Matthew S. Monahan
2.1 Special Issues: "Aye, there's the rub" or "much ado about nothing"
Stoppard's
Shakespeare in Love
carries an MPAA rating of R; however, according to the Internet Movie Database it has a G rating in Louis Riel's home province of Manitoba, Canada
2
. The MPAA rating seems somewhat over–reaching and confirms the idea that this body's practices are somewhat draconian; it is rated R for sexuality although much of the sex is implied. It may be that much of the film revolves around an adulterous affair. Regardless, none of the scenes I plan to use show Gwyneth Paltrow's breasts.
2.2 Aims: Objectives and Goals
By completing this unit my students will demonstrate the following: an understanding of the writing process, pre–writing and collecting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing (the term publishing here refers to the production of a clean and error–free presentation copy), evident in their writings of autobiographies, personal statements, biographies and literary analysis essays; knowledge of formal poetry and the Shakespearean sonnet specifically; speaking and listening skills in association with the sonnet slam, which as noted elsewhere will not be strictly limited to sonnets but performances may include monologues Shakespearean or otherwise.
2.3 Performance Criteria
Performance Based Assessments: attendance, class participation, completion of daily writing assignments.
Summative Assessments: autobiography/personal statement, creative form of expression, biography, subject's reflection, compare and contrast essays, and dramatic reading/performance.
