Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 12-2017 16th Century Shakespeare and 21st Century Students Sheridan Lynn Steelman Western Michigan University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the Education Commons, and the English Language and Literature Commons Recommended Citation Steelman, Sheridan Lynn, "16th Century Shakespeare and 21st Century Students" (2017). Dissertations. 3183. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/3183 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 16TH CENTURY SHAKESPEARE AND 21ST CENTURY STUDENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ by Sheridan Lynn Steelman ​ ​ ​ ​ A dissertation submitted to the Graduate College ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ in partial fulfillment of the requirements ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ English Western Michigan University ​ ​ ​ ​ December 2017 ​ ​ Doctoral Committee: ​ ​ Allen Webb, Ph.D. ​ ​ ​ ​ Jonathan Bush, Ph.D. ​ ​ ​ ​ Margaret Dupuis, Ph.D. ​ ​ ​ ​ Jo Miller, Ph.D. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16TH CENTURY SHAKESPEARE AND 21ST CENTURY STUDENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Sheridan Lynn Steelman ​ ​ ​ ​ Western Michigan University, 2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Drawing on examples from the author’s and colleagues classrooms, this dissertation ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ shows how an historical approach to teaching Shakespeare, drawing on primary documents from ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the period, opens meaningful interpretations, issues and questions for secondary students. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Chapter One reviews current pedagogical approaches to teaching Shakespeare, close reading, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ reader response, and performance to set forth the rationale for teaching Shakespeare using ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ primary documents. Chapter Two highlights ninth grade students studying Romeo and Juliet and ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ includes classroom stories about engagement with documents about gender, sexuality, violence, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and potions. Chapter Three describes two general English 11 classes and their successes and ​ ​ ​ ​​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ challenges with Hamlet as they read the text and other primary documents about ghosts and ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ religion, melancholy and madness, theater and acting, and espionage and treason. The fourth ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ chapter illuminates findings while teaching Macbeth to Advanced Placement students, using a ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ variety of document genres on themes of witches, government and freedom, manhood, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ equivocation, and insomnia. Chapter Five reveals the challenges and joys of teaching A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ Midsummer Night’s Dream in a middle school classroom, drawing on digital and visual ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ documents about conflict and resolution, fairies and the supernatural, work and rank, and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ celebrations and entertainment. The final chapter proposes a small-group inquiry approach to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Shakespeare’s sonnets, incorporating student-driven research of documents. The chapters quote ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ from student work and discussions as well as teacher observation to illustrate and provide ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ evidence for the value of the approach. Several appendices include lists of documents by theme, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ strategies for teaching Shakespeare and the documents, assessment rubrics, contemporary ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ literature based on Shakespeare’s plays, and teacher online resources for further exploration. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ One important appendix outlines how teachers and students can research their own documents. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The following work would not have been possible without the help and support of a number of people. The Northview Public Schools Board of Education and Superintendent Scott Korpak allowed this project to take place within the district. They have supported my efforts to earn a doctorate degree and approved my request to try a new idea. I appreciate and respect their efforts to provide the best education possible for all students. The Northview teachers with whom I worked spent hours learning about the document approach to teaching Shakespeare. I appreciated the efforts they made to accommodate my project and to share their students during the weeks we spent together. The High School English Department, specifically, has supported my work for many years. This group of men and women fight the good fight each and every day in their classrooms. They are often the unsung heroes who care about their students, going above and beyond contractual hours and expectations to ensure student success. I would especially like to thank my AP teaching partner, Audra Whetstone, who had constant faith in me. The students I taught deserve my thanks and praise for willingly participating in this project. Their positivity and enthusiasm for my work allowed me to complete the project and to analyze the results, knowing a great deal of learning had taken place. Megan Henning, a respected AP instructor, read the entire draft and provided the text box comments throughout this dissertation. Her comments and questions are the teacher voice that ii Acknowledgements—Continued lend middle and high school credibility. I am deeply grateful for her time and talent. A number of professors in the English Department at Western Michigan University supported my passion for Shakespeare during my coursework. In addition to their scholarship and dedication, they demonstrated the meaning of compassion and integrity. I would like to thank Dr. Jon Adams, Dr. Elizabeth Bradburn, Dr. Jonathan Bush, Dr. Margaret Dupuis, Dr. Cynthia Klekar, Dr. Jil Larson, Dr. Lisa Minnick, Dr. Scott Slawinski, and Dr. Gwen Tarbox, and Dr. Allen Webb. Dr. Jo Miller, from Grand Valley State University, has been a source of support and guidance since I met her in my first graduate Shakespeare course. Her teaching has had a profound effect on my career. I thank her for her mentorship throughout my studies, which has turned into a lifetime of friendship I cherish and respect. I am most indebted to Dr. Allen Webb, my Committee Chair, for showing me how to overcome obstacles with positivity and compassion. He has spent hours reading my work and understands the demands of a full time teacher working on a doctorate degree. I consider him my greatest advocate and a fine human being. Numerous friends and my extended family have been supportive, but my dear husband and six children have allowed me the time and space to work toward a 20-year goal. They never doubted my ability to succeed and applauded my grit to endure. I look forward to spending more time with all of you. Sheridan Lynn Steelman iii ©2017 Sheridan Lynn Steelman ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………………………………………………………………..ii LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………………..x LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………………xi PREFACE…………………………………………………………………………………….xvi CHAPTER I. APPROACHES TO TEACHING SHAKESPEARE…………………………………....1 Close Reading Approach……………………………………………………………….4 Reader Response Approach…………………………………………………………...11 Performance Approach………………………………………………………………..20 Primary Document Approach…………………………………………………………28 References………………………………………………………………………….….33 II. ROMEO AND JULIET: THE MAIDEN VOYAGE…………………....…………….40 Preparing Students to Read Shakespeare………………………………………….…..43 How to Begin the Play…………………………………………………………….…..46 Adding Primary Documents…………………………………………………………..49 Working Through the Tough Stuff……………………………………………………52 Inquiry and Relevance………………………………………………………………...55 Approaching Shakespeare’s Text…………………………………………………......56 Techniques for Working With Documents………………………………………...….59 Working Toward the Assessment………………………………………………...…...61 iv Table of Contents—Continued CHAPTER Writing, Writing, Writing….…………………………………………………….……65 Drugs and Potions….……………………………………………………………..…...70 Gradual Release..……………………………………………………………………...73 Wrapping It Up…………...…………………………………………………………...75 Analyzing Assessment Data…….……………………………………………..…...…79 Teacher Reactions…...…………………………………………………………….…..81 References…………………………………………………………………………......83 III. UNFOLDING HAMLET IN ENGLISH 11………………………………….……..…86 Digging Into Shakespeare’s Text………………………………………………...…....94 Ghosts and the Afterlife…………………………………………………………...…..96 Words, Words, Words……………………………………………………………..…100 Melancholy and Madness……………….………………………………………...….103 To Be or Not To Be…………..………………………………………………...…….109 Gender and the Relevance of Shakespeare.…………………………………………..112 Theater and Acting…………………………………………………………………....116 Learning Through Observation……………………………………………………….119 Plants and Lore…………………………………………………………………….….121