Patricia I. Cortez Bronx Leadership Academy High School

A Web Quest for a British Literature Course (12^th grade)

A STUDY OF GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS AND IN THE THEATER OF HIS DAY

“All the world’s a stage…” from As You Like It

INTRODUCTION

You will be entering a time machine that will be taking you back to William Shakespeare’s day. Since the majority of you are in the Performing Arts Academy you will be seeking acting positions. All actors were men during this period. If your gender is male, you will be exploring your professional concerns about performing with male actors playing all the female parts. If your gender is female, you will be examining your profound wishes to be an actor in any of Shakespeare’s play houses. Keep in mind that the ruling monarch is Queen Elizabeth I and that you are in the English Renaissance period.

TASK

You will have to create and present a Power Point Presentation and a three page typed report on the topic of gender discrimination in Shakespeare’s plays and in Shakespeare’s theaters of his day. For either project you will have to use the 6-step public policy approach:

1. Define and describe the problem (social conditions, players, public policy)

2. Gather evidence for this problem

3. Identify causes for this problem

4. Describe and evaluate the existing policy for this problem

5. Develop solutions/policies for the problems for this existing policy

6. Select the best policy for this problem

PROCESS

Use the following guidelines for the completion of both products.

Guidelines

Research the sources listed below in order to respond to all of the following questions
Use the 6-step public policy analysis work sheets before writing your

report

www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS.htm

After you complete your six worksheets, begin writing a first draft of your report
Create a power point slide presentation that supports your position as expressed in your report
Submit your report and present your power point slide presentation

Research Questions

Where and when was Shakespeare born and when did he die?
Whom did he marry?
How many plays did he write?
How are they categorized?
List eight plays other than Othello
What were his children’s names?
When was the Royal Shakespeare Theater built in Stratford on Avon?
Name the two other theaters of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford.
When did the original Globe open?
Who was the reigning monarch during Shakespeare’s day?
In what area where most of the theaters located during Shakespeare’s day?
List four of Shakespeare’s unruly female characters.
List some famous quotes from Shakespeare’s famous female characters.
Who were some of Shakespeare’s contemporary women playwrights?
Who were some of Shakespeare’s contemporary women philosophers?
Create a time line of Shakespeare’s life and work.
Describe Queen Elizabeth’s relationship with William Shakespeare.
Identify and read one of Shakespeare’s woman’s monologues. Explain how this monologue demonstrates women’s views at that time. Has anything changed?
Who was Richard Burbage?
Describe the typical Shakespearean audience during the Renaissance.
Explain why you believe women were banned from working as actors.
What is the current policy for female actors playing the lead male parts?
Why do you think this policy exists today?
How much has changed for male and female actors in the contemporary theater and film industries?
Are there any “all women” Shakespearean acting companies today?
What is their mission? Why do you think these companies were created?
What can actors do to change the role of women actors in today’s performing circles (from high school level to professional level)?

28.What was the general Renaissance view of the acting profession?

29.What were the Renaissance religious views toward the acting profession?

30.What kind of organization was the Lord Chamberlain’s Men?

RESOURCES

Texts:

Ø Elements of Literature, Sixth Course pages 282 -289

Films:

Ø John Madden’s Shakespeare In Love with Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow

Ø Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth with Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush

Ø Oliver Parker’s Othello with Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh

Web Sites:

Ø TIPS Public Policy Analyst - http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal

Ø Shakespeare’s Unruly Women – http://www.folger.edu./public/exhibit/Unrulywomen/unruly.htm

Ø The Elizabethan Review – http://www.elizreview.com/

Ø Kerrie’s Women Quotation Page – http://www.fn.net/~degood/women.html

Ø Finding Shakespeare’s Sisters – http://athena.english.vt.edu/~jmooney/renmats/women.htm

Ø Women Philosophers of the Renaissance – http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9974/ren.html

Ø Transgressing Boundaries: Women’s Writing in the Renaissance and Reformation – http://www.hull.ac.uk/renforum/v1no1/clare.htm

Ø Plot Summaries of Shakespeare’s best Plays-

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~anthony/Shake2.html

Ø Women’s Shakespeare Company – http://www.womensshakespeareco.org/splitscreen.htm

Ø Judith’s Shakespeare Company – http://www.judithshakespeare.org/JSC.htm

Ø Time Strip –

Ø http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/walk/timestrip/liz_will.html

Ø Queen Elizabeth I –

http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizabib.htm

Ø Life in Elizabethan England

http://www.renaissance.dm.net/compendium/home.html

Ø Shakespeare’s Life and Times – http://daphne.palomar.edu/shakespeare/life.htm

Ø Renaissance: The Elizabethan World – Related Sites – http://renaissance.dm.net/sites.html

Ø Women’s Monologues in Shakespeare – Index –

http://www.shakespeare-monologues.org/womenindex.shtml

Ø Elizabethan Theater – http://educ.queensu.ca/~qbell/update/tint/rj/theatre.html

Ø MLA style-

http://www.english.uiuc.edu/cws/wworkshop/bibliography/mla/mlamenu.htm

Ø Virtual Renaissance, A Journey Through Time

http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Renaissance/VirtualRen.html

Ø Reformation

http://198.248.56.50/~jjackson/reform.html

Ø Elizabethan England

www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/springfield/eliz/introelizperiod.html

Ø General search engines include:

EVALUATION

You will be judged on both parts of your project: the Power Point Presentation and the 3-page typed report.

