YEAR 13 LESSON THIRTY-NINE [26th Feb 14]: Homework

 

The aim of today's session was to reintroduce the students to the wonderful and dramatic world of Christopher Marlowe's 'THE TRAGICALL HISTORY OF DR.FAUSTUS'.The focus of the lesson  was Scene Ten in The Court of the Emperor. Students were asked to consider why this scene is so monumentally important when considering the nature of Faustus's power. This scene is HUGE because Marlowe uses this moment to:

• Inform the audience that Faustus cannot raise the 'right shapes' of Alexander the Great and his paramour. Mephistophilis can only conjure 'spirits' that 'lively resemble' these characters. Faustus cannot summon the dead!! What are the dramatic implications of this moment?
• Encourage the audience to consider whether Faustus's earlier ambition to become a 'sound magician' or a 'mighty God' has been realised. Earlier in the play Faustus states that when he sells his soul: 'All things that move between the quiet poles shall be at my command' and 'I'll be great Emperor of the World.' How much authority does Faustus display in Scene Ten? Do you agree with the Knight that Faustus is a 'conjuror'? WHAT IS MARLOWE'S AIM HERE?

Scene Ten is so important as Faustus,with the aid of Mephistophilis, constructs a performance that entertains the Emperor and results in Faustus being paid for his 'show'. Why is this so significant?
The lesson then concluded with a consideration of how Marlowe's play could be linked to 'FAIR IS FOUL AND FOUL IS FAIR.'

HOMEWORK: Read/Listen/Watch the play and consider the thematic implications of Scene Ten. Read the rest of the play and consider why THE OLD MAN is such an important symbolic character. We will be reading the HORSE-COURSER scene on Friday and we will consider the function of the comedy in this play. The comedy in Marlowe's play is a unique aspect of our gothic texts therefore students need to be aware of why Marlowe constructs these comedic moments.
In today's lesson I referred to the great Bill Hicks. Click on links below to access Mr.Hicks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X56vWHFGGU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11Fl9ZVJ7B8

YEAR 13 LESSON THIRTY-EIGHT [12th Feb 14]: Homework

This session was used as a series of one-on-one tutorials relating to the content of coursework.
HOMEWORK: ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO COMPLETE THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE ANTHOLOGY COURSEWORK. Adam and Ed will have a little more time as they have only recently received teacher guidance. ALL students have had a sit down with me, had drafts marked, and discussed issues relating to coursework content. Students can send me work via e-mail to check if coursework content can be improved before we return to The Palace of Earthly Delights. The deadline is the first Wednesday when we return to the classroom to continue the study of Marlowe's Faustus.
LOTS TO DO FOLKS. THE COURSEWORK IS LOOKING VERY GOOD. GOOD LUCK.
ANY PROBLEMS....FIRE SOME WORDS DOWN THE DIGITAL PIPE!

STUDENTS ALSO NEED TO WATCH/READ/LISTEN to Faustus.

YEAR 12 LESSON THIRTY-SIX/THIRTY-SEVEN [11th/12th Feb 14]: Homework

The aim of these two sessions was to explore/read/discuss the content of the dramatic comedy  JERUSALEM by Jez Butterworth. THIS IS OUR COURSEWORK TEXT AND IS WORTH 20% OF THE AS GRADE.
Students were asked to consider the thematic nature of Act One, the comedic purpose of the character Rooster Byron, and the purpose of the taboo language.
HOMEWORK: Students need to read GATSBY, TROTAM and JERUSALEM. The half-term should be used as a reading week. Students can only produce informed written work if they are familiar with the text so...READ  READ  READ.
When we return we will be discussing JERUSALEM in detail and we will begin constructing the coursework. Students might like to consider the following questions when reading the text:

• What ideas are being presented through the character of Johnny Byron?
• To what extent is this a play about contemporary England?
• What is the function of the comedy?
• Why does Butterworth appear to use the characters and location normally associated with Shakespearean comedy?
• Is Byron alive or dead?
• What is the significance of the Flintock Fair?
• Why does Butterworth change the tone of the play in Act Two and Act Three?
• Is this a comedy or a tragedy?

Students need to engage with the Jerusalem resources. Click on links below.

http://becuriouslit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/jerusalem-resources.html

Students need to listen to these podcasts created by that odd fat northern bloke:

JERUSALEM:

https://soundcloud.com/fishymedia/an-as-lit-podcast-jez

TROTAM PODCAST:

https://soundcloud.com/fishymedia/literature-podcast-two-the

GATSBY PODCAST:

https://soundcloud.com/fishymedia/literature-podcast-an-as-level

THE RECENT COLERIDGE ESSAYS WERE EXCELLENT. KEEP IT UP.

