"Nothing can come from nothing"~ King Lear
After returning from Spring Break, we will be beginning Shakespeare's King Lear. Since we are delving further into poetry and ultimately, Shakespeare, it's imperative that we get a grasp on the rhythm and meter of poetry. While we have briefly mentioned iambic pentameter in class, we have not thoroughly explored the topic. The beginning of your poetry packet discusses meter; be sure to review this before watching this video. After watching the video, take the short quiz to see how you stack up! Click HERE to watch the Iambic Pentameter Lesson!- On the right side of the screen, click WATCH, to view the video.
- And then THINK to take the quiz (You don't have to do the writing questions, this is a quiz for you to self-assess).
- Read the DIG DEEPER section. Go to several of the links that seem interesting to you. Write a conversation starter about your findings. Respond to at least two other classmates.
- On your King Lear quizzes, there will be questions about meter. You will also be expected to know how to mark a poem for meter.
I was honestly fascinated by the comparison between Shakespeare and Hip-Hop. In the beginning of the linked video, Akala said a few lines and and asked the audience if they thought it was a quote from Shakespeare or a line from a song, and you really couldn't tell a difference. Afterwards, he rapped some quotes from Shakespeare and they sounded as if they were made to go with the beat. He explained that that is because of iambic pentameter and with that, any beat can go with it. One thing I really thought was interesting was that he mentioned that there is a debate on whether Shakespeare even wrote his plays or not because he wasn't in the stereotypical "intelligent group."Akala also compared this to the assumption of rappers being unintelligent but, an unintelligent rapper would get nowhere because their songs wouldn't work. He mentions that even though he wasn't, what we call, "top of the class," he gained intelligence through self-knowledge, proving the stereotype wrong.
ReplyDeleteI also love that he analyzed the meaning behind the title of "hip-hop." The word itself means intelligent movement. Also, one of the five elements of hip-hop is knowledge. Therefore, the genre itself is full of knowledge, just as Shakespeare was. Whether you gain your knowledge from school education or from life itself, there is no limit on who can be intelligent and who can't.
Alyssa, I found it interesting that the speaker made sure, before going into the similarities between Shakespeare and hip-hop, to distinguish between the origins of the movement as an intelligence movement and its modern representation. I thought the Shakespeare or hip-hop game was effective in its message of comparing Shakespeare to hip-hop in sound and form. I agree that the analysis of the meaning of hip-hop was interesting, and I like the way he used it as a lead in to his final message where he discusses the "custodians of knowledge" and the necessity for education.
DeleteI also enjoyed how Akala spoke about the assumption of rapper's being stereotypically unintelligent and how Shakespeare was also classified as "unintelligent" during his time. I definitely agree with the statement on whether you gain your knowledge from school or from life, because we all know there are people who lack common sense and are book smart and some that are book smart and can barely function in the real world.
DeleteThe Hip Hop Video was interesting to me. It was interesting to see how similar Shakespeare and hip-hop are. I figured that they would talk about just the stressed and unstressed syllables in both art forms, but Akala went much deeper than that. He even talked about similar cultural aspects. People today question whether Shakespeare even wrote his plays and poems because it seems too intelligently written when he was not part of the "intelligent group" of people at the time. Many people question the intelligence of rappers because they are not part of what our society thinks is an intelligent crowd. I liked how Akala talked about who was aloud to be the "custodians of knowledge." Much of society believes only the elite well-educated members of society can become intelligent, when intelligence is something that anyone can achieve.
ReplyDeleteHow different do you think high school English classes would be had Shakespeare never existed? His work has influenced so much. I think that poetry today would be very different if writers and poets had never been influenced by him.
Andrew, I also found the video interesting. I liked how he was able to put one of Shakespeare's sonnets to two different beats and it fit almost perfectly. English class would definitely be different had Shakespeare never existed. We have learned so much from him and he has influenced so much. I also agree that poetry today would be very different.
DeleteI believe everything would be completely different. Shakespeare had such an influence on vocabulary that had he not existed, and someone else contributed like he did, our vocabulary would still be completely different. Also, Shakespeare did not just influence vocabulary and literature, but also poetry, stories, music, and many things often make allusions to his work. Shakespeare has left such an deep and broad impact on every day life, that without his existence, everything would be extremely different, even rap songs!
DeleteI've never been a fan of Shakespeare, or recognized the value in his works, up until recently. I agree that he had so much influence on vocabulary and literature that without him, life would be different and language as a whole would have not progressed as much as it has. Rap would still be rap, even without Shakespeare, but I don't think it would have the emphasis on words or phrases that it now does.
