Agincourt

Check out the battle! This is a pivotal event in the play.

For those who were out on field trips, we read and discussed two important soliloquy's in Act IV.1. These speeches follow the long discussion about who is responsible for the sin of those who die on the battlefield. This discussion points to the importance of Henry having justified his actions via the Church - it helps motivate his men. The first soliloquy has Henry describing the weight of power, the problems of a king. Other men can sleep while the king is awake. The second is a poignant prayer that God not punish Henry for the sins of his father during this battle. This is a clear example of the theme of God and Justification and the impact of the Universal Order. In these two speeches we see the real Henry V.

The quiz scheduled for today will be postponed until tomorrow.

Henry V Act I - II

We continue to see Shakespeare deftly develop Henry's character and shape the important themes of the play. In Act I the bishops tell us that Henry has changed. It's important to understand the context of the discussion to determine its believability. Henry has changed and that is proven when he responds to the Dauphin's tennis ball insult. He turns the mock back onto the Dauphin and uses it as a reason that he must invade France. The themes of God and Justification, Henry's Growth and his leadership are evident in these acts. Henry uses the Bishops and insult to claim that God is on his side. The Bishops and Henry's handling of the Dauphin's insult show that he has changed and all this supports the idea that he is a leader.

We see a rough side of Henry's character with the way he plays the traitors. We also see his strength and leadership in his decision to destroy the traitors even though they were his friends.

Finally, remember the roles the Bardolph, Nym, Pistol and Falstaff play as symbols of Henry's youth.

While I'm away...

My expectation is that you will be quiet and work hard while I am away.
Thank you!

May 11th

Students will read Act II, Scenes 2 & 4 * and create a:
1. Character list for the acts and identify character type for the character (see below for example)
2. summary of the act and scene
3. Identify themes in the act and support with reference to text

(we are skipping scenes that I will review in class. They are not needed for your understanding of the scenes you will review)

Make a chart like below for the assignment:

Characters Type Theme(s) with line numbers (Act, scene, line(s))


Summary of action

Students may view the movie after they read the text, but only after they’ve read


May 14th

Lesson: Writing workshop

Student will select a college essay prompt from the Common Application (copies included) and write a draft essay

The draft is due tomorrow.

Students will work quietly

Sonnets

I love sonnets - they are perfect structures of artistic beauty. They are challenging and creative. In the last few days we've reviewed two types of sonnets, the Italian (Petrarchan) and English (Shakespearean) sonnets.
Both have 14 lines, but the Italian consists of an octave and a sestet. The English has 3 quatrains and ends with a rhyming couplet. Keep this in mind as you craft your own sonnets and prepare for tomorrow's quiz.

English sonnet
14 lines in iambic pentameter
10 syllables –accent on second syllable
3 stanzas of four lines (quatrains) each and a final unit of two lines (couplet)
ABAB CDCD EFEF GG

Italian Sonnet
•Consists of an octave (an eight-line stanza)
•Rhyme is abbaabba
• a sestet (a six-line stanza)
•Rhyme is cdcdcd, or cdecde--or using some other variation of the cd or cde patterns
•No final rhymed couplet as in English sonnet
Volta = turning point

Unit Test

I was pleased with most of the canto presentations. Thank you for your work.

Your essay is due on Monday. We will finish the Inferno and begin to review for Wednesday's unit test. Begin by looking at the previous posts on this site; you'll find what I've stressed in class and will probably ask on the unit test. There will be many questions from the first six cantos. I tend to ask about mythical characters and sinners and the punishments that seem well connected. The cantos to review are 11,12,13,17,19,20,23,24,25,27, 32,33,34. Review your presentation notes and the summary for each canto. Make sure you review the material covered in the beginning of the unit on Dante's life, the use of numbers, the literary concepts from the text, and the theological connections. Even if you missed a canto presentation, or we did not read it in class, I expect that you will take the time to read it yourself and understand the basics. Use the format of the canto organizer as a tool to help you.

Some more thoughts:

Review notes from the beginning of the unit. Look on Student Public for the Dante PowerPoint presentations for fun facts that might appear on tests. Look at definitions for free will, allegory, parody, satire, imagery, King of Time. Review facts such as:

Dante goes to the Inferno to recognize sin
He goes to Purgatorio to renounce sin
This journey is a quest and his 'neukia'
The long list of mythical creatures (Centaurs, Minos, Minotaur, Charon, Styx)
Minos condemns sinner to their circle by wrapping his tail
Why the number 3 is important (Trinity)
That Dis is Lucifer and a parody of the Trinity
Dante starts his journey in the 'Dark Wood of Error'
His journey is an allegory

No voice today

How appropriate - my punishment in the Inferno is to have so much to say to you but to then cough so much I lose my voice.

Start with the SAT schema. You will have 10 minutes to complete the reading and questions.

After, you will have the rest of class to complete the outlines due tomorrow and begin the draft essay due on Friday. These dates are firm and no late work will be accepted.

The outlines will look something like this (which we discussed before)

I. Thesis Statement (I'd also suggest you develop your opening sentence)
II. Topic Sentence
A. Supporting quote - (canto. lines) example - X.23-24 (I'd suggest you write out the quote)
III. Topic sentence
A. Supporting quote
IV. Topic sentence
A. Supporting quote
V. Conclusion

Again, a good outline will also have more detail such as introductions to the quotes and followup sentences. Also, because of the blog format, the outline is not exactly as we discussed. Use the format with which you are most comfortable -just make sure you have the information necessary to complete the draft.

Your outline is easily expanded into your essay.

Welcome back!

Dis and the final ring of the Inferno, Cocytus

We will continue with the Dante Canto PowerPoint presentations. You are responsible for keeping notes since the Unit Test will include information from the student presentations. I will point out the more important sins, sinners, and punishments. I will review the final cantos with you. We finally reach Cocytus this week, the area of the great traitors and Dis.

Now, we have a lot on our plate for the remaining weeks of school. This week you will work on you essays. the outline is due on Thursday, the draft is due for peer review on Friday, and the final draft is due Monday. Please see me if you have questions.

The keys to a strong essay are a strong thesis, strong topic sentences, and supporting you ideas with references and quotes from the text. I will review thesis statements and topic sentences early this week. I know we've done this before, but it is still worth reviewing again.

The Unit test will be on Tuesday. We will review later this week and on Monday.

We start Shakespeare next week - Henry V and her sonnets. I hope you're as excited as I am.