SEFCB2 unit 19 The merchant of Venice 說課稿
平陽縣第一中學(xué) 蔡新虹
一、 教材分析
本單元的中心話題是“莎士比亞與他的戲劇”；內(nèi)容涉及“莎士比亞”、“威尼斯商人”、“亨利四世”、“哈姆雷特”、“羅密歐與朱麗葉”、“特洛伊羅斯與克瑞西達(dá)”等。語言知識和語言技能都是根據(jù)“莎士比亞與他的戲劇”這一中心話題設(shè)計的。
1、 Warming up部分由兩個練習(xí)組成。第一個練習(xí)要求學(xué)生說出書中對白出自莎士比亞的哪部戲劇，并解釋他們的含義。要完成這個練習(xí)，學(xué)生首先得對莎士比亞的作品要有所了解，因為，要準(zhǔn)確理解戲劇中的對白，學(xué)生就必須要了解故事情節(jié)及相關(guān)背景。第二個練習(xí)的目的是要幫助學(xué)生更多地了解莎士比亞的作品，尤其是他創(chuàng)作的戲劇。
2、 Listening部分由兩個練習(xí)組成，聽力內(nèi)容是一段獨白，向?qū)W生介紹了《威尼斯商人》的故事片段，該片段為閱讀部分的故事提供了背景。第一個練習(xí)就故事的主要內(nèi)容設(shè)置了四個問題，比如，故事發(fā)生的地點、借款與還款方式等。第二個練習(xí)用圖表的形式，直觀地考察學(xué)生對故事中五個主要人物的身份、表現(xiàn)以及他們之間的關(guān)系的理解。這兩個練習(xí)主要訓(xùn)練學(xué)生把握文段細(xì)節(jié)的能力。
3、 Speaking部分要求學(xué)生就“同情與報復(fù)”和“愛情與金錢”這兩個話題進(jìn)行討論。這是貫穿《威尼斯商人》始終的兩條線索，對他們的討論至今仍有著現(xiàn)實意義。對這兩個問題的回答，直接或從側(cè)面反映了人們的人生觀、價值觀以及人們對待生活的態(tài)度。因此，在教學(xué)和訓(xùn)練本單元有關(guān)“在交談中強調(diào)細(xì)節(jié)”的日常用語的同時，教師還有責(zé)任給學(xué)生以正確的引導(dǎo)，幫助學(xué)生明辨是非，確立正確的人生價值取向，建立符合社會規(guī)范的道德體系，并做遵紀(jì)守法的公民。
4、 Reading部分是根據(jù)莎士比亞的戲劇《威尼斯商人》中的一個片段改編的。該故事情節(jié)生動、曲折，語言地道并帶有莎翁時代的特色，內(nèi)容富有深刻的教育意義。
5、 Language Study部分由詞匯和語法兩部分組成。詞匯部分要求學(xué)生用課文中出現(xiàn)的詞匯或短語完成六個句子。這個練習(xí)一方面幫助學(xué)生鞏固詞匯和短語，另一方面也幫助學(xué)生加深對課文的理解。語法部分復(fù)習(xí)直接引語和間接引語的用法，設(shè)置了兩個練習(xí)，這兩個練習(xí)的內(nèi)容都是《威尼斯商人》中的故事，對閱讀課文是很好的補充。
6、 Integrating skills部分繼續(xù)呈現(xiàn)Reading部分未講完的故事。該劇的結(jié)局皆大歡喜，但令人回味無窮。寫作部分要求學(xué)生根據(jù)所給的故事情節(jié)編寫一部短劇，并把故事內(nèi)容表演出來。
7、 Tips部分介紹了戲劇中展開矛盾的手法。戲劇中的人物往往分別代表著“正義”和“非正義”兩方。得道者多助，失道者寡助�！罢x”和“非正義”兩方誰勝誰負(fù)的結(jié)局，就形成了戲劇的效果。
8、 Checkpoint部分舉例復(fù)習(xí)直接引語和間接引語的用法。
二、 教學(xué)重點和難點
（一） 重點：
1、詞匯：理解、內(nèi)化、運用本單元中出現(xiàn)的一些重要單詞如：deny, mercy, accuse, bless, declare, count, therefore, worthy, punish, order和詞組pay back, have mercy on, go about, as far as I know, tear up, at the mercy of, etc.