YEAR 13 LESSON THIRTY-SIX/THIRTY-SEVEN [5th/7th Feb 14]: Homework

The aim of the first session was to check student coursework and make sure that students are constructing decent and relevant work. We will repeat this process next week.
The Friday session explored the comedy in Scenes 8/9 of Marlowe's Faustus. Students were encouraged to consider how the comedic scenes reflect the themes being explored through the primary dramatic narrative. Class discussion considered to what extent Faustus is a reflection of the ignorance displayed by Robin, Ralph and the Clown.It is important that students are familiar with Marlowe's motivation when presenting these comic scenes as the comedic nature of this play is a unique feature of our gothic texts. Students need to understand Marlowe's purpose when offering these comedic moments. HOW DOES MARLOWE WANT THE AUDIENCE TO REACT TO THE CHARACTER OF FAUSTUS? HOW DO THE COMEDIC SCENES AMPLIFY THE IGNORANCE OF FAUSTUS?
STUDENTS NEED TO BE AWARE OF HOW THE COMIC PLOT IS USED TO REINFORCE THE THEMATIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRIMARY DRAMATIC NARRATIVE.

HOMEWORK: READ/WATCH/LISTEN to the play. When we meet after half-term I expect all students to be extremely familiar with the text.
Next week I will be repeating the coursework tutorials. The times from last week will be repeated. Check last week's blog if you are unsure of your time slot. The focus of your written work this week should be the Anthology coursework.

YEAR 12 LESSON THIRTY-FOUR/THIRTY-FIVE [5th Feb 14]: Homework

These two sessions were important as both lessons attempted to construct content suitable for answering the examination question:
THE HERMIT ASKS THE MARINER 'WHAT MANNER OF MAN ART THOU?'
DO YOU THINK THE POEM AS A WHOLE ANSWERS THIS QUESTION?
Both sessions included tasks that were designed to improve student ability to structure a written response in an effective manner. Paragraph structure was the focus of both sessions.
Below are some notes that may guide essay structure:

• The Mariner is presented in a deliberately ambiguous manner. The reader is unsure whether The Mariner is alive or dead and this is a deliberate ploy by Coleridge to amplify the mysterious nature of this character. For example...'Like one that hath been seven days drowned My body lay afloat'..'I moved my lips- the Pilot shrieked And fell down in a fit'..The Pilot's Boy laughs 'loud and long, and all the while His eyes went to and fro...full plain I see, The Devil knows how to row.'...and The Hermit 'prayed where he did sit'. This mix of hysterical reactions to the distortion of humanity that appears to be The Mariner suggests the ambiguity of his physical form. Even The Mariner is puzzled by his own nature as he states that he now has 'strange power of speech'. The key word being 'strange'. The deliberately ambiguous representation of The Mariner allows Coleridge to emphasise the extreme nature of The Mariner's punishment for the sin of killing the Albatross. His human characteristic appear to have been removed and replaced with supernatural qualities that suggest that The Mariner is not in control of his own destiny. It is not clear whether The Mariner is a 'Man' at all and not some kind of ghost. The Mariner is being controlled by God as a punishment for his arrogance. The magical ambiguity of The Mariner is shaped by Coleridge to amplify the idea that God will punish any individual who fails to respect all God's creatures. 

• The idea that the Mariner is some form of supernatural being rather than a 'Man' is reinforced in the opening section of the poem. Key quotes: 'glittering eye...the Wedding-Guest stood still, and listens like a three years child: The Mariner hath his will.'...'The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone: He can not chuse but hear; ' STUDENTS NEED TO EXPLAIN HOW THESE QUOTES SUPPORT OPINION. Then students need to refer to author's aim and offer a very sharp question focus. REMEMBER..THE FINAL SECTION OF THE PARAGRAPH IS OUR KEY LEARNING FOCUS. So...From the very beginning of the poem Coleridge suggests that The Mariner is much more than a 'Man'. He appears to have magical powers and a supernatural physical appearance. This representation reinforces the perception that The Mariner is invested with special powers. We are not aware at this point in the poem that this hijacking of his personality is the result of a divine punishment due to his sin of killing the Albatross. 