DeleteSpeaking of of his influence of vocabulary, I also read on one of the links that Shakespeare was the first person to ever use the word "swagger." Although it meant something different and was used in literature rather songs, it goes to show how much of an influence he was and still is today. We have taken a word he first used in literature and brought it into rap/hip-hip songs and modern teenage language.
DeleteI will start this off saying how cool it is that Shakespeare wrote in Iambic Pentameter to mimic the ways of a heart, because I never sought to view it that way.
ReplyDeleteI found it funny that Jay Z and Shakespeare have anything in common, mostly because of how different their settings and overall work is. It was interesting that "swagger" is a word that seems really popular right now, no one would have thought that this was actually used first by Shakespeare. It is so weird to think that someone could just come up with words and they continue to be used so long after their creation. Had it been someone else that created the word, would it be used now? I do not think so.
In the NPR feature it showed where Shakespeare would be in a chart of number of unique words said within the first 35,000 lyrics. Shakespeare was fairly in the front of the chart. It is weird to think of rap and hip hop as poetry because of what they convey in modern day, but it is even weirder to group Shakespeare with all of these rappers. How does one even come up with so many words? Was it simpler for Shakespeare because it was so long ago? Did he just feel like no words the existed could describe what he wanted to say?
In the "views on dating" link, I thought it was interesting that it acknowledges how students seem to hate anything having to do with Shakespeare, yet the essential overall messages his work gives are universal. I believe the reason we students dislike this subject so much is because of how it is written. Everything seems so over complicated. I believe that students will continue to have this ambiguity towards anything Shakespeare, and it will even grow. As technology progresses, we seem to digress in reading and expect everything to be simple and fast. This will make future students have an even tougher time decoding his work.
Raxel, I also think Shakespeare's similarities with many of today's rappers is funny. Not only are some of the lyrics similar to Shakespearean language, but they also share similar backgrounds, as neither are part of the "intelligent group." I also agree that if "swagger" had been invented by someone else, we wouldn't use it. I believe that this is due to Shakespeare's credibility with inventing words.
DeleteYou have an interesting point of view on the "views on dating" link. I've never thought about Shakespeare getting harder to read as time progresses. I believe that, in addition to the advancement of technology, the general differences in slang and lifestyle will cause future generations to have a harder time understanding Shakespeare. Phrases and words that he used and invented are obviously being replaced by new phrases and words. If we get too far from Shakespeare's language, we definitely will not be able to understand what he is trying to say.
Raxel - It is very interesting how so much of Shakespeare's influence can be seen in modern music. After looking at some of the links, I researched the lyrics of some songs and found that many of them (although still rapping about their "swag" or "haters") still used many metaphors and puns; none of which I would have been able to think up myself. This gives me hope for future generations. Many students are able to decipher the symbolism and understand the metaphors and raps; meaning they can do the same for Shakespeare and other complicated plays and poetry. If teachers are able to create that link in students minds, then a true appreciation for the classics will not die out.
DeleteIn reply to your last comment about future generations and their attitude towards Shakespeare, I agree that they will struggle all the more with analysis of his work, and I think that another reason for this may be because of the desensitization of some of our most basic, rawest emotions. Like you said, we do live in a dominion of technology, and as a result, we often avoid verbal, personal communication and deeper investigation of problems, because technology offers easy, quick solutions. Since Shakespeare explored and developed intense human emotions through iambic pentameter, such as when Hamlet ponders the value of his existence, those who never developed healthy modes of expression would struggle to understand beyond Shakespeare's lofty and outdated vocabulary.
DeleteRaxel, I also thought about why Shakespeare made up so many of his own unique words.Firstly, think that it was because he wanted to create the perfect word to fit a situation, and secondly, I think that Shakespeare just thought it was funny. It must have been easier to create your own words in Shakespeare's time because there must have been fewer formal dictionaries to say what was right and wrong. For example, I have heard people argue over whether "y'all" is a word. The argument supporting it is that because it is in the dictionary, it is indeed a word.
DeleteRaxel, I definitely agree that the dislike of Shakespearean works will continue to grow in future generations sheerly because the most recent generations (namely, ours) has come to expect things to happen instantaneously because of how quick technology has made things. I think this expectation of everything being fast has made it so we don't want to take the time to dissect what Shakespeare is saying. He says things in a very complex, ambiguous fashion and as time progresses, I believe students are going to get more and more impatient with trying to understand what he's saying. His words are genius and there's often multiple layers of meaning behind them, but I agree that future students will have an even tougher time getting through his works because they will expect to have an instantaneous understanding of them and that's just not possible if you want to truly appreciate what's being said.