2、功能：用本單元中“在交談中強調(diào)細(xì)節(jié)”的日常交際用語來表達(dá)自己對“同情與報復(fù)”和“愛情與金錢”的看法。
3、 語法：復(fù)習(xí)直接引語和間接引語。
（二） 難點：
1、 如何理清戲劇中的人物關(guān)系。
2、 如何分析戲劇中的人物性格。
3、 如何體會戲劇的語言。
4、 如何自己改編和表演戲劇。
三、 教學(xué)目標(biāo)
1、 語言知識：
1) 詞匯：（見教學(xué)重點）
2) 話題：Talking about Shakespeare and his plays
3) 功能：在交談中細(xì)述詳情（Recounting details in the conversation）
Correct me if I’m wrong, but…
You shouldn’t forget that…
One of the most important facts is…
You could, for example, …
The way I would go about is…
As far as I know, …
After all, …
But in this particular case…
What shouldn’t be forgotten is …
4) 語法：復(fù)習(xí)直接引語和間接引語。
2、 語言技能：
1） 聽：捕捉特定信息、抓關(guān)鍵詞，聽懂一段介紹《威尼斯商人》的故事片段，理清人物關(guān)系，訓(xùn)練學(xué)生把握文段細(xì)節(jié)的能力。
2） 說：要求學(xué)生就“同情與報復(fù)”和“愛情與金錢”這兩個話題進(jìn)行討論。
3） 讀：通過閱讀“The Merchant of Venice”這部戲劇，訓(xùn)練學(xué)生找出文章的主題，理解故事的情節(jié)，預(yù)測故事情節(jié)發(fā)展和可能的結(jié)局的能力。
4） 寫：通過本單元的各項語言輸入，形成對戲劇的進(jìn)一步了解，并能自己改編和表演戲劇。
3、 學(xué)習(xí)策略：
1） 通過任務(wù)型教學(xué)活動設(shè)計和活動型教學(xué)，訓(xùn)練和培養(yǎng)學(xué)生自主、合作、探究、創(chuàng)新的學(xué)習(xí)能力。
2） 利用圖書館和網(wǎng)絡(luò)搜集資料并加工處理信息。
3） 用英語進(jìn)行討論、表演等交際活動。
4、 情感態(tài)度和文化意識：
1） 在完成任務(wù)的過程中培養(yǎng)團(tuán)隊協(xié)作、互助精神，體驗學(xué)習(xí)英語的快樂。
2） 通過對莎士比亞作品的學(xué)習(xí)，體會戲劇的語言，感受戲劇的魅力。
3） 理解戲劇和現(xiàn)實生活的聯(lián)系，提高英語語言的鑒賞能力和修養(yǎng)。
4） 通過口語部分的討論，確立正確的人生價值觀。
四、 教學(xué)策略
1、 引趣激趣策略。創(chuàng)造多種情景激發(fā)學(xué)習(xí)興趣，其中包括戲劇表演、辯論等活動。
2、 循序漸進(jìn)策略。如任務(wù)的安排從簡到難，語言操練從機械性操練到交際性操練。
3、 資源開發(fā)策略�；ヂ�(lián)網(wǎng)為英語教學(xué)提供了廣闊的空間和豐富的資源，拓寬了學(xué)生英語學(xué)習(xí)的渠道。
4、 任務(wù)型活動策略。任務(wù)型語言教學(xué)的倡導(dǎo)者認(rèn)為，學(xué)習(xí)者可以通過完成各種任務(wù)發(fā)展交際的能力。
五、 任務(wù)設(shè)計
我們首先給整個單元設(shè)計了一個主題任務(wù)--戲劇節(jié)。同時采用任務(wù)型教學(xué)“P-T-P”立體型自主學(xué)習(xí)模式（Pre-task---Task-cycle---Post-task）,安排了一些單元教學(xué)前和單元教學(xué)后的活動任務(wù)。
（一） Pre-unit activity:
Task1 莎士比亞及其作品簡介
活動內(nèi)容：從圖書館和因特網(wǎng)上搜集有關(guān)莎士比亞的生平、作品、作品簡介、經(jīng)典佳句、名作海報、電影、flash等資料。
1） 個人活動：搜集“莎士比亞與他的戲劇”的有關(guān)資料。
