SHAKESPEARE’S TWELFTH NIGHT

OBJECTIVES In this unit you will be involved with: PAIR WORK PROBLEM SOLVING ORAL PRESENTATIONS WALL DISPLAY DIARY WRITING DESCRIPTIVE WORK EXTENTION WORK And study Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night

What is comedy? Let us think about what comedy programmes there are on television today and work out what makes them successful. Here is one example: Programme:Comedy lies in… Blackadder Strong main characters Carefully developed story lines A play on words Humorous story lines Now tackle Question 1 Q1) List comedy programmes and how the comedy is created Click on the picture to make your list.

We’d Quite Like To Apologise (1) One comedy writer and comedian on television at present is Victoria Wood. She is best known for Dinner Ladies. The play we are about to read (on paper) is written by her. It concerns Victoria Wood’s flight to Spain being delayed. As we read it think about how the play is laid out, how directions are given and how the writer creates comedy. Extension Task: Once we have read the first scene, write an essay on how comedy is generated in the scene.

We’d Quite Like To Apologise (2) Imagine there is one final scene that involves one of the other main characters finding Victoria at the café featured in the last scene. Write that scene (at least one page) in the style of the original play. Advice: Layout your play like the original. Remember what the original characters were like in the play and reuse some of the ideas/character traits in your final scene. Have a good conclusion. Click on the picture and write your script (Q2).

MONTY PYTHON There is a wealth of humour on the following website: Read sketches like the Spam and Dead Parrot Sketch.

When was Shakespeare born? What did he do with his life? How old was he when he died? It is now time for you to find out… Please right click on the picture of Shakespeare above and answer question 3. William Shakespeare

The Plays of Shakespeare So what plays did Shakespeare write? Shakespeare wrote plays that can be placed into three separate categories: 1)Comedies 2)Histories 3)Tragedies Q4) Find out what plays he wrote. Then complete the three column table in your Twelfth Night Written Work Word Document

THE GLOBE 2005

Where were these plays performed? Where were Shakespeare’s plays were first performed? Where were they performed later in his life? What difficulties might the actors have had to face? What other historical events were going on at this time that might have influenced Shakespeare in his writing? Please answer question 5 in your written work document

We had to stand here for three hours… It was the best place to be. We had seats. We are far superior to those who had to stand. Please click on Harriet Proud and answer Question 6

The play we are going to study in detail is the comedy Twelfth Night The play concerns twins who get separated during a storm at sea. Viola disguises herself as a man and this causes all sorts of problems for her and confusion for other characters. This confusion is increased when her lost brother Sebastian arrives on the island. The confusion is only resolved when Viola and Sebastian meet up at the end of the play. The comedy lies in the confusion that is created by various characters in the play.

The Sub Plot The sub plot in any play tends to mirror or compliment the main action in a play. In Twelfth Night the main characters are those who are important people in the play’s society (Duke Orsino and Countess Olivia and Viola) and we follow their attempts to fall in love. The more minor characters are those who are lower down the social ladder but are still important in the play (Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Maria). Their actions also revolve around their attempts to fall in love.

Duke Orsino’s household: ORSINO, Duke of Illyria VALENTINE, gentleman attending on the Duke CURIO, gentleman attending on the Duke VIOLA, sister of Sebastian A SEA CAPTAIN, friend of Viola SEBASTIAN, brother of Viola ANTONIO, a sea captain, friend of Sebastian Countess Olivia’s household: OLIVIA, a rich countess SIR TOBY BELCH, uncle of Olivia SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK, suitor MALVOLIO, steward to Olivia FABIAN, servant to Olivia FESTE, a clown, servant to Olivia MARIA, Olivia's waiting woman The Characters in Twelfth Night Lords, Priests, Sailors, Officers, Musicians, and Attendants

Q7 Write a diary entry account of your terrible ordeal at sea and your hopes and fears of the immediate future. Click on the masks to write your account. Imagine you are Viola on a boat and during a storm. The boat sinks. You and your twin brother get separated. Many hours later you and the captain of the boat made it safely to the shore.

The story begins.. As you know, the story of Twelfth Night begins as two twins get separated during a storm at sea. Viola, (a girl) gets washed up on the island of Illyria and decides to disguise herself as a man…and calls herself Cesario. What does opting to disguise herself add to the play? 1) 2) Please click in the picture:

There are many comedy films programmes that involve disguise: Madam Doubtfire Spiderman The Truman Show Catch me if you can Twelfth Night Using the internet find out the story of each of these films. Then write a summary of each of them, in your own words. Click on the film sign to make your entries for Question 10

Question 10 As you read and discuss the play, write out a brief summary of each scene. Make sure it is in your own words and not copied from elsewhere. The big essay: How is comedy generated in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night?