Tasks: Shakespeare and the Renaissance
William Shakespeare was a true Renaissance humanist, and we see this in much of his work.
Work together and go through the quotes below, which are all taken from Shakespeare's plays.
What do these passages mean? (If in doubt, use the internet)
Many of Shakespeare's plays explore what it is to be human. What do these quotes tell you about Shakespeare's view on this question?
Below is a list of important events and inventions that took place in Europe during the Renaissance. Make a timeline and place the events and inventions in chronological order.
Write by hand or use a digital tool like TimeGraphics or AdobeSpark Timeline.
Choose three events or inventions from the timeline you have made and find out more about them.
Make a fact sheet that you can share with your classmates.
Below, you will find a list of astronomers, artists, and philosophers that all lived and worked during the Renaissance.
Work in groups of minimum three people. Each person in the group selects a name to research. You must choose at least one name from each category. Share your findings in the group and in class.
Find information about:
Where and when did they live?
What did they do, and what were their greatest achievements?
How do we see the Renaissance ideals in their work?
Why are they still important today?
Task 1: Astronomy
Nicolaus Copernicus
Galileo Galilei
Johannes Kepler
Task 2: Art
Leonardo da Vinci
Michelangelo
Hans Holbein
Task 3: Philosophy
Francis Bacon
Martin Luther
René Descartes
Below, you will find a link to a short film with the title Why Should You Read Hamlet. The film is from TED.
Watch the film, or do an internet search for sources that offer reasons to read this Shakespeare play, before you answer the questions below.
Link to the TED webpage: an animation that seeks to explain why it is a good idea to read Hamlet
What is Hamlet about?
What does Hamlet teach us about human nature?
What is the moral lesson of Hamlet?
How is the play still relevant today?
Do you want to read or watch Hamlet? Explain why / why not.
Relatert innhold
What were the key values of the Renaissance society and how can we see these in the work of Shakespeare?