ACT Prep Tests

Next week (May 21 - 25), we will be taking more English Department ACT Prep Tests.  Again, these don't count towards your grade, but they ARE examined to monitor your progress as an English student, looking at your abilities to examine texts for content, meaning, and writing errors (sentence and paragraph structure, punctuation, etc.).  It is highly recommended you go online and take some of the ACT Prep Tests for practice.  These practice tests are great because, when you select a wrong answer, it will tell you what the correct answer is and WHY.  (In other words, it will explain the English rules that are to be followed.)  
In English, you take two different types of tests: the "English" test (grammar, punctuation, structure) and the "Reading" test (understanding the content and meaning of what you've read).

The links to the two sites (Reading and English) are:

http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/english/eng_01.html

http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/reading/read_01.html

If the links do not work, you may go to:  http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/index.html

Then click on "Reading" and "English" to take each sample test. 
PLEASE practice these exams.  They don't take a lot of time and they will definitely help prepare you for the ACT and other standardized tests that will be important in your high school career!

Homework ... if you are absent

If you are going to be absent during the NATO days (Friday and Monday), you should make sure you keep up with your reading of TWELFTH NIGHT, as we will be moving forward.  You should FINISH ACT 2 and ACT 3 over the weekend -- and be ready for quizzes and tests on those acts early next week.  THOUGH THE ABSENCES WILL BE EXCUSED, YOU WILL NOT BE GIVEN EXTRA TIME FOR ASSIGNMENTS THAT WILL BE GIVEN NEXT WEEK, OR BEFORE TAKING QUIZZES AND TESTS!!!!

Remember to ANALYZE the text while you're reading, as we have been doing together as a class.  It is not just enough to know the "plot," but you should also be able to discuss and apply your "Shakespeare Terms" as you go along.  Break down each speech and make sure you know what it means.  Pay particular attention to things that were listed on the sheets you received at the beginning of the unit, and other items we've discussed such as:
1.)  Plot devices
2.)  Theatrical conventions
3.)  Character development  (How do they grow?  Change?)
4.)  Theme of "(animal/base) nature vs. polite society"
5.)  Theme of fate/destiny ("the stars") vs. choice ("free will")
6.)  The uses of low humor and high humor.
7.)  The uses of poetry and prose ... why and when are each used?

Make sure you are reading to UNDERSTAND the material, not just get a basic plot structure.  Use all of the tools on the "Sparks Notes" and "No Fear Shakespeare" web pages to help you along.

Twelfth Night -- The Characters

Below is the cast of characters for Twelfth Night.  It is the same list as found on the "Spark Notes" web site, and as is on the handout given in class.

Cast of Characters

Viola -- A young woman of aristocratic birth, and the play’s protagonist. Washed up on the shore of Illyria when her ship is wrecked in a storm, Viola decides to make her own way in the world. She disguises herself as a young man, calling herself “Cesario,” and becomes a page to Duke Orsino. She ends up falling in love with Orsino—even as Olivia, the woman Orsino is courting, falls in love with Cesario. Thus, Viola finds that her clever disguise has entrapped her: she cannot tell Orsino that she loves him, and she cannot tell Olivia why she, as Cesario, cannot love her. Viola’s poignant plight is the central conflict in the play.

Orsino -- A powerful nobleman in the country of Illyria. Orsino is lovesick for the beautiful Lady Olivia, but finds himself becoming more and more fond of his handsome new page boy, Cesario, who is actually a woman—Viola. Orsino is a vehicle through whom Shakespeare explores the absurdity of love. A supreme egotist, Orsino mopes around complaining how heartsick he is over Olivia, when it is clear that he is chiefly in love with the idea of being in love and enjoys making a spectacle of himself.

Olivia -- A wealthy, beautiful, and noble Illyrian lady. Olivia is courted by Orsino and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, but to each of them she insists that she is in mourning for her recently deceased brother and will not marry for seven years. Olivia and Orsino are similar characters in that each seems to enjoy wallowing in his or her own misery. Viola’s arrival in the masculine guise of Cesario enables Olivia to break free of her self-indulgent melancholy.

Sebastian -- Viola’s lost twin brother. When Sebastian arrives in Illyria, traveling with Antonio, his close friend and protector, he discovers that many people seem to think that they know him. Furthermore, the beautiful Lady Olivia, whom Sebastian has never met, wants to marry him.

Malvolio -- The straitlaced steward—or head servant—in the household of Lady Olivia. Malvolio is very efficient but also very self-righteous, and he has a poor opinion of drinking, singing, and fun. His priggishness and haughty attitude earn him the enmity of Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria, who play a cruel trick on him, making him believe that Olivia is in love with him. In his fantasies about marrying his mistress, Malvolio reveals a powerful ambition to rise above his social class.

Fool -- The clown, or court jester, of Olivia’s household. The Fool, also known as Feste, moves between Olivia’s and Orsino’s homes, earning his living by making pointed jokes, singing old songs, being generally witty, and offering good advice cloaked under a layer of foolishness. In spite of being a professional fool, Feste often seems the wisest character in the play.

