Teacher's Bibliography
Bernabei, Gretchen. Reviving the Essay: How to Teach Structure without Formula. Shoreham, VT: Discover Writing Press, 2005. An English teacher's handbook for making the organization and prompting of school essays easy and intuitive for students.
Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998. A collection of engaging critical essays on many of Shakespeare's plays.
Bradley, A. C."From Shakespearean Tragedy." In Macbeth, William Shakespeare, 130-144. New York: Signet Classics, 1998. Cogent character analyses of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
Chute, Marchette. Stories from Shakespeare: The Complete Plays of William Shakespeare. New York: Mentor Books, 1959. Not the literary accomplishment of the Lambs' tales, but economical retellings of the plays in actual sequence, with appropriate commentary and quotations. Good for struggling readers.
Coleman, Basil. (Director). As You Like It. [Film]. London: British Broadcasting
Corporation, 1978. A stagy production of the play, with a marvelous performance by the young Helen Mirren, as Rosalind.
Greenblatt, Stephen.. "Shakespeare and the Uses of Power." The New York Review of Books 54, no.6 (12 April 2007). http://www.nybooks.com/articles/20073. An interesting essay on the character of Macbeth, and the lack of efficacy in his ambition.
Harbage, Alfred. William Shakespeare: A Reader's Guide. New York: Hill and Wang, 1963. Classic scholarly character and theme analyses, as well as scene by scene reflections on Shakespeare's plays.
Lamb, Charles and Mary Lamb. Tales from Shakespeare. New York: Signet, 1986. The
essayist and his sister retell Shakespeare's plots in engaging, literate form. A
good accommodation for struggling student readers.
Luhrmann, Baz. (Director). Romeo and Juliet. [Film]. Hollywood, CA: Bazmark Films and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 1996. Edgy adaptation of the play using an urban setting, and cartoonish characterizations. Appeals to some kids.
O'Brien, Peggy, Jeanne Addison Roberts, Michael Tolaydo and Nancy Goodwin (Eds.). Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. Folger Shakespeare Library. New York: Washington Square Press, 1993. Classroom performance tips for better understanding of character, theme, tone, conflict. Written by real teachers.
O'Farrell, Clare. Michel-Foucault.com. http://www.foucault.qut.edu.au/concepts/index.html (accessed June 10, 2008). Much of the philosopher's work in terms the average reader can understand. Clear explanation of his conceptions of power.
Polanski, Roman. (Director). The Tragedy of Macbeth [Film]. Caliban Films and Playboy Productions, 1971. Bloody, sometimes racy interpretation of the tragedy. Great performance by Francesca Annis as Lady Macbeth.
Rosenbaum, Ron. The Shakespeare Wars: Clashing Scholars, Public Fiascoes, Palace Coups. New York: Random House, 2006. Cogent, sometimes funny review of Shakespeareana, but interesting essay on love and sexuality in As You Like It and Romeo and Juliet.
Schopper, Philip. (Director). Shakespeare's Women and Claire Bloom, [Documentary Film]. Castle Hill Productions, Inc., 1999. The stage diva recounts and annotates some of her best roles—Juliet and Rosalind included.
Shakespeare High.com. http://www.shakespearehigh.com/. A subscribable site where students and teachers can access information about Shakespeare's plays and English history, as well as converse with others internationally about reading the works, via blogs.
Shakespeare for Students. http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/students.htm A website of useful links to resources for students, parents and teachers.
Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. Edited by Peggy O'Brien, Jeanne Addison Roberts, Michael Tolaydo and Nancy Goodwin. New York: Washington Square Press, 1993. A variety of classroom activities tailored to middle and high school age students.
Shakespeare, William. As You Like It. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Signet Classics, 1998.
Taria, A.(Director). Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, [Film/Ballet]. The Bolshoi Ballet, 1989. Film of the staged ballet, which this writer's ninth grade students found interesting enough to request seeing interpretive scenes for comparison!
Zefirelli, Franco. (Director). Romeo and Juliet. [Film]. Paramount Pictures, 1968. In its time scandalous for its tame nude scenes, this film is the hands-down favorite version among ninth grade students whom this writer has taught.
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