The Unit
The students will read three plays by Shakespeare: Macbeth, Othello, and The Taming of the Shrew. The students will choose from the major characters in each of the plays to create six visual analyses by the end of the unit: two characters from each play: at least two females and two males. The other two characters may be any of the main characters from the plays. The plays will be assigned for reading outside of class while some close readings will be done in class. I believe in starting with the end in mind when it comes to curriculum units. The students will be given the essay topic before they begin the portraits. Shakespeare's plays, whether tragedy or comedy, introduce characters that are complex, calculating and, on any account, three-dimensional. These characters drive the action and the plot of the play, hence a grasp of characterization is necessary to understand what happens. The following prompt will be given to the students: "Write an essay in which you analyze three characters from each of the plays we have read. Be sure to emphasize the most important of these attributes of character: physical, symbolic, motivational, language, perspective, and psychological shift. Interpret these attributes to explain how they relate to the meaning of the work as a whole." This essay is not a compare and contrast but rather an analysis of how Shakespeare creates characters and equips them with the necessities for driving the action of the play.
The visual portraits of specific characters from each of the plays will be an analysis of the characters with emphasis on physical attributes, symbols relating to the character, motivation, important lines, internal and external perspective, and figurative language used to develop the character. A major part of the analysis is the identification of the psychological shift the character undergoes (if indeed the character changes); however, depicting that change in a visual portrait is a difficult task. I will offer the students bonus points on the project if they can show that change. Otherwise, the psychological shift does not need to be included in the portrait but we will discuss the changes in class and the students may use that analysis in their essays. The elements of the analysis will be represented on the body with placement of the symbolic and textual attributes in the appropriate places on the figure itself.
Physical attributes, such as the heart of the character, should be drawn with attention to how the character represents their own heart. Desdemona's heart, from Othello, might be drawn in a locked box with Othello's name on it representing her fidelity to him. Iago's tongue might be drawn as forked since it is with his words that he poisons Othello's thoughts. Roderigo may be shown to be lacking a spine because he seems to have no will of his own when he follows Iago's orders like a puppet. Someone with an overblown ego like Petruchio, from The Taming of the Shrew, might be drawn with an exaggeratedly large head.
Symbols are the objects and colors representing abstract aspects or themes of the character. Lady Macbeth and Othello might be outlined in green representing envy or jealousy. Iago's disembodied heart might be colored black and shown as shriveled or very small in comparison to his body size. The handkerchief that Othello gives to Desdemona is the major symbol in the play Othello. This article provides the seeming "ocular proof" that Othello believes reveals Desdemona's infidelity. Students should include this symbol in the portraits of either Othello or Desdemona; perhaps as falling from Desdemona's hand or stuffed in Othello's heart or mind.
The motivation of a character can be demonstrated through symbols and words. Students can place symbols and text within the portrait to denote motivation. Iago's envy of Cassio, and thus one motive for his diabolical deeds, might be displayed as drawing his rank insignia and coloring it green. Macbeth's motive for killing Duncan would be the receiving of the crown; therefore a green crown denoting envy might be placed on his head. In The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio explains that his motivation is to "come to wive it wealthily in Padua;" (1.2.74). These lines could be written on Petruchio's portrait in his brain or maybe where his heart should be. The lines then serve to represent motive but also as part of the important line requirement in the project.
Important lines should be placed on or around the body where appropriate, as in the commonly classroom activity "The Body Biography"1. Characters can often be defined by their words, and attributing the words to a place on the body is an indicator of higher level thinking. Lady Macbeth's famous line "Out, damned spot!" (5.1.38) might actually be written in red on her hands. Othello's line, "one that loved not wisely, but too well;" (5.2.340) could be written within his heart.