2） 小組活動：將小組成員的成果匯總、討論、整理成文或制作 簡單課件。
3） 班級活動：每小組各派一名“reporter”將本組的成果向全班做演示。
Goal: 使學(xué)生對莎士比亞這位十六世紀(jì)文藝復(fù)興時代的文學(xué)巨匠和他的巨作有更感性的認(rèn)識。為本單元的學(xué)習(xí)打下良好的基礎(chǔ)。
( 二) Task-cycle
(見各課時教學(xué)設(shè)計)
(三) Post-unit task
Task 1 為the Merchant of Venice配音
活動內(nèi)容：在學(xué)生熟悉課文內(nèi)容的情況下，讓學(xué)生來為這部戲劇配音。
1） 個人活動：認(rèn)真揣摩角色心理，模仿VIDEO中對話的發(fā)音和語氣。
2） 小組活動：各小組組長按照小組成員的特點分派角色，熟悉劇本。
3） 班級活動：小組配音，其他同學(xué)和老師給各組評分。
Goal: 使學(xué)生對課文有更好的理解，更能體會人物的心理，了解人物性格，感受莎士比亞的戲劇語言的魅力。
Task2 寫人物或作品評論
活動內(nèi)容：學(xué)生挑選莎士比亞的一部作品或是作品中的一個角色，發(fā)表自己的感受和理解。
Goal: 使學(xué)生進(jìn)一步熟悉莎士比亞的作品。提高學(xué)生的寫作能力，加強學(xué)生語言實踐能力。
Task 3 戲劇表演
活動內(nèi)容：學(xué)生挑選課文片段或是改編writing部分進(jìn)行表演
1） 個人活動：背誦臺詞，體會角色的個性和心理，通過語言與動作表現(xiàn)人物的個性特征。
2） 小組活動：把全班分成4個小組，分別擔(dān)任導(dǎo)演、道具、旁白、Shylock、Antonio、Bassanio、Portia、Duke等角色。由導(dǎo)演負(fù)責(zé)全局的指揮和排練工作。
3） 班級活動：各小組同臺演出，由老師和各組導(dǎo)演組成評委會，給各組評分。
4） 學(xué)校活動：這個活動如果有條件的話可以發(fā)展到全級段甚至全校性的一個課本劇表演比賽。比如說在我們學(xué)校這個比賽已經(jīng)是一個一年一度的傳統(tǒng)項目了，學(xué)生對此有這極高的熱情。
Goal:真正體現(xiàn)任務(wù)型教學(xué)“在用中學(xué)，在學(xué)中用”的原則。全面提高學(xué)生的綜合素質(zhì)。
六、 教學(xué)資源
針對本單元話題我們向?qū)W生提供以下網(wǎng)站以供參考。
1） http://www.themonlogueshop.com/shakespearesample.html
2） http://www.absoluteshakespeare.com/plays/plays.htm
3） http://the-tech.mit.edu/shakespeare/
4） http://www.shakespeare.com
5） http://shakespeare-1.com/
6） http://www.uclan.ac.uk/online/shakespeare.htm
7） http://mingzhu66.db66.com/spell/zz/s/7.asp
8） http://mail.sjsmit.edu.tw/~lhw/Shakespeare001.htm
9） http://www.hongen.com/edu/shfz/ywxz/sn013101.htm
10） http://www.rudemechanicals.com/
七、 課時安排和教學(xué)程序
根據(jù)本單元教材的內(nèi)容、學(xué)生學(xué)習(xí)英語的特點和規(guī)律，我把本單元劃分為5課時：Period 1: Warming up& Listening
Period 2-3: Reading& Integrating skills & Speaking
Period 4: Language study &Writing
Period 5: Performing
The First Period Warming up
Goals: 1. Encourage the students to talk about Shakespeare and his plays.