DeleteRaxel, I also found the relation between iambic pentameter and the heart beat interesting. I never would have looked at it that way either. What made it even more interesting was Akala saying that that relationship makes it more relatable to us because we all experience the sound and feel of a heart beat everyday, making iambic pentameter easier to follow.
DeleteI found the Hip Hop and Shakespeare video to be the most interesting. While I have a hard time understanding English accents (probably because of my own Southern accent) I really enjoyed the part I could understand. I thought it was interesting that it's hard to decipher between rap lyrics and Shakespeare's quotes. Maybe his accent just made the rap lyrics sound elegant (just kidding). I thought it was cool that he could put one of Shakespeare's sonnets to 2 different beats almost perfectly. This goes to show how natural iambic pentameter is in the English language. It's also genius that it mimics the heart. I had no clue that "hip hop" means knowledge movement. We often stereotype rappers as being ignorant or just plain dumb, but often this is not the case. While today raps don't always convey an intelligent message, they sometimes do. The original hip hop movement was meant to bring knowledge and inspire people to overcome their backgrounds and reach their full potential.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the "dating tips" link, I would just like to say, if men today spoke like Shakespeare instead of "aye shawty hit me up," I would be a very happy girl. But seriously, the depth of his metaphors and the thought he put into complimenting a girl is very sweet and flattering.
The insult link was also interesting. I would've never thought Hamlet was calling Pelonious a "fishmonger" because he was actually calling him a pimp for using his daughter to get information from him. It amazes me how much thought Shakespeare put into simply insulting someone. He could probably insult me and it would be so far over my head I wouldn't even notice he was insulting me.
Taylor - I definitely agree with you about the dating tips link. I would much rather a guy compare me to a rose or a summers day than just use the usual "hot". A frying pan can be hot. I want to be a rose. Also, your point about how it was cool that he could put the sonnet to different beats made me think of a question. Couldn't a poem be trochaic or iambic just depend on how a certain person reads a poem? Just as with accents, some people emphasize different words or fragments of words depending on where they were raised. I noticed that while completing the packet, I would read the poem differently that it said I should.
DeleteTaylor- I completely agree that the compliment to a girl is a lot more flattering if dolled up in vocabulary, but Shakespeare went out of his way to make everything extensive and wordy. Yes, that's a sweet compliment. Yes, that's a mean insult. I found it all just redundant and useless. You get a lot more response out of compliment that used so much effort to be thought of. So in some cases, Shakespeare's way is better. In other cases, getting to the point is more effective.
DeleteTaylor, I definitely think that if our men today were to take the time and effort to carefully compliment ladies around them, our world may be much different and men would gain respect for their actions. I think that these simplified comments, such as "you're hot' or other much vulgar ones have given guys of our culture a bad name and contributed to the idea that they see women as objects of sex only.
DeleteTaylor, I also find it amazing that he could put Shakespeare to a rap beat and go with it. It wasn't even just a few lines, it was several minutes that he kept it going. As far as hip-hop meaning knowledge movement, I wish some of today's "artists" would keep that in mind. Our stereotypes get in the way of understanding what a hip-hop artist might have to say.
DeleteFor the "fishmonger" insult, it was originally something I would have just skipped over, but analyzing the meaning made the whole situation funnier. It's Shakespeare, of course every word has meaning, but skipping over the insult and just leaving it at "funny" doesn't fulfill the passage. I wish I could make insults like his.
While I was watching Akala’s video, my mom had walked into my room. I had told her earlier that I couldn’t help her cook dinner because I had homework to do. She happened to walk in at the 5:52 minute mark on the video: where Akala raps Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18. She said (in a very irritated voice I might add) “Eryn, I thought you said you were doing homework???” It was an odd conversation to try to explain to her that I actually WAS doing homework. This exemplified exactly how similar Shakespeare and modern hip-hop music can be. This reminded me of a song by Blues Traveler “The Hook” which is about how many people merely like songs because they are “catchy” and have good rhythm. The song begins with the lyrics “It doesn’t matter what I say, So long as I sing with inflection.” It may not have been written with iambic pentameter or Shakespeare himself in mind, but it gets my point across. The most “catchy” part of the song strings together random phrases such as “Suck it in suck it in suck it in, If you're Rin Tin Tin or Anne Boleyn, Make a desperate move or else you'll win, And then begin to see what you're doing to me, this MTV is not for free, It's so PC it's killing me” but because of the beat and the rhyme scheme you can’t help but want to sing along; and as a result, this song was a hit when it was first produced.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to hear that hip-hop means intelligence movement. But, after thinking about it, the concept makes sense. Although a lot of hip-hop songs now focus on the subjects of alcohol, drugs, and girls there are still many that have lyrics that draw attention to global concerns such as unfair schooling, corruption in our political system, and the obstacles that youth face in modern society. An example of one of these songs is “Mosh” by Eminem. The song focuses on political corruption in war (“No more blood for oil, we got our own battles to fight on our own soil”) and how Americans need to stand together and fight and protest for what they believe in (“Let us beg to differ as we set aside our differences and assemble our own army”). Just like Shakespeare and other poetry, modern rap and hip-hop can be utilized as a tool to draw attention to important issues or tell a story.