The perspective through which a character is seen is crucial to the development of character. Other characters in the play may see the individual as a completely different person from the way in which the character sees himself/herself. The distinctness between internal and external perspective can be of great significance to the development of the play. For example, Iago and others too use the word "honest" to describe him numerous times throughout Othello. The problem is that Iago is anything but honest. His depiction might entail two drawings; one in which he is smiling and appearing "honest" and another with a face revealing his diabolical nature (perhaps horns?). The Taming of the Shrew also offers valuable insight into perspective for this unit. The themes include perception of the self, how others perceive the individual, and how change —either forced or internally driven— occurs in the character. The students may choose to create two drawings of these characters to show double perspective, or they may draw a sort of mask that can be lifted to show the internal beneath the external perspective.
Shakespeare's use of figurative language and poetic devices, such as rhyme and meter, reveals important information about his characters. Othello, for instance, often speaks in eloquent verse even though he does not think of himself as well-spoken and others consider him barbaric. Petruchio's language is exaggeratedly poetic at times, while at other times forthright and rude, a range of speech that reveals his flamboyance.
The question of change in a character is important for many reasons. If a psychological shift occurs in a character, it is usually a major breakthrough and a turning point in the plot structure of the play. The depiction of this change or shift in the portrait will be difficult. For this reason I have decided that this part of the portrait will not be required but a bonus option. I do want the students to locate and analyze change as it occurs in the plays, so they will need to discuss it in their defense paragraph (as discussed below). The point when Othello realizes that he has been a victim of Iago's malicious plot, for instance, is of major consequence because he has already killed Desdemona, and he can't fix that. His remorse is great. The students may choose to draw the character as he looks at the particular moment the shift occurs, though again, this challenge is not a mandatory part of the visual assignment.
Upon completion, the portrait will be presented to the class and teacher and the attributes of character it represents will be explained. A paragraph or two in defense of the portrait will be required. This paper will include textual support of the choices that were used in the portrait. It can be a guide in the final character analysis essay. If the student has done the background work in making this portrait, then all of the elements necessary for the essay will be done. All the student need do at this point is organize and write the essay.
Shakespearean dramas provide a unique view of societal functions such as gender, race, and politics as well as the universal themes of love, loyalty, honor, and betrayal. An analysis of these functions and themes as invested in the characters of the dramas must begin with a study of the context and historical setting of the drama. To understand the inner workings of Shakespearean characters, one must understand some aspects of the time period in which the plays were written. Shakespeare wrote his plays between the years 1588-1613. The early part of this era is known as the Elizabethan Age. The later part is known as Jacobean. Children of particular classes were educated in the classics, and some in higher classes went on to study in colleges and universities. Travels to Europe were taken as a vacation by the wealthy, or to work, but most did not travel. The "Grand Tour" was very rare this early. Ambassadors, scholars, and artist wanderers were the likeliest to go abroad. In fact, the majority in the Globe Theater's audience had probably never traveled abroad. Therefore, the re-creation on the stage of other cities and countries with characters from distant lands must have been quite amazing for the groundlings – those who paid a penny to stand in front of the stage as opposed to having a seat - as would the scenes of court and the routines of kings and queens. For the remainder of the audience, those who had paid more than a penny, these tales echoed a certain more familiar reality that was deeply entertaining and riveting. Plays were also staged at court for the benefit of Queen Elizabeth I. Later plays written by Shakespeare were seen by King James I in much the same manner.
We also need to be aware of setting for the analysis of characters. Again, travels abroad were not commonplace for all, so the dramatization of events occurring in Italy would have been a sort of "vacation" for the audience. In a setting that was foreign to his audience, Shakespeare could get away with tales that were fantastical, surreal, decadent, and outlandish. Many of the comedies consist of noble young people running around causing mischief without a care in the world. Several of the tragedies reveal the inner mechanics of a castle and its inhabitants – also running around and causing mischief, but usually ending in murder and much bloodshed. The audience is again transported to another world. The three plays we will read for this unit provide these "vacations" for their audiences. Othello reveals the inner workings of a military installation, Macbeth takes the audience to a faraway castle where a murderous/treasonous plot is hatched, and The Taming of the Shrew places the audience in decadent Italy where youngsters run about causing mischief.
