Twelfth Night 6 - Act 5 (Movie & Watching Log)
"A great while ago the world begun, / With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
But that's all one, our play is done, / And we'll strive to please you every day."
Twelfth Night Act V - Movie Watching & Log: After the quiz, students watch the end of the Trevor Nunn version of Twelfth Night. We start right at the hilarious encounter between Malvolio and Olivia (Act 3, scene 4). That means this segment of the film covers almost half of the entire play!
While the students are watching the film, they will answer a few short questions that I will collect at the end of the period (or at least I tell them I will...). The questions are designed to help them focus - to see the differences in what they read and how the movie was made, and to help them further prepare for their own Macbeth scenes which they will be performing in a very short time (usually a week or two after viewing this movie).
Lesson Overview
Twelfth Night Act V - Quiz, Movie Watching & Log
As always - we begin with the quiz.
As we quickly go through this play (at about three times the rate of Macbeth) today we have the final class on the play itself. By watching a wonderful film version of the play the students get to see much of what they read and discussed come to life - in much the same way their own Macbeth scenes will in a few short days. There are a few questions that they are to answer as they watch. This keeps them focused, helps them make some critical thinking connections, and gives them ideas for their own Macbeth scenes coming up. We start the play at 1:26:50 - just at the point Malvolio is about to enter Olivia's room.
Here are the instructions from the handout (found below):
As you watch the film, you are only required to jot down (briefly) note regarding these five things
1. How is watching the film different than reading the play – or reading it aloud in class?
2. Did the movie clarify what was happening or answer any questions you had about the play?
3. Did the movie bring up new questions that hadn’t occurred to you while reading (or discussing the play)
4. How does the director’s choice of setting , theme, and characterization affect our viewing of the play? Write down some specific examples as you watch. How does that setting make sense for this play? Does it take away from Shakespeare’s play – would it have been better to set it in Elizabethan England?
5. Jot down any practical ideas for improving your own Macbeth Play performance – how were some of the very real, practical ways that the actors and the director made their lines clear and funny?
An Added Bonus (performing the last song)
If you have time, I've included an extra bonus - a handout for having each group that has gone through the play - perform Feste's final song from the play (and film). It's a great way to close things out and shows the groups perspective on the play in a unique way.
The Movie - Twelfth Night (dir. Trevor Nunn)
Here is the description taken from JustWatch (a site that tells you where a movie is streaming): "Shakespeare's comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves." Keep in mind - in my class - we only watched the 2nd half of the movie - from Act 3 Scene 4 (the scene between Malvolio and Olivia) (1:26:50) until the end The trailer can be found here.
Handouts (Movie Log) & bonus
Most Recent Handouts
A few short questions designed to 1) keep the students focused. 2) have them see how this is a different medium than what they read to themselves and what they read aloud. 3) help them with their own Macbeth Scenes they will very soon be performing.
A handout to give to groups so that after watching the film (or before), they can perform Feste's beautiful last song - in whatever creative, thoughtful, and fun way they see fit. A great way to end the play!
Most Recent Test for the Reading - Act V
I call these tests (rather than quizzes) because they require more time (and with notetaking - effort) than the usual reading assignment - so I want to reward that effort with more points. It's so important to quiz (see my page on Quizzing) - if the class doesn't read first - a great opportunity is lost - for the students to discover on their own - to question on their own - before it is talked about in the entire class. Remember if you're not going to be here the day the small group reading is done - best to wait to give these tests when you see your students.
Audio Visual Content
Here is the link to JustWatch.com - where you can find where Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night is streaming. And here is a link to Amazon where you can find physical media for the film.
Remote Enhancements
It is more than possible to watch films together with your class - usually that means having the video you are watching on your computer and sharing the screen with students. You can also keep the comment window open to share things with them (just don't get too distracting). You can also see if they are paying attention or not.
A Unit on Literary Criticism: Right after the students perform their Macbeth Scenes (Macbeth Day), we jump into Literary Criticism. I do, however, usually give the introduction to this Unit before they perform their plays so that they can get a jump-start on the readings and the work. Teaching Literary Criticism was also a great way to extend our unit on our Shakespeare's Comedy Play that we had just finished in class.
What Came Before:
Thoughts on the Lesson
What a wonderful film! It is so great to watch the students laughing hysterically and being moved by the touching ending of the film. Because it is performed in a theme (19th century Europe) different that Shakespeare's time - it also encourages the students with their stagings of the Macbeth plays that usually occur right after we are done with this unit.