Sir Toby Belch -- Olivia’s uncle. Olivia lets Sir Toby live with her but does not approve of his rowdy behavior, practical jokes, heavy drinking, late-night carousing, or friends (specifically the idiotic Sir Andrew). But Sir Toby has an ally—and eventually a mate—in Olivia’s sharp-witted serving-woman, Maria. Together, they bring about the triumph of fun and disorder, which Sir Toby embodies, and the humiliation of the controlling, self-righteous Malvolio.

Maria -- Olivia’s clever, daring young serving-woman. Maria is remarkably similar to her antagonist, Malvolio, who harbors aspirations of rising in the world through marriage. However, Maria succeeds where Malvolio fails—perhaps because she is more in tune than Malvolio with the anarchic, topsy-turvy spirit of the play.

Sir Andrew -- A friend of Sir Toby’s. Sir Andrew Aguecheek attempts to court Olivia, but he doesn’t stand a chance. He thinks that he is witty, brave, young, and good at languages and dancing, but he is actually a complete idiot.

Antonio -- A man who rescues Sebastian after his shipwreck. Antonio has become very fond of Sebastian, caring for him, accompanying him to Illyria, and furnishing him with money—all because of a love so strong that it seems to be romantic in nature. When the principal characters marry at the end of the play, Antonio is left out, his love for Sebastian unrequited.

Valentine and Curio -- Two gentlemen who work for Duke Orsino.

Fabian -- A servant in Olivia’s household. He assists Maria and Sir Toby in their plot to humiliate Malvolio.

Captain -- The sea captain who rescues Viola after the shipwreck. He helps Viola become a page to Duke Orsino and keeps her identity a secret.

Twelfth Night -- Background and Carnival Information

Twelfth Night,

Or, What You Will

The comedy Twelfth Night was believed to be written by William Shakespeare as a celebration for the end of the Christmas season, first performed in 1602.  The play uses music, cross-dressing, costumes and trickery associated with the holiday.  It is believed that Shakespeare was going to originally name the play “What You Will,” but changed the name to the festival for which it was performed.  (It is also reported that John Marston, a contemporary of Shakespeare’s, released a play titled “What You Will” while Shakespeare was still writing his, forcing him to change the main title.)   The title Twelfth Night, or What You Will, prepares the audience for its jovial feel of festivities consisting of drink, dance, and giving in to general self-indulgence. The subtitle What You Will implies that the audience is also involved in the merry spirit found in the play.

The Celebration of Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night is a Christian festival that concludes the famous “Twelve Days of Christmas” and marks the beginning of Carnival Season.  It is celebrated on January 5^th or 6^th, depending on the country, the confusion being because some have the custom of starting a new day at sunset (on the 5^th), others at dawn (on the 6^th).  It is considered to be a magical time because the “12^th Night” is the celebration of when the three “kings” visited the Christ child.    
Twelfth Night is, oddly, a close relation of “All Hallows Eve,” or the American Halloween.  All Hallows Eve marks the beginning of the winter festival that ends with Twelfth Night, and one can see similarities in both like costumes, excesses in food and treats, and other types of revelry.  Traditionally, dating back to Celtic (non-Christian) Festivals, celebrations to end the winter were guided by “The Lord of Misrule,” symbolizing that the world was turning “upside down.”  On this day the King and all those who were upper class would become the peasants and vice versa.  At the beginning of the Twelfth Night festival, a cake was served that had a “bean” (sometimes made of gold) cooked into it.  The cake was cut up and served, and the person who found the bean would rule the feast as “king.”  Midnight signaled the end of his rule and the world would return to normal.  The common theme was that the normal order of things was reversed.
The Carnival Season is celebrated world-wide.  It is a time of indulgence, especially with food and drink, leading up to the Christian season of Lent.  Carnival parties frequently include masquerade balls and costumes.  New Orleans is the home of America’s largest and most famous Carnival Season.  “King Cakes” are still served, and costumes and disguises are still the rule of the day.
The final day of Carnival is perhaps the most famous:  Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday.”  This is the last day of debauchery before Lent begins the next day on “Ash Wednesday.”

Twelfth Night -- Links

Welcome to our Freshman Survey Twelfth Night blogspot!  Here are some links that we will use frequently in class.

1.)  The first link is the general "Spark Notes" link.  From this main page you can access notes on the play's "context" (Shakespeare and his times), plot overviews, analyses of main characters, notes on the themes, motifs and symbols of the play, and much more!  You can also use the tab at the top of the page to access the "No Fear Shakespeare" text (scroll down to "see all," then click on "Twelfth Night" at the bottom).  Use this sight frequently to help you understand the reading, and to compliment your knowledge of the material:

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/twelfthnight

2.)  This link will take you directly to the "No Fear Shakespeare" text for Twelfth Night.

http://nfs.sparknotes.com/twelfthnight/

From this main page, select the scene you wish to read.  The "No Fear Shakespeare" will allow you to view a "modern text" right next to Shakespeare's "original text."  Please do NOT use this as a complete substitute for the original!  Try to read the Shakespearean text first, see if you comprehend it, then "test" your comprehension against the modern text provided.  REMEMBER:  There are MANY ways to translate Shakespeare's text, and the "modern" translation provided is a guide, but is not the ONLY translation possible.