Eryn, I think you had good examples of modern music that challenges societal norms. I agree that while many modern rap songs are vulgar and far from inspirational, some artists to take advantage of their musical outlet to advocate unpopular beliefs and promote change. I think we don't usually make connections between Shakespeare and rappers because, compared to Shakespeare, many rappers have little credibility. Even after watching the video, I don't think of rappers as modern Shakespeares, and even the most "inspirational" songs tend to spark only momentary pangs of emotion and sentiment, whereas Shakespeare's work is universal and timeless.
DeleteEryn, I agree with what you said about how hip-hop has been a useful tool in drawing attention to important issues, but you are also right about how a lot of the music focuses on subjects like alcohol and drugs and of course, women. For every song about injustice in society or political corruption, there is another song about abusing drugs or degrading women. I think Nancy is right about how Shakespeare's work is much more timeless than the hip-hop of today, even if there are striking similarities between the two.
DeleteAfter viewing Steven Pinker's video on our "language habits" I agree that human language is only a "window of human nature" because its dynamic nature forces its constant adaptation. I thought Pinker's discussion on the arrangement of verbs in sentences was interesting, because by manipulating their placement, the attention of the sentence shifts. I liked the way Stephen Burtz put it in his video: what defines a poem its voice constructed through form. I never really considered how as readers, our analysis is influenced by the speaker, how we feel towards them as we engage in a "conversation." As we've already seen, the theme of life and death is very common in poetry, but Burtz makes a good point in that the speed and meter of a poem can reflect the brevity of life. This was the first time I've heard of "language poets" who write poetry in almost unrelated fragments to emphasize its argument, such as in "The Garden."
ReplyDeleteI also watched Steven Pinker's video and I found it fascinating. People tend to think of the dictionary as the end all of language but really, language is a dynamic, adaptable, constantly changing phenomenon. Just think about all the slang/AAVE that permeates our culture: "bae", "on fleek", even words like "neat" or "cool" are things people have just "made up."
DeleteI was amazed by the video on Shakespeare’s insults. I had no clue that they had so much meaning behind them. The best example of this is Hamlet calling Polonius a fishmonger. Not only is he calling the man a low-standing seller of a rather smelling merchandise (which serves to characterize Polonius), but it sounds very similar to fleshmonger, meaning a pimp of sorts as the video described it. So he also says that Polonius is pimping out his daughter. Shakespeare uses insults to characterize, to create tension and conflict, and to define a setting and the feelings of those contained within, all the while still causing the audience to laugh. The more I learn about the complexities of Shakespeare’s writings, the more amazed I am that anyone could accomplish so much with language that seems only a fraction as complicated at first glance. As I was reading the article and saw that Shakespeare first used the term “swagger,” so then I was curious so see how many words he invented that we still use today. The numbers I found seem to indicate over 1700. It amazes me that one man’s influence on our language is so great that he could change the way we speak and the words that we use.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the insults Shakespeare employed have layered meanings. In addition to creating tension and conflict, I think the insults can shape the characterization of a certain character, especially when told from a first-person point of view.
DeleteThe Shakespearean insult video reminded me of you, Kyle! In the most complimentary way, of course. I think looking at "Shakespearean insults" i a cool way to examine how much humanity HASN'T changed. We just love to find new ways to insult each other.
DeleteI didn't know that we used so much of Shakespeare language in our modern day vocabulary! You would think that some of the words had become out dated from his era so it is interesting that it is still used in our modern day vocabulary.
DeleteI find it really interesting that Shakespeare was able to not only insult someone but also characterize them in just one statement. I also think it's crazy how many words that he invented are still used today, despite the differences in the eras.
DeleteThis is something I had no clue of before reading, but I think it is the most interesting thing! You would think that reading through shakespeare all the terms are so outdated and hardly relatable today, but the amount of words that we use today that originated from him astounds me. I must say, I thought the words such a swagger and pimp were only created in the last 30years or so, but I was clearly wrong! It blows my mind how intelligent Shakespeare must have been and how much talent he had as a writer.
