Shakespeare Links

You will have today's class period ONLY to complete this assignment. PLEASE WORK DILIGENTLY!

I have gathered together several websites that have information about Shakespeare or his times. Use these websites to finish filling out your information guide to Shakespeare.

http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/shakespeare1

After you have completed the background information on Shakespeare, please choose one of the quotes after the jump. You will research how this quote is used in modern times by checking on The New York Times website for current articles that still use Shakespeare's words today. 

For fun, check out this hilarious parody of Forrest Gump for the life of William Shakespeare!

List of Shakespeare FAMOUS Quotes after the jump!

Shakespeare Wish I to Understand

Shakespeare's language sounds a little weird at first. But really, once you try to read those "fancy" words and funky word order, the story isn't that difficult to get. Check out this awesome example by comedian John Branyan: A Triune Tale of Diminutive Swine (recorded live show video here).


Shakespeare's language sounds funny because it is Early Modern English, not our Modern English that we speak every day. You see, our language has morphed from Germanic roots of Old English to the Latin influence of Middle English and additions of French during the Renaissance to create Early Modern English. Now this all happened through a series of mini, simple changes to the everyday language (known as vernacular) that later became a significant shift in how the language was spoken and written. Etymology and linguistics is supremely interesting, so be sure to check out some resources if it intrigues you to know why we spell some words "ie" and others "ei" (or "ph" and "f").

R&J Helpful Links

Sometimes, reading Shakespeare and figuring out what he means can be difficult. There are ZILLIONS of resources on the web, but here are a few that I recommend without the extraneous (and unreliable) high school student websites out there. I will continue to add to this post as I find more extremely helpful resources!

Easy Reading

• Audio version will full cast: Quick, fun, great voices!
• http://www.speak-the-speech.com/romeoandjuliet.htm
• OpenSource Shakespeare: Concordance, searchable texts, and easy navigation!
• http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/playmenu.php?WorkID=romeojuliet
• No Fear Shakespeare: A side-by-side Shakespeare text and modern text. Also available in book format to buy!
• http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/
• Bartleby: Online copy of Shakespeare’s text accompanied with line numbers
• http://www.bartleby.com/70/index38.html

Helpful Analysis

• Mr. Bruff offers detailed and sound analysis with a delightful British accent. He has many videos that can help you with other texts and assignments, too. The following are video analyses of Romeo and Juliet.
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqGFsWf-P-cB7YAoARj6iAFCglAfy9aN2