Journal entries about medieval history

1. Peter Saccio in Shakespeare’s English Kings: History, Chronicle, and Drama [Oxford, 1977] argues that “Shakespeare is quite right to stress the personalities of his kings and their relationships with their nobles. He is also right to suggest that kings and other people operate out of a complexity of motives” (236, 1977 edition). In your journal, trace this stress on powerful individual personalities and their relationships with each other throughout Richard II. As dramatized by Shakespeare, what are the complex, ambiguous motives behind the actions of Richard and Bolingbroke? * Page 2: Saccio also argues that Shakespeare’s version of fifteenth-century England “is dominated by” the dynastic “struggle within the royal house” … and that “Minn)/ harmony hinged largely upon the strength of the king” (7, 1977 edition). In your journal trace the influence of strong or weak personalities on the fluctuation of these dynastic struggles. * Page 3. Draw some conclusions about the way Shakespeare dramatizes the nature and burden of medieval English kingship. What drives men to desire and seek the throne? To what lengths will they go to obtain and/or hold the throne? What do they discover once they have gained “the hollow crown”? * Page 4. Pretend that you are producing or participating in a new production of Richard II. As a director, what conceptual approach would you use? Whom would you cast in the central roles? Plan the costume, set, and/or lighting design. Choose the background music. Etc. Etc. Provide sketches or images of your designs. Explain why you have made these particular choices and how you plan to use them. * Page 5: Notice how many images and metaphors in Richard II are taken from the natural world of England and from gardening [artificial nature?], e.g., the famous “caterpillars of the commonwealth” remark. What is the effect of an image like this? How do references to the natural world connect to, reflect on, and/or provide a foil for the artificial world of courtesy and chivalry at court — or the brutal world of the battlefield and prison? Compare how the Gawain poet contrasts the natural world with the social world. Perhaps the recurring image of the sun is the most pervasive and memorable pattern in Richard II. How would you transfer this language of sun-imagery to the designs and performance of the play? How would you capture the power of the sun–and its opposite—on stage? Page 6: Your last entry should be an overview of the readings, perhaps tracing a particular theme or archetype or argument through various texts and genres. Summarize what you have learned from the LiteAtghlfekings this semester. As you are finishing your journal, take the time to re-read the rules for the journal that appear on the syllabus. Make sure that your journal complies with those rules.

 

 

 

 

Sample Solution