The eNotes Blog Downloadable Shakespeare Map for YourClassroom

Downloadable Shakespeare Map for YourClassroom The settings of Shakespeare’s thirty-seven plays cast a wide net across Europe. The majority are set outside of England, providing his audiences with intriguing, foreign lands and allowing for flexibility in expressing social and political commentary. Our free, downloadable map of Shakespeares plays  features the locations and dates of his comedies, tragedies, and histories across Europe, which can serve as a helpful resource in your classroom to show how each location lends itself to different types of plays. Download the Shakespeare map of works  » Let’s take a look at five ways in which you can reference  our Shakespeare map during your lessons or classroom activities. 1. Explaining Historical Context When teaching Shakespeare’s plays, it’s important to note that Shakespeare wrote to entertain. While many of Shakespeare’s plays feature historical elements, their historical accuracy is often dramatized for the sake of performance. Because Shakespeare’s plays were being performed in public theater, the audience was composed of a wide range of economic, educational, and social levels. Therefore, the characters Shakespeare included in his plays hail from a variety of different backgrounds and social classes to make them relatable to the audience. Additionally, many of the characters are created with stereotypes and prejudices that would fit the audiences understanding of a place and its people. Why exaggerate history? Shakespeare produces a historical bias in his plays that favor the Queen and the Tudor dynasty. Examples of the historical events exaggerated for the stage: Shakespeare’s three Henry VI plays and Richard III were part of â€Å"The War of the Roses,† that portrayed the conflict between the House of Lancaster and The House of York. While the War of the Roses was a real event, historians claim that there were no actual roses involved as symbols for the houses. In fact, The War of Roses was not coined until the 19th century, and the struggle between the two houses had been known as the â€Å"Cousins’ War.† One of Shakespeare’s most monstrous characters is Richard III, who is depicted as a relentless murderer in the interests of his own ambitions. While Richard III was responsible for the execution and murder of several people during his rule, Shakespeare exaggerated the long list of ghosts who haunt him in the play. For example, there is no proof that King Richard III murdered his wife, Anne, or King Henry IV. 2. Analyzing Shakespeare’s Commentary Although Shakespeare’s plays reflect the cultural, social, and political conditions of the Elizabethan Age, Shakespeare could not explicitly critique the monarchy without being accused of treason or slander. Therefore, Shakespeare used foreign settings to mask his criticism of Christian orthodoxies and political ideologies of England. For example, by setting plays in Rome, Shakespeare could discuss sensitive issues like the political assassination of Julius Caesar. Examples of Shakespeare’s commentary: In both Hamlet and Macbeth, Shakespeare depicts murder and regicide as means of obtaining positions of power. Setting these types of violent scenes in foreign countries allowed Shakespeare to criticize powerful leaders without being prosecuted for treason or having his plays censored. In King John, Shakespeare explored the issue of what establishes a â€Å"right† to the throne of England, which alludes to the doubts of legitimacy regarding both King John and Queen Elizabeths reign. 3. Exploring the Setting of Comedies A majority of Shakespeare’s comedies are set throughout contemporary Italy and the Mediterranean. During the 17th century, English writers were fascinated by their Italian neighbors and regarded them as passionate, devious, and often violent people. The Italian stereotype leant itself to the comedic elements in his plays that feature tangled plots of love and mistaken identity. In Shakespeare’s characterization of different Italian cities, Verona became associated with love (Romeo and Juliet and The Two Gentlemen of Verona), while Padua was a place of learning as described in The Taming of The Shrew. Reoccurring themes in Shakespeare’s comedies: Appearance vs. reality Elements of mistaken identity or disguise to advance the plot and characters Fate and fortune The influence of fate, fortune, or some obscure force that changes characters’ course of action Love and romance Characters that fall in love and must overcome various obstacles in order to be together- or die trying 4. Exploring the Setting of Tragedies Shakespeare’s tragedies include a protagonist, or tragic hero, battling internal or external obstacles. A majority of Shakespeares tragedies are based on historical figures, but because the sources of the stories were foreign and ancient, they are almost always classified as tragedies rather than histories. Shakespeare’s best-known tragedies are set in Great Britain and Scandinavia (Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth) or around contemporary Italy (Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus, Antony and Cleopatra, and Coriolanus). There were many social and political similarities in classical Rome and 17th century England, in which Shakespeare could reflect familiar stories to his audience that resonated with their experience living in Elizabethan England. The Roman tragedies raise questions about the consequences of political overthrow and the duty of citizens and their government. Reoccurring themes in Shakespeare’s tragedies: Death Conclusions often end in death to comment on human morality or to resolve conflicts in the plot Tragic flaw (hamartia) A character trait that leads to a fall from power or eventual demise Revenge Often motivated by uncontrolled jealousy that leads to tragic consequences 5. Exploring the Setting of Histories Shakespeare wrote ten historical plays that explore political themes of power and divine right with blended elements of tragedy and comedy. All ten history plays are named for and about English monarchs who ruled between the 12th and 16th centuries: Kings John, Edward, Richard II, Richard III, and Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, and Henry VIII. The history play explore the nature of kingship and what grounds are justifiable to oppose or overthrow it. While the majority of history plays are set in medieval England, they reflect the contemporary context of Shakespeare’s time and may be perceived as warnings to not repeat mistakes of the past. Reoccurring themes in Shakespeare’s histories: Ambition A motivator for characters to pursue positions of power or to overthrow those who currently possess it Corruption Characters who are corrupted by nature or circumstance that leads them to abandon their moral constraints Succession Who or what dictates kingship and how is one able to obtain that power Want more Shakespeare? Check out our other Shakespeare resources to use in your classroom: How to Understand Shakespeare’s Language †¨ William Shakespeare Lesson Plans and Activities†¨ Shakespeare Annotated Texts