• Just as it is difficult to define the true nature of The Mariner, Nature itself seems difficult to define. Nature is represented as being animalistic and the aural imagery used by Coleridge suggests the Natural World is like an aggressive animal. For example..'The ice..cracked and growled, and roared and howled..' These fearful sounds are used by Coleridge to suggest....YOU TELL ME!! Not only is it difficult to define the nature of the Mariner but in this poem the landscape itself is difficult to define. The fact that the natural world appears to be sentient reinforces the idea that the landscape is alive and is worthy of human respect. God created this magnificent environment and will punish any individual ignorant enough to harm any of HIS creations. Not only does Coleridge present The Mariner as an ambiguous character to amplify the power of God and his power to punish sin but the representation of nature as a living creature helps to shape the meaning that all God's creation is worthy of human respect. The landscape is as alive as humanity.

• We discussed The Mariner's disconnection and reconnection with God. Reference was made to the lines...'I looked to heaven and tried to pray; But or ever a prayer had gusht, A wicked whisper came, and made my heart as dry as dust...O happy living things!..I blessed them unaware..' We discussed how The Mariner's change in perception reconnects him with God but God continues to punish the Mariner. The Mariner is a Man who has sinned and despite being reconnected with God through prayer, he continues to be punished. Author's aim? Question Focus? YOU CAN DO IT. SHOW ME YOU WERE LISTENING.

• THE CONCLUSION...Students need to explore the idea that The Mariner's true nature is ambiguous because Coleridge may be using this character to shape a Christian Fable that champions the idea that all God's creatures are worthy of respect. The Mariner has his human identity removed as a punishment for killing the Albatross, a bird that was hailed by the crew in 'God's name.' The divine punishment The Mariner receives, which makes it very difficult for the reader to define this character's true identity, allows Coleridge to construct a poem that represents the power of God, the sanctity of nature, and the arrogance of mankind. DIFFERENT READINGS COULD ALSO BE PLACED WITHIN THE CONCLUSION. CRUEL GOD? CONFUSING MORAL? DIDACTIC CHRISTIAN FABLE? THE SHIP IS A SLAVE SHIP THAT IS BEING PUNISHED? A MODERN ECOLOGY POEM? A BRILLIANT SECULAR GHOST STORY?  'He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all' ....SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS QUOTE?

Remember that you need to be aware of the views of other critics. Here are some quotes you might like to use within your essay:

Coleridge described this as a poem of 'pure imagination'.

Charles Burney 1799: '..the strangest story of cock and bull we ever saw on paper.'

The Literary Gazette 1834: 'the finest instance of the supernatural sustained in narrative that we have in our language.'

Thomas De Quincey: ...this poem is ' teeming with power and beauty.'

William Wordsworth: Criticised the poem because The Mariner ' has no distinct character'.

Mrs. Barbauld in Table Talk 1830: 'the poem has no moral'.

I am not massively convinced that students are reading this poem with a precise and critical eye therefore this essay is a real challenge. OUR LEARNING FOCUS IS PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE. I have made it perfectly clear how students can improve the structure and detail of written work. NOW IS THE TIME TO STEP UP!! THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF WORK. I WILL NOT BE HAPPY IF, AFTER ALL THE PREP WE HAVE INVESTED IN THIS ESSAY, STUDENTS DO NOT ACHIEVE AT LEAST A C GRADE. 

Show me you were listening. I need to see some evidence of learning.

HOMEWORK : Complete the essay. Read Jerusalem.

YEAR 13 LESSON THIRTY-FIVE [31st Jan 14]: Homework

The aim of today's session was to continue our critical exploration of Christopher Marlowe's THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF DR.FAUSTUS. Class discussion considered why the scene with THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS is immediately followed by a scene that represents the greed of the Catholic Church. Students watched the Pope being slapped. Class discussion then considered key quotes offered by the play and students demonstrated that they are comprehending all the main themes and issues being offered by this fantastic play.
Next Friday, when we continue our journey through the play, we will be considering similarities and differences with Shelley's novel and also considering Marlowe's play in the context of the gothic literary tradition.
Next week I want to discuss coursework with ALL students. Here are the times for the one on one interviews:
Tuesday period two: First half Alex...last half Lucianna.
Tuesday dinner: Steph.
Tuesday period four: First half Simon...last half Adam.
Tuesday after school: Ed
Wednesday lesson: Olivia...Tom..James...Sophie.
Wednesday period five: Katie H...last half Charlotte.
Maddie...Kate E...need to arrange a time to see me.
CLICK ON LINK BELOW TO ACCESS A 1967 Film Trailer promoting a version of Faustus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I90YtG4pqhY

HOMEWORK: Students need to be constructing the Anthology coursework. Lots of work to do folks.
Watch/Read/Listen to Faustus. The more familiar you are with the play, the more you increase the possibility of your work reflecting a convincing and sophisticated level of critical understanding.