesar, Act III, ii

…. to this:

Julius Caesar as Donald Trump:

Good TIckle Brain

https://goodticklebrain.com/home/tag/julius+caesar

If you can’t get enough of “Julius Caesar, consider signing up for my online Julius Caesar class. The class is asynchronous, which means you can take it whenever you want. More details below:

https://outschool.com/classes/84ee847d-19f3-45f8-9f25-81e688b8497d