Guidelines for your Power Point Presentation

ü Four presenters for each slide show

ü All your slides must be original

ü Your presentation must consist of at least 6 slides and 1 list of credits slide

ü Your slides must be based on the 6 step public policy analysis

ü You must provide additional information which address all the details of your research through a carefully prepared presentation

Guidelines for your 3-page typed report

ü Your three page typed report must be based on the 6 step public policy analyst format

ü Your report must be typed double-space in font number 12

ü You must use the MLA style for citing references

ü Your report must focus on the gender discrimination against any potential female actors and the professional concerns for male actors being forced to work with an all male cast

ü You may include graphics in addition to the typed 3 pages

ü You must use paragraphs and follow the conventions of standard written English

ü A cover sheet with your name, class, date, and title of your report is necessary

Rubric

	BEGINNING 1	DEVELOPING 2	ACCOMPLISHED 3	EXEMPLARY 4	Score
Power Point Presentation	-exhibits no knowledge of the uses of P.P. -presents a minimum amount of data to support the proposed policy	-exhibits little knowledge of the uses of P.P. -presents audience with several sources of data in a logical format to support the proposed policy	-exhibits an acceptable amount of knowledge of the uses of P.P. -presents the audience with enough data in a logical, creative, and organized format to support the proposed policy	-exhibits a superior knowledge of the uses of P.P. -presents the audience with an exceptional amount of data to support the proposed policy
Web Sites Research	-too few links relevant to the proposed policy	-enough links but few support the proposed policy	-many links that support the proposed policy	-excellent use of a variety of links in which all support the proposed policy
Written Report 3-pages with MLA style references	-incomplete but follows the 6 step PPA format -does not use the conventions of standard written English	-complete with too few analyses of the PPA format for this topic -exhibits a weak usage of the conventions of standard written English	-complete with sufficient analyses of the PPA format for this topic -exhibits an acceptable usage of he conventions of standard written English	-complete with a superior understanding of the PPA format for this topic -exhibits a strong use of the conventions of standard written English
Use of other Sources	-does not use any other sources besides the web sites	-use few of the other sources besides the web sites	-use some of the other sources besides the web sites	-uses many of the other sources besides the web sites

Grades and Due Dates

q All 3-page written reports are due within 4 weeks.

q All Power Point Presentations must be completed one week after the submission of written report.

q This project is worth 400 points.

q The following percentages correspond to the rubric number:

1 = 60 points

2 = 70 points

3 = 80 points

4 = 90 points

N.B. Everyone will receive an additional ten points for each rubric category for their participation, enthusiasm and cooperation!

Worksheet 1: What is the social problem?

Name: _________________________ Date: ___________

The social problem is the gender discrimination that existed in the acting profession during the English Renaissance period.

2. Identify all the players involved in this social problem.

____________________________________________________________

List at least three undesirable social conditions that result from this

problem:

____________________________________________________________

Write a short description that summarizes the social problem and its

effects on both male and potential female actors.

____________________________________________________________

Worksheet 2: Gathering evidence for this problem

Name: _______________________ Date: ________________

List the evidence of this problem:

__________________________________________________________

Worksheet 3: Identifying causes for this problem

Name: ________________________ Date: ___________

List several factors that contribute to the problem that has been identified. Support these factors with accurate evidence.

Worksheet 4: Evaluating the existing public policy

Name: _________________________ Date: ___________

The Problem: ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

State one of the major existing policies that attempts to deal with this social problem:

What are the advantages of this policy? (effectiveness, public

acceptance, enforcement):

_______________________________________________________________

What are the disadvantages of this policy? (effectiveness, public

acceptance, enforcement):

_______________________________________________________________

Based on your evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages, should

the current policy be totally replaced, or improved?

_______________________________________________________________

Worksheet 5: Developing public policy solutions

Name: _________________________ Date: ___________

The problem: ______________________________________________________

Propose at least 3 original public policy alternatives. Make sure that all of your public policy alternatives are at the same historical, geopolitical, and social level as the problem. Each alternative must specify the actual social, religious, or governmental agency that will carry out the proposed action. Rate the proposal that you consider the most promising first.

Discuss why you prefer the first alternative over the other two

alternatives.

Worksheet 6: Selecting the best public policy solution

Name: ________________________ Date: ___________

The problem: ______________________________________________________

A. List 3 public policy alternatives from worksheet 5. Create a short title that summarizes each policy.

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

B. Use the format in the example to complete the matrix below:

FEASIBILITY

EFFECTIVENESS	HIGH	MEDIUM	LOW
HIGH
MEDIUM
LOW

C. Explain the reasons for your decisions in the matrix.

This web quest focuses on the following English Language Arts Performance Standards:

E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a: Produce a report of information.

E2e: Produce a persuasive essay.

E3a: Participate in one-to-one conference with the teacher.

E3c: Prepare and deliver an individual presentation.

E3d: Make informed judgments about TV, radio, film.

E4b: Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.

This web quest focuses on the following New York State Standards:

Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding

Standard 2: Language for Literary Response and Expression

Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction

Social Studies Learning Standards:

Standard 2: World History

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.