2. Learn some quotations and know their meanings.
3. Improve the students’ listening ability.
Step 1 Lead in
1. 1. Game
According to my suggestions, can you guess who he is?
1) He is an Englishman.
2) He is a poet and dramatist.
3) During his life, he wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnet etc.
4) His works represented the literature achievements of English Renaissance(文藝復(fù)興).
5) The Merchant of Venice is one of his world-famous works.
---------He is William Shakespeare.
Step 2 Warming up
1 Brainstorm
Talk about Shakespeare.
Encourage the students to present as many words as possible about Shakespeare and his plays.
2 Report
Before the class, students are asked to work in groups to search some information about Shakespeare and his plays from the library and Internet. It’s time for them to show their results in class.
After the students’ report, teacher can give them some additional information.
3 Match
(Show four posters of shakespeare’s plays)
Match the meaning with the quotations and the plays.
e.g. Meaning: That is a question whether to live in this world or to die, that is, to take action or to do nothing.
Quotation: “To be or not to be: that is the question.”
Play: Hamlet
4．More quotations
All the quotations above are used in English almost as if they were proverbs. To English speakers they have a clear meaning. There are a great number of popular saying taken from Shakespeare. Do you know their meanings?
Quotation Play Meaning
Every inch a king King Lear A real king.
Breathe life into a stone All’s Well That Ends Well A very good medicine.
For goodness’ sake Henry VIII
“Oh Please” or “For God’
All the world’s stage As You Like It Life should not be taken too seriously
A dish fit for the gods Julius Caesar Very good food
Good riddance Troilus and Cressida It is good to get rid of (you).
It smells to heaven Hamlet Sth that is very bad or corrupt.
My salad days Anthony and Cleopatra When I was young.
What’s done is done Macbeth There is no changing the past, so forget about it.
A pound of flesh The Merchant of Venice A harsh demand or terrible punishment.
Step 3 Listening
Have you watched The Merchant of Venice? Here is an introduction to the play, which is the most outstanding romantic comedy. It will tell us how the story takes place and helps us learn about the main characters in it.
1. Listen to the tape and finish Ex.1.
2. Listen to the tape again and finish Ex.2.
Step 4 Post-listening
1. Retell the introduction.
2. Discussion:
a. Can Portia save Antonio?
b. How will Portia do to save Antonio?
Homework
1.Choose one of Shakespeare' s plays to read.
2. Retell the listening part.
3. Preview the play The Merchant of Venice.
Period 2-3 Reading & Integrating skills & speaking
Goals: 1. Learn and master some important expressions.
2. Improve the students' reading ability.
3. Analyse the characteristic of the characters in the play.
4. Improve the students' speaking ability.
Step 1 Pre-reading
1. Review the relationship between the characters.
Shylock Antonio
hate
punish help
Portia Bassanio
love
2. Retell the listening part. (when\where\cause)
Step 2 reading
1. Skimming
Skim the whole play and choose the best answers.
1) In writing style, this text is a _________.
A. drama B. story C. fable D. fiction
2) The text mainly talk about _________.
A. Antonio' s charities(善行) and Shylock' s cruelty.
B. Portia' s cleverness and Antonio' s charities.
C. Shylock' s cruelty and Portia' s cleverness.
D. the three colorful characters of Antonio, Portia and Shylock.
2. Scanning
Read the play carefully and answer the questions.
1) What was Antonio accused of?
2) Why did Shylock refuse to have mercy on Antonio?
3) What did the Duke mean by saying “ Don' t be so bitter."?
4) What did the Duke' s words “ How can you hope for mercy yourself when you show none?" mean?
5) Who did the Duke at the count support?
6) What was Portia' s opinion of mercy?(Mercy brings good. Mercy falls like the gentle rain from the sky upon the earth. It is twice blessed. It blessed those who give it, and those who receive it. It is the highest of the highest. We should learn to show mercy on others.)
Ask the students to read it aloud and translate it.
7) What are the two meanings of “ I will pay him back with all my heart."?
8) What did the Venice law say if anyone tries to kill or murder any citizen of Venice?