15 Quotes Exploring the Complex Father-Son Relationship

15 Quotes Exploring the Complex Father-Son Relationship Dads and sons have a complex relationship.  As  Frank Herbert said,  What is the son but an extension of the father? Fathers try to pass on to their sons the knowledge of what it means to be a man and to be successful in life. Most fathers raise their boys based on their own experiences with their fathers, for better or worse. Former President George H.W. Bush It’s much worse to read criticism about your son than yourself. Johann Schiller It is not flesh and blood but the heart, which makes us fathers and sons. Aldous Huxley Sons have always a rebellious wish to be disillusioned by that, which charmed their fathers. George Herbert One father is enough to govern one hundred sons, but not a hundred sons, one father. Marlene Dietrich A king, realizing his incompetence, can either delegate or abdicate his duties. A father can do neither. If only sons could see the paradox, they would understand the dilemma. William Shakespeare When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry. Walter M. Schirra, Sr. You dont raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, theyll turn out to be heroes, even if its just in your own eyes. James Baldwin If the relationship of father to son could really be reduced to biology, the whole earth would blaze with the glory of fathers and sons. Robert Frost The father is always a Republican toward his son, and his mothers always a Democrat. Relationship Between the Father and His Teenaged Son The need to emulate the father seems to dissipate when kids reach adolescence. The rebellious hormones want nothing of the old mans wisdom. Most young teenagers want to distance themselves from their fathers. Relationships that were built with a bond of love and trust become strained  and withdrawn. Most fathers remain distant when their kids are growing, to avoid a clash of personality. Is this normal or a trend towards growing family discord? On the TV sitcom Home Improvement, starring Tim Allen. In one of the episodes, Wilson makes a wry comment: Parents are the bone on which children sharpen their teeth. What Im saying is that when a boy is young, he worships his father and in order for the boy to become a man, hes got to see his father as a fallible human being and stop seeing him as a god.   The cold war can continue well into the adult phase of the childs life  until he himself becomes a father. Sooner or later, the cycle of life allows the new father to reminisce his childhood days and recount the innumerable ways his  father showered love upon him. American actor James Caan once said, I never saw my dad cry. My son saw me cry. My dad never told me he loved me, and consequently, I told Scott I loved him every other minute. The point is, I’ll make fewer mistakes than my dad, my sons hopefully will make fewer mistakes than me, and their sons will make fewer mistakes than their dads. And one of these days, maybe we’ll raise a perfect Caan. Fathers and Sons Can Share a Bond Through Fun Activities Fathers who nurture their sons through projects and activities have a strong and healthy relationship. Usually, fathers and sons enjoy the same activities, whether fishing or football. Find an activity that suits you and your sons. You could choose to go camping with your son. Or consider teaching the young boy basic techniques of golf. If football is your first love, share anecdotes and funny stories with your boys  while catching up on the action on Super Bowl. These quotes about fathers and sons reflect on the wonderfully complicated relationship between boys and their fathers. On Fathers Day, help every father and son reach out to each other through these loving words. Alan Valentine For thousands of years, father and son have stretched wistful hands across the canyon of time, each eager to help the other to his side, but neither quite able to desert the loyalties of his contemporaries. The relationship is always changing and hence always fragile; nothing endures except the sense of difference. Confucius The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them. Ralph Waldo Emerson, (on the death of his son) My son, a perfect little boy of five years and three months, had ended his earthly life. You can never sympathize with me; you can never know how much of me such a young child can take away. A few weeks ago I accounted myself a very rich man, and now the poorest of all.