Trying to wrap my head around teaching Shakespeare to low-level English students again. This time it's Hamlet. It frustrates me to do things when I can't see the point.If the point is for students to understand and enjoy Shakespeare, they should just study a good translation in their literature class (which is happening this year with another play).
If the point is to expose students to authentic English literature, we should start them on something that bears at least a faint resemblance to the register of language, or structure, or themes of their regular class materials.
But instead, because Shakespeare is such a fundamental part of the cultural dimension of the language we teach, we drag him into our classrooms, so dumbed-down -- sorry, accessible -- he's hardly recognizable. And still in language far above the students' level(s). I wanted them to act out snippets of scenes, but I can't find a decent minute's worth of text that isn't too much of a mouthful.
Maybe that Shakespeare acting class has made me snobby, but the fun in Shakespeare is the language. And I still think that a good translation in Spanish is better than this English cut-and-paste paraphrase sitting in front of me. I can think of no better way of turning people off Shakespeare.
I still have to teach a Hamlet lesson tomorrow, so I am going to get back to my internet search for inspiration. Here is something I found along the way, just for fun.
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The big gripe at PTA meetings today is that such reading matter as Dick Dare and Dick and Jane are not important educational enough for elementary school children. Here is how we propose first-graders be exposed to the world's important literature.
See the man. What a funny man. His name is Hamlet. He is a prince. He is sad. Why are you sad, Hamlet?
"I am sad for my father has died" says Hamlet. "My father was the king." Where are you going, Hamlet?"
"I am going to the castle," says Hamlet.
On the way he meets a ghost. "Where are you going?" asks the ghost.
"I am going to the castle." says Hamlet
"Boo, Boo" says the ghost.
"What is you name, you silly ghost?" asks Hamlet clapping his hands.
"I am your father," says the ghost. "I was a good king. Uncle Claudius is a bad king. He gave me poison. Would you like poison?"
"Oh, no," says Hamlet. "I would not like poison."
"Will you avenge me, Hamlet?" says the ghost.
"Oh yes," says Hamlet. "I will avenge you. What fun it will be to avenge you."
On the way he meets a girl.
"Where are you going ?" asks the girl.
"I am going to the castle," says Hamlet.
"Ha, ha," says the girl.
"What is your name?" asks Hamlet.
"My name is Ophelia," says the girl.
"Why are you laughing?" asks Hamlet. "You are a silly goose."
"I laugh because you are so funny," says Ophelia. "I laugh because you are schizophrenic. Are you schizophrenic?"
"I am not schizophrenic," says Hamlet, laughing and clapping his hands.
"I pretended I am a schizophrenic. I pretend, for what to fool my uncle. What fun it is to pretend that I am a schizophrenic."
See Hamlet run. Run, Hamlet, run.
He is going to his mother's room.
"Oh, I have something to tell you mother." says Hamlet. "Uncle Claudius is bad. He gave my father poison. Poison is not good. I do not like poison. Do you like poison?"
"Oh, no indeed!" says his mother. "I do not like poison."
"Oh, there is Uncle Claudius," says Hamlet. "He is hiding behind the curtain. Why is he hiding behind the curtain? I shall stab him. What fun it will be to stab him through the curtain."
See Hamlet draw his sword. See Hamlet stab.
Stab, Hamlet, stab.
See Uncle Claudius's blood gush.
Gush, blood, gush.
See Uncle Claudius fall. How funny he looks, stabbed.
Ha. Ha. Ha.
But it is not Uncle Claudius.
It is Polonius. Polonius is Ophelia's father.
What fun Hamlet is having.
"You are naughty, Hamlet," says Hamlet's mother. "You have stabbed Polonius."
But Hamlet's mother is not cross. She loves Hamlet. He is a good boy.
And Hamlet loves his mother. She is a good mother. Hamlet loves his mother very much.
Hamlet loves his mother very, very much.
Does Hamlet love his mother a little too much?
Perhaps.
See Hamlet run, Run, Hamlet, run.
Where are you going Hamlet?
"I am going to find Uncle Claudius."
On the way he passes a brook. In the brook he sees Ophelia.
Ophelia is drowning.
"Where are you going?" asks the man.
"I am going to find Uncle Claudius."
"Oh ho! I am Laertes," says the man. "Let us draw swords. Let us duel."
"I don't think I'm going to find Uncle Claudius," says Hamlet.
See Hamlet and Laertes duel.
See Hamlet stab Laertes.
See Hamlet's mother drink poison.
See Hamlet stab King Claudius.
See everybody wounded and bleeding and dying and dead.
What fun they are having!
Wouldn't you like to play like that?
[http://www.geocities.com/gandril/Laughs/hamlet.html]