DeleteI always thought Shakespeare had an interesting way of insulting people. It was a way of both showing their character, yet still being able to insult them. Like Shelby said, this very much reminds me of you with Shakespearian insults and I would not be surprised if you used them in real life.
DeleteI watched Shakespeare's "dating tips" video and it drew similarities between the metaphors Shakespeare created to win over the women in his plays and the common language guys use to win over women today. The Old English Shakespeare used is sometimes hard for us now to understand, but a phrase such as "She doth teach the torches to burn bright" simply means "she is hot." To contrast and compare the compliments given in Shakespeare's time and today, I would say that those back then are more romantic and more complex and today's are straightforward, but they essentially mean the same thing at the core. The sexual innuendos Shakespeare often employed in his plays add a touch of scandal. Like the compliments, they are often complex and ambiguous. In Shakespeare's day, they probably would have made the women blush, but today, most women would be disgusted because the sexual innuendos today are more straightforward.
ReplyDeleteMaddi, I noticed too that in the dating tips video Shakespeare's essential meaning in the compliments were mostly underlying and not blatantly noticed by those being complimented, where as today compliments are extremely blunt. After watching the video, it made me wonder if modern people of today would want to take the time to make their compliments to others more eloquent and respectable like Shakespeare did, or keep them easy and short where they could possibly be taken out of context.
DeleteI wonder why the compliments of today are so straightforward and simplistic compared to Shakespeare's. It could be that we are simply comparing one of the most eloquent writers of all time to everyday language and that the disparities between these two make them incomparable. I wonder if the average compliment from the average speaker during Shakespeare's time was more complex than from ours and just how the "pick-up lines" from these two eras would compare to one another.
DeleteI have always wondered what has formed our society into the way it is today and what has created the harsh ways of speaking to people that we associate with now. I think that it is crazy to look at the comments in Shakespearean society compared directly with the comments used today. The comments towards women back then were so much more respecting and loving and all together romantic while in today's society, many people think it is weird for people to be complete romantics now. What has caused this view to change so much?
DeleteAfter reading the link on how many times Shakespeare used the word "blood" in Macbeth and watching the video on Shakespearean dating tips, I realize just how diverse Shakespeare's words were and still are today and the levels of meaning they employ. "Blood" was used in Macbeth both literally and figuratively in means that were often subtle or meant to be taken harshly. I liked that he used one simple word so flexibly throughout the work as a whole. Not only does it show his capabilities as a writer, but it could have set a stage for others to look beyond a direct connotation and see what else could be done with a short word, allowing for more meaningful plays or poems. In the dating tips video, I found it interesting that the seemingly complex phrases of the Shakespearean era have been simplified enough to still be in use today. The tone that the narrator spoke Shakespeare's complimentary phrases in helped me to understand the way that they would have been accepted at the time in contrast to the tone used when men of today used the simplified version. Both of these links gave me a deeper understanding of how eloquent Shakespeare was and the reputation with which he was viewed if the words and phrases he initially came up with are still able to be commonly found and respected in our modern world.
ReplyDeleteI think the utilization of "blood" in Shakespeare's works is interesting as well, and I really hadn't thought of the various ways the word could be received. Shakespeare's ability to change words to fit his writing amazes me and as you said, it set the stage for others and it continues to do so. I also like your take on the "dating tips" because Shakespeare's phrases were eloquent compared to the modern simplified versions and that is why they were so well received.
DeleteAbby, I also noticed how Shakespearean phrases have evolved into common ones we still use today. Men today say similar things as they did in Shakespeare's plays except in a very blunt manner which often makes it offensive. The eloquent Shakespeare way of saying a compliment to a girl versus the modern, blunt way have a very sharp contrast and I think that a middle ground between the flowery Shakespeare version and the modern blunt version would be the nicest thing to hear. Shakespeare is obviously a sheer genius in how he both complimeted and insulted people in ways that probably went over their heads at times. His phrases were delicately crafted and I think it's so cool how there's meaning behind every little thing he says.
DeleteI personally enjoyed the content on comparing Shakespeare and hip-hop, just because I love hip-hop/rap etc. etc. a lot. I noticed a lot of people were like " Wow it's super weird to put Shakespeare in the same category as rappers blah blah blah" but if you really think about it, they (rappers an Shakespeare) aren't that different. I mean, Shakespeare was straight vulgar. In Romeo and Juliet, arguably Shakespeare's most famous work, Mercutio teases Romeo with jokes that are blatantly sexual. Shakespeare's expressions of sexuality are of the same realm that holds artists that rap about "throwing hunneds." The same thing goes for Shakespearean "flirting." The sexual intent is still there, it's just cloaked in flowery Middle English. In summary: people back then were gross and continue to be gross.
