Interpretation Assignments (IA)

Throughout the term you have several "homework" assignments due. These ask you to read a passage closely and 1) try to make some sense out of its language and imagery and 2) say something about the passage’s importance to a particular “theme” or idea in the larger play.

These are informal. You should type up your thoughts in some kind of organized fashion, but the purpose is to generate some discussion of the passage with another student or two. I will collect 3 of them over the course of the semester and give you up to 3 points on each:

• Handed me a typed response that says something about the quotation: 1 point
• Response says something thoughtful about the quote and tries to address some of its language: 2 points
• Thoughtful response addresses question and pays attention to quote language: 3 points

The total points will be added to your quiz grade average at the end of the course. Thus, you can get up to 9 points added to your quiz grade!

Interpretation Assignment #1 (Due Wed Feb 5)

You're going to write one substantial, well-formulated paragraph: typed, single-spaced.

First, read carefully 3.2.4-26 (that is, Act 3, scene 2, lines 4-26, beginning "Needs must I like it well" and continuing through the rest of the speech).

Read it multiple times, making sure you understand what the King is literally saying and that you understand odd words or phrases, or the odd use of a common word or phrase.

Now write a one-paragraph response to the following question:

What relationship does Richard describe between himself and his land in the passage, how does that support his sense of his authority, and how does it differ from one other character's description of land?

So obviously that's a doozy of a question; it's really 3 questions in 1. What I'd like you to do is begin your paragraph with a statement that incorporates the question language and provides a clear direction.

Here's a template:

Returning from Ireland, Richard describes his land as ______________, and thus he suggests the source of his authority over England is _____________________ . Richard's sense of [dominance? possession? ownership? kinship? etc.] contrasts with [Gaunt? Henry? Mowbray? another character?], who sees his relationship with the land as ____________________ .

A lot of options there, which you'll have to decide on and elaborate. The rest of your paragraph should support your topic sentence(s) with very short quotations from the passage and with a description of the additional character's viewpoint. In other words, you may find yourself working with several places in the play: 1) the original passage; 2) other moments that support your sense of Richard's sense of the land and his authority; 3) additional play moments that help describe the second character's viewpoint.

Reading Assignment #2 (Due Monday March 2) 

1. First, reread 3.2.39-59 (a 20-line passage beginning, "Had I so lavish of my presence been...").  Consider exactly what advice the king is giving to his son about creating a sense of royal image.

2. Then, find another place in the acts we've read that says something about either Hotspur's image or Hal's image. The characters may be speaking directly about it, or acting in a way that says something about what they think about image making: what kind of image to project, or whether "projection" is meaningful in the first place.

3. Finally, write a one-paragraph response to this question:

Based on his advice in Act III, what does the king think is the key to maintaining the royal image, and how does that belief contrast with one other character. Be sure to cite specific language and images to support your sense of the king's approach to image management, and also cite concrete places that support your sense of an opposed character's approach to image making. Finally, end your paragraph by suggesting which version the play seems to prefer, and why.

Some possible language to begin: "In Shakespeare's King Henry IV, part one, the king believes the key to maintaining the royal image is....  By contrast, [character two] believes.... As of Act 3, the play prefers... because....  [Now, on to the evidence, beginning with the king, then moving to character 2, and then supporting the "play prefers" part]