9) What was Shylock accused of?
10) What was the result of the trial?
Step 3 Post- reading
Task 1. Plot understanding
Finish the chart according the plot of the play.(Group work)
The components of plot( 情節(jié)的構(gòu)成部分) Description
Background(背景) 有關(guān)故事人物、時間和地點方面的信息
Problem( 問題) 人物之間、個人內(nèi)部存在的正反兩種力量的較量
Rising action( 發(fā)展) 引發(fā)故事達(dá)到高潮的事件
Climax( 高潮) 故事中人物直接面對矛盾
Outcome( 結(jié)局) 行動逐漸停止，沖突結(jié)束
Task 2. Analyse the characteristics of the characters and find out some sentences in the play to support your idea.(Group work)
Antonio: always ready to help others, kind-hearted, was devoted to his friends, upright, dare to point out the others’ wrong deeds
Sentences: 1. It’s useless trying to agree with Shylock.
2. Give Shylock what he wants.
3. Don’t be sad for meShylock: cruel, greedy, selfish, cold-blooded, hate Antonio
Sentences: 1. Antonio is my enemy, and I hate him.
2. I would still take my pound of flesh.
3. Give me my pound of flesh.
4. I desire my pound of flesh.
5. Why must I have mercy on him?
Bassanio: With a simple mind, with a clear sense of right and wrong, devoted to his friendSentences:1. I offer ten times the money that Antonio has borrowed.
2. Please change the law a little so that we may save AntonioPortia: clever, calm, full of mercy, well-educated
Sentences 1. Mercy falls like the gentle rain from the sky . It blesses those who give it and those who receive it.
2. But he has not promised to give you any of his blood.
3. You must cut one pound of flesh, no more , no less.
4. And not one drop of blood must fall.
Task 3 Discussion (Group work)
1) Suppose you are Shylock, when you learn Antonio can’t pay back the money, what will you do?2) Suppose you are Bassanio, when you learn Antonio can’t pay back the money and he has to give a pound of flesh to Shylock, what will you do?
3) Suppose you are Antonio, will you borrow money for Bassanio from Shylock? Why and why not?
Step 4 Speaking
Literature, whether we are talking about novels, plays or poems, is based on themes, that form the basis of the story and the actions of the characters. In most of Shakespeare’s plays, we can distinguish several themes. Themes that can be distinguished in The Merchant of Venice are mercy versus revenge and love versus money.
Work in groups of four. Find examples for each situation in modern life and discuss whether it is right or wrong.
Homework
1. Read the play and retell it.
2. Finish Post-reading on P69.
3. Prepare for acting.
Period 4 Language study& writing
Goals: 1 Review some useful words learnt in the unit.
2. Review the direct and indirect speech.
3. Do some practice to consolidate the direct and indirect speech.
4. Improve the students’ writing ability.
Step 1 Revision
1. Retell the play The Merchant of Venice according to the pictures and phrases.
Step 2 Word study
1. Fill in the blanks using the phrases
Pay back as far as after all in the eyes of have mercy on
Tear up offer up go down on one’s knee
1) He _____ me _____ the 100 dollars he owed me.
2) We will _________ all of the treaty rather than accept this clause.
3) It is not surprising that you have got stomachache. _________, you have eaten too much.
4) The cruel soldiers ____________ their prisoners.
5) He walked _________ the foot of the mountain.
6) The friendly staff _______ a real taste of Southwest America.
7) He __________ to look for his contact lens.
8) You may think it is a joke to drive away another person’s car, but __________the law it is theft.
Step 3 Grammar
1. Revision
Put these sentences into Indirect Speech.
1.“I have left my pen in your room,”he said.
2.“Did you see her last night?”he said.
3.She said,“Where can they find a taxi?”
4.The teacher said,“Give me some chalk.”
5.“Don’t waste your time,”I said to him.
2. Summary
Summarize the changes with the whole class.