Othello lends itself to this analysis, as its central character is of an exotic race and the setting of the play is for the most part in Cyprus, a military stronghold of Venice. Othello ultimately goes mad and murders his wife. Othello's loss of control is attributed to his unfounded belief that his wife is unfaithful. The supposed act of betrayal functions as a form of humiliation for Othello who, as a General and a man of power, is habituated to using violence to secure his power. Othello is a Moor, an outsider, an exotic man who is very different from the race of the general audience of this time. The fact that Othello is a converted Christian and of a different race than the others is, at times, used against him, as others feel he is practiced in the arts of magic and witchcraft. The antagonist of the play, Iago, is a Venetian, and Cassio – the man believed to be having the affair with Othello's wife – is a Florentine. Iago feels Othello has cheated him out of his position as lieutenant, and his vow of revenge provides the major conflict of the play. Race plays an important role in his vengeful scheme, as he calls attention to the possibility that Othello's barbarism might at any moment resurface. Othello falls victim to this villainous plot, and his return to barbarism in the act of murdering Desdemona is foreshadowed when he says, "when I love thee not,/ Chaos is come again." (3.3.91-92) A portrait analysis of Othello should contain references to his moral shifts in the play: from a man who displays strong discipline and self-control to being helplessly out of control. In reference to external perspective, or how other characters in the play see him, the portrait of Othello would contain symbols of the occult, magic, or witchcraft. However, not all of the characters see him as evil. In fact, the references to Othello being black, evil, or barbaric are few.
Although Othello contains few female characters, their strong characteristics are worthy of deep analysis. The character of Desdemona, Othello's wife, performs two functions in the play. Symbolically, she represents pure love, compassion for all, and honesty. As a character, Desdemona is the balance factor for her polar opposite, Iago, who represents hate, self-centeredness, and dishonesty. Emilia, Iago's wife, performs the role of unwitting participant in his evil plot. The relationship between Iago and Emilia does not seem a loving one. She tries to do his bidding in order to gain his attention and affection; and even then she thinks twice, but it is too late. There is no indication that Iago shows his wife any true affection. Iago's low opinion of women (2.1.108-111) and Emilia's revelation that she would "venture purgatory" and "make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch" (4.3.78-79) shows that she resembles her husband in her pragmatism, if in nothing else make the two of them a rather fine pair. Emilia changes significantly when she realizes that she has unwittingly played a part in the murder of Desdemona in Act 5, scene 2. Her portrait might reveal her misplaced loyalty to Iago through the writing of his name in her heart or a smiling, handsome picture of him in her head. The portrait of Desdemona would not represent a moral/psychological shift as would Othello's, because she does change significantly. Desdemona's portrait should also contain Othello's distorted view of her faithfulness as well as her true virtue.
Iago's portrait will be a complicated one. When we first encounter him he is moaning about not becoming Othello's lieutenant. He convinces Roderigo to call up to Desdemona's father and to tell him that she "hath made a gross revolt," (1.1.131) by running off with Othello. Iago's words are much more base than Roderigo's, as he is hidden from view screaming out vulgarities about what has occurred. Thus, at the very beginning of the play, Iago shows his true self as a vulgar, manipulative calculator. Iago explains his views about the freedom of the will to Roderigo, how "we have reason to cool our raging motions" (1.3.325-326) and how much fun it will be to "cuckold" the Moor, all the while charging him to make a lot of money to impress Desdemona. Iago's plan is in the works and he will stop at nothing to see it done.