ReplyDeleteI also thought this section was very interesting and eye-opening at the same time. I thought that it was awesome how people find ways to connect older literary history to the media and art in modern times. I didn't think about it until you mentioned it that, like rappers today, Shakespeare was also very vulgar in his works and didn't try to sugar coat anything. If he felt it was important to be said he was going to say it. This is part of what makes Shakespeare such a wonderful writer.
DeleteI also enjoyed this section not only because it helped me understand what iambic pentameter really is, but I liked how it connected Shakespeare to rappers and you're right, they really aren't that different. When you read out a rap song, it can easily be translated into some sort of meter. Shakespeare was known for throwing blatantly sexual references into his work, and Romeo and Juliet is no exception. He didn't hide anything from his audience, and had no intention to.
DeleteShelby, I truly admire your bluntness. Shakespeare did always cover up his insults with the most elegant language possible, but they really were very directed and cruel at times. The example from Romeo and Juliet of "I bite my thumb at thee" used to just seem weird to me, but it is actually something comparable to what we do today to our enemies. It actually heightens the mood of hate between gangs, where I used to just read over the flowery language. The words are definitely important.
DeleteFirst off, I have never understood iambic pentameter completely and even now, I don't know that I can say I do. However, the reading provided insight into various aspects of Shakespeare's Iambic pentameter that I had never thought of or fully realized. It's amazing that Shakespeare put so much thought into each of his lines of poetry and it's even more amazing the "bursts" of meaning, emotion and power that result from them. Whether it's the words, the rhythm, or the form, Shakespeare works can provide vast connections to varying areas of society that are normally overlooked.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the parallels to music that are presented through the "The Hip Hop Shakespeare Company" because it is a more modern application that allows for a different view of Shakespeare's works. Additionally, I like that the Company brings rhythm and meter "alive" through technology and digital media.
Another link in the reading I found interesting was the "National Shakespeare Competition" because it is unique and targets Shakespeare's works through competition. I think fun filled competition is one of the best ways to promote and enhance learning and in this case, it allows students to delve into the language of Shakespeare that is filled with such "beauty" and "power" that is described. Honestly, although I can't say I would be inclined to join because of my inability to recite phrases or speeches accurately, I think our school would benefit from joining or having a competition like this one.
Joanna Fletcher- I thought it was very interesting that iambic pentameter has the rhythm of a heartbeat. I think that adds a whole new level of depth to what's being said because it's like the words are being spoken from the heart which is what everyone associates with true feelings. I just thought that was really cool because it almost adds more meaning to what's being said. I thought the little insult clip was pretty funny because of how Hamlet basically called polonius a pimp when he called him a fish monger. We read that play last year in English 3 and I definitely never made that connection. His insults are very creative and I thought the insults video really made you think about the words that Shakespeare chooses. In other Shakespearean plays I have read, I have sometimes just skimmed over things like that because I didn't really think they were important, but that clip really highlighted to me how much thought Shakespeare out into every little thing he wrote. I think it's very interesting that Shakespeare created over 2000 words that are now in the Oxford dictionary. It made me wonder how those definitions were established and if people were super confused when they first heard the words in plays. It really shows how much of a literary genius he was because I don't think any other writer can lay claim to creating that many words that are now used in everyday language. I found the dating tips clip to be funny as well and I definitely agree that something more eloquent than "you're hot" is what girls want to hear, but at the same time
ReplyDeleteShakespeare's compliments are a little too wordy/flowery and over the top for me. Granted, they're pretty words but I think they're a little superfluous. I thought all these videos made Shakespeare seem more relatable and a little less intimidating, but the intimidation factor will probably come back once we start to read King Lear.
I also thought the heart beat rhythm was interesting. I thought it was very symbolic of the type of work that Shakespeare was writing. It was meant to impose deep emotions, which comes from the heart. I also thought it was interesting how he used this to help the actors remember there lines better. Somewhere I read that the sound of a heartbeat is soothing to people and put us in a calm mental state. This might also play into the use of the iambic pentameter in relation to the heart.
DeleteI thought is was very cute that the iambic pentameter matches up with that of a heart beat. Of course, I'm sure Shakespeare was aware of this because it adds a certain level of emotion to his plays. It lets the audience know that there is deep emotion tied to his writing, no just simple rhymes and rhythm.
ReplyDeleteI also found it interesting that Shakespeare was one of the first to use the term "swagger" in any play or piece of writing. it is interesting to see how the modern day world has adopted this term into our society and used it slightly different from how Shakespeare used it. Shakespeare used it to show more of a confident person while in modern time this is considered someone "cool".
I agree it was really funny to find out that iambic pentameter matches up with a heart beat I had never heard of that before and once I realized I had to stop for a moment and think about it over and over in my head because I was so amazed. I agree this probably had a very emotional effect on his audience.
DeleteI like the thought of comparing iambic pentameter with a heartbeat because I feel like it evokes more senses (along with the emotion you mentioned). Reading and feeling a heartbeat would greatly emphasize a moment of terror, rush, or nervousness.
DeleteAfter watching the video on iambic pentameter, I feel like I understand it much better than before, especially after taking the quiz and seeing that I knew what iambic pentameter was. What drew my attention automatically was the Open Source Shakespeare and how many times the word "blood" appeared just in Macbeth. I was crazy to me to see how many times one word is used sometimes to draw the readers attention to the symbolic meaning of a word and the deeper meaning that it brings to a piece of work. I thought the Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company was very interesting because it finds a way to relate Shakespeare's work to the present media. This is a way for teenagers to understand Shakespeare's meaning and the brilliance of his work. Lastly, I thought the National Shakespeare Competition was very interesting because it shows how many Shakespeare lovers are out there and how important they take his books. It shows the passion people contain for true works of art such as Shakespeare's.
ReplyDeleteWatching the video really helped me too. I've always struggled with understanding and recognizing iambic pentameter and taking the quiz really made me fell more confident with it. I completely agree with you on the use of the word "blood" in Macbeth. It really is amazing of how the repetition of this word can focus readers and listeners onto the full/symbolic meaning that Shakespeare was trying to get across. This paired along with how Shakespeare partly used iambic pentameter because it was easier for his audience to understand and carried a emotion feel makes me realize how focused on his audience Shakespeare was.
DeleteI am definitely intimidated by poetry and iambic pentameter but, after watching the video I feel that I understand it much better than before. I thought it was really interesting that there is a Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company because it brings out the similarities between poetry and music. I also thought it was cool that they used Shakespeare's Macbeth to inspire the plot of Scarface. In the end, I enjoyed how the video explained that Shakespeare used iambic pentameter because it was easiest for the actors to memorize because it follows the rhythm of the heart bringing out the intensity of the lines.
ReplyDeleteLindsey, I also liked how Shakepeare and music could relate. It's as if Shakepeare can be related to almost anything. The heartbeat compared to iambic pentameter in the video provided a great way for me to memorize what iambic pentameter is. Also, the guy walking through the sand and his footprints and steps acting as the stressed and unstressed syllables were a really great way for me to visualize. I was surprised to learn that Macbeth inspired Scarface! After reading your comment I went back through and learned about that, and it reinforces my thought about Shakespeare relating to lots of things.
DeleteLindsey, I am in the same boat as you when it comes to poetry and iambic pentameter. I am intimidated by it just from solely reading it, but when I heard it in the video I am more confident in my understanding of iambic pentameter. After reading your comment, I was really surprised that Macbeth inspired Scarface!
DeleteAfter reading about the National Shakespeare competition, I found it very interesting how after so many years of Shakepeares works being around, students are still utilizing his monologues in such an effective way. Not only do I find it amazing that students take it upon themselves to memorize his works, but also that they do it in front of large crowds at this competition each year. The benefits are incredible, including the imporement in public speaking the students gain, scholarships and the potential for a study-acting trip to England. The fact that there are three different levels of this competition convey its importance and how seriously is it taken. I never knew there was such a thing, but it makes me wonder what other types of competitions there are out there. This competition illuminates how Shakespeare's works truly are timeless, and the complexity of them provides a nice challenge for students which enhance their intellectual abilities.
ReplyDeleteI've always been curious about why Shakespeare favored iambic pentameter so much; when the video talked about how it was easier of the actors to memorize it made me think back to psychology where when we learned about how it easier for the brain to remember numbers grouped together, like phone number, then just a long list of numbers (I just thought this was an interesting comparison). Like a lot of people I'm always amazed when I think about how many phrases and words Shakespeare gave us like "full circle", "my kingdom for a horse", "good riddance", "love is blind" and (probably my favorite) "eaten me out of house and home". It's hard to imagine not having all these phrases and the words we received from him and at the same time it's hard to imagine that one man in responsible for giving the world at large all of these. This all makes me think about how students are often confused or annoyed by how much Shakespeare we focus on in school but she you think about how much Shakespeare contributed to literature and language in general it seems justified how much focus we put on him. Learning that iambic pentameter matches a heartbeat was a really entertaining moment for me, I had to stop for a second and listen to my heartbeat and speak along with it.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you related the use of iambic pentameter with the brain's short-term memory capacity--the brain can remember groups of information known as "chunking." This is why phone numbers are chunked into 3s and 4s (not including area code) and if we are given 7 numbers, we automatically process them as a phone number. Iambic pentameter, which is 2 syllables per 5 chunks, would be quite easy to remember, not only because it sounds a lot like regular English, but because the brain chunks together this information more efficiently and gets it to long-term memory quicker.