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
Pronouns this
these that
those
Adverbials
now
tonight
today
this morning
yesterday
last night
the day before yesterday
three days ago
tomorrow
next week
yesterday morning
yesterday afternoon
the day after tomorrow
here then
that night
that day
that morning
the day before
the night before
two days before
three days before
the next/following day
the next/following week
the morning before
the afternoon before
in two days’s time
two days after
there
Verbs come
bring
can
may
must
shall
will go
take
could
might
must/had to
should
would
Tenses
keep
be(am/is/are)keeping
have kept
had kept
will keep kept
was(were) keeping
had kept
had kept
would keep
3 Practice
Finish the exercises on P70.
Step 3 Writing
1. Read the story .
2. Read the tips on getting the main point of a play.
3. Write a short play based on this story.
Step 4 Assessment
Assess their partner’s writings.
Does the play have a title that captures the attention of the audience?
Is the number of characters appropriate?
Is the plot presented in the play gripping?
Is the story interesting to watch?
Are the writers’ ideas original?
Is the proposed resolution surprising?
Does the audience have the feeling that the play is both romantic and tragic?
Homework
1. Write a play.
2. Act out the play.
Period 5 Performing(略)
補充資料
Shakespeare Biography(莎士比亞生平)
The English dramatist and poet William Shakespeare was the author of the most widely admired and influential body of literature by any individual in the history of Western civilization. His work comprises 36 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems. Knowledge of Shakespeare is derived from two sources: his works and those remains of legal and church records and contemporary allusions through which scholars can trace the external facts of his life.
Shakespeare was baptized in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, on Apr. 26, 1564. He is buried in the same church, where a memorial records his death on Apr. 23, 1616. In 1623 his colleagues John Heminge and Henry Condell created another memorial by publishing Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies, the collection of his plays now known as the First Folio.
His mother, Mary, was the daughter of Robert Arden of Wilmcote, near Stratford. . His father, John, was a glover and leather merchant whose increasing financial success was marked by his appointment to a series of municipal posts during the first 10 years of William's life. In the mid-1570s, John Shakespeare's fortunes declined, and he no longer took a visible part in Stratford affairs. The family fortunes lost by John would later be repaired by his son.
Shakespeare probably attended Stratford's excellent free grammar school, although no record of the fact exists. On Nov. 28, 1582, church authorities gave permission for him to marry Anne Hathaway of the neighboring village of Shottery. He was 18 years old, and she was 26; probably she was pregnant. On May 26, 1583, their daughter Susanna was baptized in Holy Trinity. Twins, named Hamnet and Judith, were baptized on Feb. 2, 1585.
No records have been found for the years between the twins' baptism and 1592. In that year a disappointed author, Robert Greene, referred cryptically to Shakespeare in his Groatsworth of Wit Bought With a Million of Repentance; he warned his fellow writers about "an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you: and being an absolute Johannes fac totum, is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene in a country." Thus as early as 1592, Shakespeare was sufficiently well known to be recognized by the pun on his name and the parody of a line from his Henry VI, Part 3: "O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide." Greene's is the only hostile allusion to Shakespeare that exists; its motive can be guessed from his description of Shakespeare as Johannes fac totum--"Jack-of-all-trades."
Unlike Greene, Shakespeare was an actor ("player") as well as a writer, and he was associated with a group of other actors that included the day's leading comedian, Will Kempe, and a leading tragedian, Richard Burbage. They were known, after their nominal patron, as the CHAMBERLAIN'S MEN and (after 1603) as the King's Men. By 1592, Shakespeare was acting exclusively for this company; he held shares in the company's profits; he was part of a consortium that in 1599 built and owned its home theater, the GLOBE THEATRE; and he wrote his plays exclusively for this company, at the rate of about two per year.
In 1593-94 a plague epidemic forced the closing of the London theaters. In those years Shakespeare published two narrative poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucerne. The circumstances surrounding another nondramatic work, the SONNETS OF SHAKESPEARE, are less clear. Scholars are not certain how long before their unauthorized publication (1609) they were written, whether they were all written in the same period, or whether the order in which they appeared was of Shakespeare's design. Because the sonnets are the only works in which Shakespeare may plausibly be thought to write from a frankly autobiographical impulse, they have exercised a fascination beyond even their extraordinary value as poetry.
Identity and Authorship(莎士比亞作品)
William Shakespeare (baptised April 26 , 1564 , died (O.S.) April 23 , 1616 ) is considered by many to have been the greatest writer the English language has ever known. As a playwright he wrote not only some of the most powerful tragedies, but also many of the funniest comedies ever to appear on an English stage. He also wrote 154 sonnets and several major poems, some of which are considered to be the most brilliant pieces of English literature ever written, because of Shakespeare's ability to rise beyond the narrative and describe the innermost and the most profound aspects of human nature. He is believed to have written most of his works between 1585 -1610, although the exact dates and chronology of the plays attributed to him are not accurately known.
Shakespearean tragedies
Romeo and Juliet
Macbeth
King Lear
Hamlet
Othello
Titus Andronicus
Julius Caesar
Antony and Cleopatra
Coriolanus
Troilus and Cressida
Timon of Athens
Shakespearean comedies
The Comedy of Errors
All's Well That Ends Well
As You Like It
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Much Ado About Nothing
Measure for Measure
The Tempest
Taming of the Shrew
Twelfth Night or What You Will
The Merchant of Venice
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Love's Labour's Lost
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Pericles Prince of Tyre
Cymbeline
The Winter's Tale
Shakespearean histories
Richard III
Richard II
Henry VI, part 1
Henry VI, part 2
Henry VI, part 3
Henry V
Henry IV, part 1
Henry IV, part 2
Henry VIII
King John
Summary: Romeo and Juliet
When the old feud between the Verona families of Montague and Capulet breaks out in street brawling, Prince Escalus threatens with death any further perpetuators of the quarrel. Remeo, a Montague, is in love with Rosaline but forgets her when he daringly attends a Capulet masked ball and sees Juliet, a Capulet. Beneath her window he hears her proclaim her love for him, and they agree to marry. They are secretly wed the next afternoon by Friar Laurence.
Tybalt, a Capulet, taunts Romeo, who refuses to fight against his cousin by marriage. Deeming Romeo a coward, his friend Mercutio fights Tybalt and is killed. The enraged Romeo slays Tybalt and is banished from Verona.
Friar Laurence advises Romeo to spend the wedding night with Juliet, then hasten to Mantua and await his friends' appeal against his banishment. Capulet betroths Juliet to Paris and persists against Juliet's protests. Her mother and her nurse failing her, Juliet consults Friar Laurence. He gives her a magic potion that will counterfeit death for forty-two hours and promises to fetch Romeo to release her from the burial vault of the Capulets.
Friar Laurence's messenger to Romeo is delayed by the plague, and Romeo learns that Juliet is dead. At her tomb he kills the mourning Paris and finds the apparently dead body of his bride. He drinks poison and dies beside her. When Juliet revives from her torpor and discovers Romeo's body, she stabs herself. Friar Laurence, Romeo's servant, and Paris' page explain all, and Montague and Capulet are reconciled over the bodies of their dead offspring.
Summary: Henry IV
Continuing Richard II, Henry IV is now king and is fighting a revolt led by the Welshman Owen Glendower and the Percies. Henry IV wishes he could switch sons with Henry Percy, the Earl of Northumberland, whose son is Henry Percy (Hotspur), a valiant soldier. The third Percy is Thomas Percy, the Earl of Worcester and brother to Northumberland. Henry IV is mad at Henry V because Henry V hangs out with John (Jack) Falstaff (who calls Henry V, Hal) and Poins. At the tavern, Poins convinces Falstaff, Bardolph, and Peto to rob some travelers. Poins and Henry V plan to then rob Falstaff et. al. of the loot. Back at the palace, Henry IV demands that Hotspur turn over the Scottish prisoners he has. As insurance, Henry IV holds Hotspur's brother-in-law Mortimer as hostage (Hotspur's wife Kate is Mortimer's sister and Mortimer's wife is Glendower's daughter). Ironically, Mortimer was proclaimed heir to the English throne by Richard II, though Henry IV became king. The Percies explain to Henry IV that they are revolting because Henry IV has placed unreasonable demands on them, even after they helped him (as Bolingbroke) become king.
