The Life and Works of William Shakespeare

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 4

The Life and Works of William Shakespeare

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to understand the life and works of William Shakespeare and one of his sonnets.

Introduce the learning objective and explain to the students what they will be learning throughout the lesson.

What do you already know about Shakespeare ?

Who was William Shakespeare?

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor who is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language.

Introduce Shakespeare's background and discuss his impact on literature.

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets which were first published in 1609. They are known for their exquisite language, emotional depth, and timeless themes.

Introduce Shakespeare's sonnets and explain their significance.

Structure of a Sonnet

A sonnet is a 14-line poem written in a certain rhythm called 'iamb'. 

 It is divided into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final couplet (two-line stanza).

We are going to look at this later on. 

Explain the structure of a sonnet and its components.

Themes in Shakespeare's Sonnets

Shakespeare's sonnets explore themes such as love, beauty, time, mortality, and the nature of poetry itself.

Discuss the various themes that Shakespeare's sonnets explore and encourage students to think critically about how these themes are relevant today.

Analysis of a Sonnet

Let's analyze Sonnet 18: 

'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' This sonnet is one of Shakespeare's most famous and is known for its beautiful language and imagery.

Provide a sonnet analysis activity and encourage students to think critically about Shakespeare's language and imagery. Provide handouts if necessary.

Famous Quotes from Shakespeare's Sonnets

Shakespeare's sonnets have produced many famous quotes, such as 

'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' 

and 

'Let me not to the marriage of true minds.'

Introduce famous quotes from Shakespeare's sonnets and discuss their significance.

Famous Quotes from Shakespeare's Sonnets

Shakespeare's sonnets have produced many famous quotes, such as 

'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' 

and 

'Let me not to the marriage of true minds.'

Introduce famous quotes from Shakespeare's sonnets and discuss their significance.

Analyse sonnet 18

You have  Sonnet 18 on paper,

we are going to have a look,

try to read it 

and find out what we are able to understand 

Introduce famous quotes from Shakespeare's sonnets and discuss their significance.

Analyse sonnet 18

Let's find out what the sonnet is about:  

Introduce famous quotes from Shakespeare's sonnets and discuss their significance.

Assignment

In classroom there is the assignment for Sonnet 18,

we are going to read this together

you are doing the assignment in class

Go to Classroom

Summarize the key points of the lesson and encourage students to continue exploring Shakespeare's sonnets on their own.

Wrap Up

In conclusion, Shakespeare's sonnets are a testament to his genius as a writer and his enduring impact on literature. We hope you enjoyed learning about his life and works!

Summarize the key points of the lesson and encourage students to continue exploring Shakespeare's sonnets on their own.

Shakespeare's sonnets should be translated into modern English.

Yes, it will make them more accessible.

No, it will ruin the original language.

Yes, it's necessary for non-native English speakers.

No, it's important to preserve the original language.

We should prioritize teaching Shakespeare's sonnets in the school curriculum.

Yes, Shakespeare's works are timeless.

No, his language is too difficult.

Yes, his influence on literature is important.

No, we should focus on more diverse authors.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.