14 Lines of Joy

Every student in The Plays of Shakespeare class is working on joyfully bringing to life one of Shakespeare’s sonnets-- 14 lines at a time! 

Students each select a sonnet and get to know those 14 lines very well indeed. We first celebrate the language of the poem. We look at the poem’s language carefully, define words, and scan the meter. We then prepare our sonnet for ownership. We interact with the language and translate it into our own words, thoughts, and feelings. All throughout this process, we practice embodying the sonnet on stage, both for ourselves and each other. 

 

Though presenting a sonnet on stage might give us butterflies in our stomachs, we are learning that this project is but one step in our journey of understanding and appreciating Shakespeare this semester. In MA’s Portrait of a Graduate, students “design their lives with purpose and meaning with intention on sustained joy and balance.” Our Sonnet Project allows each student to develop a relationship with and an appreciation for Shakespeare’s language so that they may experience the joy of performing. As they form their personal connection to their sonnet, their sense of who they are as scholars, performers–and as young adults– deepens and grows. 

 

It is truly amazing the combination of MA students and 14 lines of poetry!

 

In a few weeks, the sonnets will be performance-ready, and we cannot wait to see them and our students shine!