Returning to Falstaff et. al., they rob the king's transport then Poins and Hal rob them and Falstaff et. al. flee. At the pub, Falstaff makes up extravagant lies about the robbery. Hal rebukes him, proving Falstaff false. In jest, the two pretend to be King Henry IV and Hal and Hal (as Henry IV) tells Falstaff (as Hal) that the man Falstaff is a thief and Hal promises to banish him for his crimes. Moving to the revolt, Mortimer, Worcester, and Hotspur plan the revolt, overseen by Glendower. Oddly, Mortimer speaks no Welsh and his wife speaks no English, so her father interprets for them. Back to Henry IV, he criticizes Henry V for this deeds and associations. Henry IV tells Henry V that Hotspur is more deserving of the crown than Henry V, whereby Henry V vows to prove himself by killing Hotspur in battle. Back at the tavern we learn that Hal repaid the travelers whom the money was stolen from, and that Hal has arranged for Falstaff to lead some forces in the king's army.
Hotspur's father (Northumberland) becomes sick, greatly weakening the revolting forces since his men cannot attend the battle. This news, and Prince Hal's newfound leadership, and a report that Glendower will arrive late disheartens Hotspur, yet he overcomes these setbacks with renewed vigor. Falstaff, as military leader, hires very poor and unfit soldiers. Prince Hal and the Earl of Westmoreland observe this, but do nothing. Hotspur wishes to fight the first battle at nighttime, but delays after Sir Walter Blunt brings kind greetings from the king. Worcester meets the king the next morning, but no agreement is made, though the king offers to pardon all the revolters. Worcester, however, lies to Hotspur and tells him the king readies for battle, since Worcester does not believe Henry IV will pardon them and doesn't want Hotspur to back off. In battle, Archibald, the Earl of Douglas (Percies' side) kills Blunt, thinking Blunt is Henry IV due to a disguise. Henry V then rescues Henry IV from Douglas' sword. Falstaff and Douglas fight and Falstaff pretends to die. Henry V and Hotspur fight and Henry V kills Hotspur. Falstaff arises and stabs Hotspur in the leg, then claims to have killed him. Henry IV wins the battle (of Shrewsbury) and executes Worcester and Sir Richard Vernon, but lets Douglas go free. Henry IV also divides his power with Henry V and Hal's brother John of Lancaster. This is a play concerning honor, as reasoned by Falstaff.
Hamlet Act III. Scene I
Ham. To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and, by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of disprized love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
ls sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action Soft you now! 生存還是毀滅，這是一個值得考慮的問題；默然忍受命運的暴虐的毒箭，或是挺身反抗人世的無涯的苦難，通過斗爭把它們掃清，這兩種行為，哪一種更高貴？死了；睡著了；什么都完了；要是在這一種睡眠之中，我們心頭的創(chuàng)痛，以及其他無數(shù)血肉之軀所不能避免的打擊，都可以從此消失，那正是我們求之不得的結(jié)局。死了；睡著了；睡著了也許還會做夢；嗯，阻礙就在這兒：因為當(dāng)我們擺脫了這一具朽腐的皮囊以后，在那死的睡眠里，究竟將要做些什么夢，那不能不使我們躊躇顧慮。人們甘心久困于患難之中，也就是為了這個緣故；誰愿意忍受人世的鞭撻和譏嘲、壓迫者的凌辱、傲慢者的冷眼、被輕蔑的愛情的慘痛、法律的遷延、官吏的橫暴和費盡辛勤所換來的小人的鄙視，要是他只要用一柄小小的刀子，就可以清算他自己的一生？誰愿意負(fù)著這樣的重?fù)?dān)，在煩勞的生命的壓迫下呻吟流汗，倘不是因為懼怕不可知的死后，懼怕那從來不曾有一個旅人回來過的神秘之國，是它迷惑了我們的意志，使我們寧愿忍受目前的磨折，不敢向我們所不知道的痛苦飛去？這樣，重重的顧慮使我們?nèi)兂闪伺撤颍瑳Q心的赤熱的光彩，被審慎的思維蓋上了一層灰色，偉大的事業(yè)在這一種考慮之下，也會逆流而退，失去了行動的意義。
……