Macbeth is a tragedy where the setting is a remote castle and the audience bears witness to the plan that takes the life of the king at the hands of his host and hostess. The castle is in Scotland, where feudal relations continued in Shakespeare's time to be a direct threat to the government of England. According Sylvan Barnet, among others, the history is that the play was written to please King James I, the son of Mary Queen of Scots, Mary Stuart. The Stuarts claim to be the heirs of Banquo, a character killed by Macbeth. The Witches tell Macbeth and Banquo in Act 1 scene 3 that Macbeth will be king but that Banquo's children will be kings. They say that Banquo will be "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater." (1.3.65) Macbeth writes a letter to his wife explaining the strange events, whereupon she decides that they should kill the King and take his crown based on the belief that they can rule if they just eliminate Duncan. Unfortunately for them, fate has other plans for them. Macbeth must murder many others, including Banquo, to protect his rule. The inner workings of court provide the backdrop for this play. We see the head of the house, Lady Macbeth, make plans to receive her guests. This is a rather ordinary task in a noble house. What we also see is the plan to kill the king as it is conceived. Events thereafter tell of secrecy, murder, and madness. Macbeth, who truly believes he is meant to be king, kills Duncan, then Banquo, and then is haunted by the ghost of Banquo. The descent into madness for Lady Macbeth is a fascinating study. Lady Macbeth is haunted by the image of blood on her hands representing the murder of the king in her house for which she is responsible. She ultimately goes mad and kills herself. Macbeth by this time seems unaffected by much of the doom and destruction around him. His reaction to the suicide of his wife—"She should have died hereafter;" (5.5.17)— reveals an almost passive acceptance of her death. The speech that follows, "Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow…," shows Macbeth's belief that humans only live to perform certain functions; and when that role is complete, we die. This notion is reinforced in Macbeth's ultimate realization that he is doomed to die when he learns that he is not invincible as he thought. True to his character, he does not yield; he goes out fighting. The symbolism of the witchcraft and occult images can be the motivation for the characters' actions as well as their ultimate doom. It is interesting to note that King James I wrote a book on the occult called Daemonologie of which Shakespeare was aware. Much of the occult imagery in the play can be attributed to the idea that the play was written to please King James I.
Now we get to the comedy. The Taming of the Shrew is a whimsical comedy in which the characters are lively and deep. The play is preceded by the English story of Christopher Sly, who is fooled into believing he is the lord of a grand house when in reality he is a simple drunken tinker. The actual lord of the house decides to play a prank on Sly by dressing him in the costume of a man of fortune and convincing him that he has been "infused with so foul a spirit!" (Ind.2.16) that has made him leave his house and believe he is a peasant drunkard for fifteen years. The main play commences when players arrive at the lord's house. The play they perform is the tale of Katherine, the shrew, and her suitor Petruchio who is determined to "cure" her of her shrewishness. The perception of Katherine in Act One is that she is "stark mad or wonderful froward." Her father Baptista will not allow her much-desired younger sister Bianca to marry until he has found a husband for Kate. The young men of Padua devise many plans to woo Bianca but have no idea what to do with Kate until the arrival of Petruchio. Here is a man who knows exactly what he wants: a wealthy wife. He cares not if she is "foul" or "moves [him] not." He claims he "come[s] to wive it wealthily in Padua;/ If wealthily, then happily in Padua." (1.2.74-75) It seems that Kate would rather punch Petruchio for his presumptuousness than marry him. Nevertheless, she appears at the church and is driven to tears when he does not appear on time. Meanwhile, the character of Bianca is revealed as she deftly sorts out the suitors who are pretending to be her tutors or continuing to play themselves. By the time she joins the Widow in refusing to come when her husband sends for her in the fifth act, it seems that Bianca may actually be the shrew. The critic Harold Bloom suggests, in Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, that Petruchio is ultimately the one who is tamed. He torments Kate after their wedding in an attempt to "tame" her. It is through her wits that she figures out how to convince him that he has won – she tells him what he wants to hear. She then explains the roles of the husband and wife in exactly the terms and circumstances that fit the time and setting of the play. Petruchio believes he has succeeded in his task of "taming" her and we are to suppose that the two live happily ever after. The characters in this play are as colorful and whimsical as the characters in Macbeth are dark and heavy. The portraits the students will create should be great.
Comments: