Thought for the week

"Ignorance exists in the map, not in the territory."

Shakespeare in a nutshell

Romeo and Juliet is decidedly NOT my favourite Shakespeare play. I find the contrivances of the plot so extreme as to be ludicrous, and the final double-suicide of the teen lovers leaves me utterly unmoved - indeed I find it more comical than tragic. I also consider it a bit patronising how teenagers are so often expected to find this the most engaging and accessible of Shakespeare's works just because, you know, it's about teenagers (and forbidden love, and not getting on with your parents, and all that). In my experience, most teenaged students forced to study the text share these reactions: they find it a jolly romp, but they are not moved by it. They may appreciate some of the marvellous language and characterization in it, but they do not find it speaks particularly to them or their age group.

Yet I am forced to take this as one of my set texts this year because of a rigid habit established by our parent school (next year I may - shall - rebel!). And so I am determined to rattle through it as fast as is humanly possible (not quite this fast, but very, very briskly), hoping to allow my students to enjoy it as a piece of theatre, as a performance - without getting into too much analysis.

Luckily, I find assistance in this endeavour from the admirable John Green, who has compressed all the analysis of R&J you could ever want into two 12-minute Youtube clips in his occasional CrashCourse series of tutorials.

Part II can be viewed here.

Thought for the week

"The secret to serendipity is keeping your eyes open."

Caught on camera

A couple of months ago, my Film students were getting their first practice in filming some short interviews with staff or peers, as a preliminary exercise in their new unit of study on 'Documentary'. Three of them - Yudo Wong, Abi Yee, and Ciara Jacob - decided to do me.

Thought for the week

"What is now proved was once only imagined."