DeleteWhen watching the video, (the part where a line would appear on screen and effects would show the stressed/unstressed sections and a voice would put emphasis on stressed) I realized how much more interesting it is to follow the lines, rather than blandly reading straight through it. Applying to your comment, it would definitely be easier for an actor to remember it that way.
DeleteI thought the video was very interesting, especially how it compared Shakespeare to hip hop. It put a very complicated and confusing topic into a more modern and easier format, which was a big help. I have noticed the similarities in rap and some forms of poetry, but seeing a link between JayZ and Shakespeare took that to a brand new level.
ReplyDeleteThe video itself helped me understand iambic pentameter a bit better, but I still have issues with it. Maybe the more we do it with King Lear, the more I will be able to understand it. But I liked that instead of just reading it in my head, I was able to see and hear it.
Shakespeare has always been an interesting character for me, not just his works but his life as a writer. He is claimed to be one of the most genius playwrights to ever live, I completely agree. Shakespeare took the English language to new boundaries by creating some of the words that we use on a regular basis today just because he couldn't find the right word so he made up his own. Shakespeare is credited to have created over 2000 words that are now in the Oxford English Dictionary, and he created them just so they could be in his plays. Granted that some of these words when put together were a bit long winded when translated into our modern language, but he got the point across appropriately for the time period he was writing in. That is what has always impressed me about Shakespeare. He had always followed the "beat of his own drum" when it came to writing and that 's how he became so successful.
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ReplyDeleteI thought that it was interesting to read how Shakespeare and our modern day hip hop music relate. However, after reading an article from nosweatshakespeare.com that branches off the ideas of the Hip Hop Shakespeare Company, you can see the actual lack of contrast between S and Hip Hop.
ReplyDelete“The similarities between hip-hop music and Shakespeare’s theatre are striking.”.
This was a quote from hiphopshakespeare.com and at first read, this statement can sound somewhat exaggerated due to the giant time gap between Shakespeare and Eminem. The article I read at nosweatshakespeare.com asked you read lines of either Shakespeare or an rapper and determine the real author. It was interesting because literally all the ones that you would place as a work of Shakespeare were really by Jay-Z or Eminem
The quiz:
“A quick pop quiz for you, do you think the quotes below words are from a hip hop track or Shakespeare play?
1 “To destroy the beauty from which one came”
2 “Maybe it’s hatred I spew, maybe it’s food for the spirit”
3 “Men would rather use their broken records than their bear hands”
4 “I was not born under a rhyming planet”
5 “The most benevolent king communicates through your dreams”
6 “Socrates, philosophy and hypotheses can’t define me”
Pop quiz answers:
1 Hip hop: Jay-Z
2 Hip hop: Eminem
3 Shakespeare: Othello
4 Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing
5 Hip hop: Wu-Tang Clan
6 Hip hop: Wu-Tang Clan”
I thought the hip-hop and Shakespeare video was the most interesting. We make all of these negative assumptions about hip-hop based about what we see in the media, but there is actually lots of thought behind it. It was impossible for me to tell which quotes were from hip-hop and which were from Shakespeare. At the end when he started rapping all of the quotes from Shakespeare, I was amazed at how easily it fit into a beat like that. I knew it had a beat, but I thought it was sound just like old English, not like anything that would be so closely related to stuff from this generation. I think that shows how standard iambic pentameter really is. Its simplicity allows you to be flexible with a structure, which I originally assumed was rigid since it was from old English Shakespeare. That is also why I was very interested in the heartbeat theory. As you are reading, you follow such a natural pattern that it is easy to catch on. I think actors could remember this heartbeat pattern easily because it works the same way song lyrics work; the pattern gives the words a new layer of meaning and emphasis. The new dimension lets certain things stick out, making it more memorable.
ReplyDeleteThe insults that Shakespeare had were so much better than anything we use today, at least for me. They are so thought out and educated that even the audience misses them, not just the characters who are being ridiculed. When the video pulled out the insults and analyzed them, the entire meaning of the passage could change, so as we read King Lear it is important to take phrases we are not familiar with and find out what they are actually saying, because it could change the way we view the story. It is especially difficult to stop and consider these foreign phrases when the rhythm of the passage drives forward, but it was definitely worth the time to think about some of the insults even I have heard, but never considered, pulling out new meaning and giving life to the scenes where they grow.